Touch & Learn: Nature Up Close

an Animal & Artifact Discovery Series

The Wonder Works Touch & Learn: Nature Up Close program is an immersive, hands-on discovery series designed for young explorers eager to experience the natural world like never before. Experts from the Lincoln Park Zoo, the Chicago Herpetological Society, and Oak Park Natural Pet & Fish guide encounters with live and preserved animals and insects, fascinating artifacts, as well as ocean treasures, children develop a deeper appreciation for the diversity of life on Earth — one discovery at a time. 

What to Expect

Each session invites children to see, touch, and engage with the incredible variety of textures, shapes, and adaptations found in the animal kingdom. From the sleek glide of a snake to the intricate spiral of a seashell, every experience is designed to spark wonder and build scientific curiosity.

Live Animal Encounters Come face-to-face with some of nature’s most fascinating creatures! Children will have the opportunity to meet and gently interact with live animals including snakes, spiders, and other incredible species. Trained naturalists guide each encounter, teaching children how these animals live, move, eat, and thrive — turning fear into fascination and curiosity into confidence.

Animal Artifact Exploration What does a wolf pelt feel like? How do fish scales protect their owner? Our collection of real animal artifacts — including pelts, feathers, shells, scales, and bones — brings the science of animal coverings to life. Children explore how nature has engineered each unique material for survival, camouflage, warmth, and protection.

Bugapalooza! Children can touch and examine real spiders, millipedes, beetles, and even a giant hissing cockroach! 

Ocean Wonders Dive into the mysteries of the deep with our ocean creature station! Children can touch and examine real shells, horseshoe crabs, sea stars, and other marine specimens while learning about life beneath the waves. Discover how ocean animals are perfectly adapted to their underwater world and why protecting our oceans matters.