Housed in a mid-century A-frame, Space Haus’s new design for the nature center exhibits captures the vivid colors and optimism of the era.

The design centers around a life sized replica of a chinquapin oak tree, one of the keystone species of the hill prairie ecosystem. New interpretive panels describe these hill prairies that are unique to the glacial moraines surrounding Peoria, as well as the animals and other plants that are found in the region.

An interactive media table, created in collaboration with Ideum, uses animations to describe how urban and natural systems work together in a watershed. Local creeks, storm sewers, parking lots and agricultural land are just a few of the components that impact the water quality and the health of the ecosystem. Visitors can learn how their actions, such as having rain garden rather than a lawn, helps out local flora and fauna.