At Seward Park ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center, we help a diverse mix of children, teens, and adults develop wonder and an insatiable curiosity for the natural world through environmental science, outdoor exploration, and play—all in their neighborhood backyard.
Launched in 2008 and located on Lake Washington in South-East Seattle, the center is a 277-acre playground with the last stand of old growth forest in Seattle, nine miles of hiking trails, and beaches, all in one of the most culturally diverse zip codes in the United States. Annually, we serve more than 6,000 youth and 12,000 adults in education and conservation programs ranging from our popular Owl Prowl night hike for adults to Toddler Tales and Trails, a storytelling journey for little ones.
From I-5 North or South: Take the I-90 East/Rainier Exit. Head south on Rainier to Genesee. Turn east on Genesee to Lake Washington Blvd. S. Take Lake Washington Blvd S. south to Seward Park. The center is located at the entrance to the park.
Our Nature Library is free and open to the public, Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Come browse the titles ranging from science topics, gardening, Pacific Northwest social history, and of course, birds! And now you can search our titles online thanks to our library volunteers. Then come on in and check out your books.
You can also bring your little ones to play with toys, puzzles, and games, and read children's books about trees, animals, and nature in a variety of languages.
Ann created the Seward Park native plant garden in partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation and the landscape architect, Charles Anderson. You can see this garden by walking around the north of the building and following the path up the hill.
In 1996, Ann set up the Starflower Foundation, which provided resources for reconstruction and restoration in other Seattle parks, including recreating the original wetlands in Prichard Beach and Roxhill Bog, native plants we reintroduced to the historic Colman Park, and daylighting the stream through the Madrona Woods.
Ann loved books, especially those about the natural world. Her library has been gifted to the Seward Park ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center by the Starflower Foundation. The breadth and depth of her interests make this library an enormous asset to the southeast Seattle community.
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