Lake Erie Nature & Science Center

Dr. Elberta W. Fleming, the founder of Lake Erie Nature & Science Center, had a vision for the future. It was important to her that children learn from experiences and discovery, for the lessons they learned in science through nature were essential for their future. As the neighborhood children brought injured animals to Elberta, she discovered the wildlife provided an effective teaching tool for people of all ages. To be able to see up close and sometimes touch a real living and breathing animal created a fun, hands-on, and powerful learning experience for the children. So, in 1945 she began Lake Erie Nature & Science Center with a meager display of bunnies in her backyard, mourning doves in her basement, turtles in her bathtub and nature specimens throughout her home. Hence, the “Bathtub Museum” was started. VW BusLake Erie Nature & Science Center was incorporated in 1950 by Dr. Fleming based on the principles that learning is fun and children learn best by doing. The charter states that this non-profit organization will connect people of all ages to nature in order to motivate natural curiosities and creative abilities, encourage an understanding of cultural diversity, and instill civic responsibilities by developing a desire to conserve our natural resources.