Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center

The Arkansas Game and Fish Nature Center is located in Little Rock, Arkansas. The nature center is operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Photo by Phil Frana.

The Witt Stephens Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center is an interpretive education center operated by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The center is located between the Arkansas River and the Museum Center in the River Market district of downtown Little Rock. The director of the nature center is Neil Curry. The education programs director is Marc Kilburn.

The designer of the project is Cromwell Architects Engineers. The 16,232 square foot center occupies 3.4 acres of land in Julius Breckling Riverfront Park, acquired from the city under a 99-year lease. The project will include an aquarium, exhibit hall, gift shop, and theater. The center will also feature 9,000 gallons of aquarium space for exhibits on Arkansas fisheries.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the nature center took place on June 21, 2006, is expected to open in the summer of 2008. The final pricetag of the project is expected to be $8.3 million, to be paid out of a 0.125 percent state conservation sales tax passed in 1996. The original plan called for a living roof with native vegetation but was ruled out as impractical and too expensive.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission operates other nature centers in Fort Smith, Jonesboro, and Pine Bluff.

References

• Kristin Netterstrom, "Nature Center in LR on Track for Fall Debut," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, March 24, 2008.