Prairie Woods Nature Center

Located in the northwest corner of Iowa, the Prairie Woods Nature Center opened in 2020 with the goal of connecting visitors to the outdoors.

The displays focus on the theme “seeing the unseen.” A series of free-standing islands explore the rich habitats of the region and are packed with low-tech and hands-on displays as well as live animals and sculpted environmental theming.

Designer and fabricator: Split Rock Studios

Owner: Sioux County Conservation Center

A central display on habitats offers numerous low-tech displays.

A display on sight lets visitors see the natural world through the eyes of different creatures.

In the prairie section, massive root systems reach down through a toil cutaway. Visitors can lift doors to discover what lives underground in the prairie habitat.

Taxidermy mounts, oversized sculpture, and a replica tree anchor a display on the woodlands habitat. Visitors can peer under the bark of a fallen snag or come face to face with an oversized beetle.