Weekly fun at Grange Insurance Audubon Center

The Grange Insurance Audubon Center offers fun events and activities for all ages to connect with nature. The Audubon Center is located in downtown Columbus, but you’ll feel like you are away from the city and immersed in nature along the Scioto River. 

Grange Audubon Center offers STEAM-based programming for youth, birding and conservation experiences, as well as indoor and outdoor fun.

Deposit photos

Special Events at Grange Insurance Audubon Center

New Art at Audubon Exhibition, Relationships with the Natural World, on display July 9 – September 19

Featuring 25 prints and paintings by artist, Karen Albanese Campbell, a painter, printmaker and textile artist who looks at reality from an upside-down perspective. Her paintings and prints are marked by social and spiritual themes such as how people interact with the natural world as they look for shelter, comfort and home. Albanese Campbell’s work has been juried into exhibits around the country for more than ten years.

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Weekly Fun at Grange Insurance Audubon Center

Turtle Tuesday

Each Tuesday morning at 11:30 am. Learn about some of the animals that call the Grange Insurance Audubon Center home! You’ll get to learn about each of our turtles, their habitat, diet and behavior and then watch as their food is prepared and served in front of your very eyes!

Please be sure to check in at the front desk when you arrive and our greeter will send you in the right direction. Pre-registration is required due to limited space at this time. Register here. 

Preschool Story Time

Each Thursday morning at 10:00 am for nature-themed, read-alouds and maybe sing a song or two. Stay after to enjoy outdoor play time in our play space located near the native plant gardens or visit the turtles inside. Registration is currently required, program is free. Register here.

Birdwatching for Beginners

Saturday mornings from 10 – 11:30 am
Take a guided hike with our Grange Insurance Audubon Center Educators or Columbus Audubon Volunteers to see what birds you can find in your Scioto Audubon Metro Park each Saturday at 10 am. Guided hikes will give you the basics of birding and help you learn about areas in our park that are great for birdwatching! You can enjoy self-guided hikes in the park anytime during open hours.

Registration is currently required on Eventbrite to limit attendance. Please bring binoculars, or you can borrow a pair at the center if you leave your driver’s license at the desk for the loan. Register at the link here.

Adventure and Discovery Backpacks

The center offers a variety of nature-themed backpacks for family exploration at the park! Adventure Backpacks are geared to school-aged children and Discovery Backpacks are geared to preschoolers. Families can check out a backpack for an hour and a half from Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays between the hours of 10:30 am and 2 pm (10:30 – noon only on Saturdays).  

Adults will just need to leave an ID with our staff person until each bag is returned. Pre-registration is required, items in the bag will be sanitized before your arrival and again after the bags are returned. 

Audubon Afternoon Adventures

Look for the Audubon Adventure Cart outside at the center on Tuesdays & Thursdays (4:30p-6:30p) and Saturdays (11a-1p).  No registration required just drop by for a different adventure each week at the following center locations: 

1st week of the month – Find the cart in the FOREST 
2nd week of the month – Look for the cart at the WETLAND 
3rd week of the month – Locate the cart in the PRAIRIE 
4th week of the month – Find the carT down by the RIVER 
5th week of the month – SURPRISE ADVENTURE, MEET AT THE CENTER!

Reserve a private playtime!

Small indoor play room with books, bird watching, costumes, climbing structure and cave.
Reserve your playtime! Have an adventure while engaging in imaginative play in the Grange Insurance Audubon Center Forest Room Playroom and Climbing Area with your family and/or playgroup. No more than 15 in the group please (infants included).

Reservations for a party with a member is $30. Reservations for non-member groups is $40. See website for details and cancellation policies. Reserve your playtime here.

Grange Insurance Audubon Center
505 W Whittier St. Columbus OH 43215
614-545-5475
website | Facebook
OPEN Tuesday & Thursday 10a-7p, Wednesday & Friday 10a-5p, Saturday 10a-3p, Sunday 12p-5p
CLOSED MONDAY