Lake Erie Junior Nature & Science Center

The mission of Lake Erie Nature & Science Center “to educate and inspire all of us to understand, appreciate and take responsibility of the natural world.” Our means of accomplishing this mission are programs and services and enjoyment of the facility and its exhibits. Programs and services include learning experiences facilitated by a staff member which are school field trips, seasonal family events, preschool programs, planetariums shows, wildlife programs, wildlife intakes and inquiries and scout programs. In addition to these scheduled learning experiences, admission to the facility is free to all allowing visitors to enjoy indoor and outdoor exhibits about natural history, space science and wildlife including live animals. Our goal is to help educate people through all of these means, and ideally provide this education through repeated visits over the course of a child’s development years.

The Center is both a children’s museum and nature center with a distinct pairing of teaching expertise and science resources in one location. Our highly trained and experienced staff of full-time and part-time employees have credentials in early childhood education, astronomy, physics, wildlife rehabilitation, biology and natural history. Embodying scientific background along with service-oriented people skills, our instructors give visitors of all ages enthusiastic and effective learning experiences. The Center’s wildlife rehabilitation program is the only one in Cuyahoga County, receiving intakes from the public to its recently upgraded and expanded facility. Our recently transformed planetarium is one of two public access domes in the Cleveland area, featuring a dual projection system and new sound and lighting. The Center's location in a park setting within walking distance of Lake Erie provides an outdoor classroom highlighting natural history in a variety of landscapes.

A mission impact survey obtained quantifiable information from our visitors about the change our offerings make in their lives. Questions and response formats were designed with our mission statement as a guide. The first level of questions asked about how much people learned from their visit to address the degree of understanding gained. Secondly, questions about values around nature and science looked at the appreciation factor. Thirdly, questions about personal actions at home or through a hobby focused on how visitors are taking responsibility for the natural world.

The results of the mission impact survey are positive and build evidence of our mission relevancy. The overwhelming majority of respondents mostly visit to see to indoor/outdoor exhibits, 95.4% agreed that we help them gain a better understanding of the natural world, and 83.2% agreed that they return to the Center to take part in additional programs. Mixed responses were received about whether the Center has inspired them to ignite a new hobby or join a community effort, 54.6% agreed and 32.7% were indifferent. Demographic information was also collected. Approximately 400 responses were received, which is approximately 10% greater than response to previous efforts. Using the survey results , the Board of Directors and staff leadership created a new strategic plan which engaged community members, partners, staff and board members in sub-groups to define goals in four areas of Programs, People, Place and Prosperity. The Board of Directors approved the five year plan in August, 2017.