Events

Agents of Discovery is a mobile game app that lets you explore nature in a new way. Our new game at Runge is a scavenger hunt you play on your phone. Find QR codes in our exhibit gallery and learn how birds use their beaks and bills like people use tools. Answer all the questions to win. Come to the front desk to claim your prize! No registration required although you do need to download the Agents of Discovery app to your phone. All ages

Agents of Discovery is a mobile game app that lets you explore nature in a new way. Our new game at Runge is a scavenger hunt you play on your phone. Find QR codes in our exhibit gallery and learn how birds use their beaks and bills like people use tools. Answer all the questions to win. Come to the front desk to claim your prize! No registration required although you do need to download the Agents of Discovery app to your phone. All ages

Runge is pleased to present an exhibition of works by Missouri artist Terry Martin.

"I was fortunate to grow up in Missouri where there were lakes, streams, and rivers to explore. I had a bicycle and a fishing rod (a fortunate son)! As a boy, I was up at daylight each day and home when it got dark. I developed more and more of an interest in the wildlife and geography of my surroundings."

Terry Martin's art can be viewed in the main lobby of the nature center through April 30. No registration required. All ages

Join us as we introduce the basics of spring turkey hunting in Missouri. We will cover turkey biology, scouting, calling, proper setup, safety, and much more. Registration required. Ages 6+

The Missouri Department of Conservation is partnering with the National Turkey Federation, Quail Forever, Missouri Soybean Assocation, and Midway Farms to host a landowner workshop geared toward Bobwhite Quail and Turkey habitat management. Participants will spend the morning in a classroom style setting before spending that afternoon in the field looking at existing examples of habitat improvements on Midway Farms.

Topics covered will include- grassland and woodland management techniques, precision agriculture, and cost share programs.

Lunch will be provided to participants, free of charge.

Discover how to preserve the fleeting beauty of spring ephemeral flowers through pressing. Join a naturalist on a short, outdoor walk to learn about these unique blooms and their role in the ecosystem. Then create your own nature art with pressed flowers. Participants will leave with a piece of pressed flower artwork and instructions for pressing additional flowers at home. All materials provided. Registration required. Ages 16+

Whether a European skull mount or a complete shoulder mount, deer antlers can be trophies that remind you of your hunt and your experience outdoors. Bring in your rack to have it scored by an official measurer of the Boone & Crockett Club. If time permits, you can wait while your antlers are scored, or you can drop off your rack to have it scored later. While you are at Runge, see the state record typical buck (205 points) and the world record non-typical buck (333 7/8 points). No registration required. All ages

Spring is a great time to get outdoors and pursue Missouri’s largest gamebird, the Wild Turkey. If you harvest a turkey this spring; mounting the fan is a great way to create a decorative keepsake that will last for years to come. Join us to learn how to preserve and display it. This virtual program will show you the supplies you will need and take you step by step through the process. The link to join this class will be sent the morning of the class. Be sure to check your Spam or Junk box for the email. If an email is not received, please send an email to the instructor to let them know.

The earth pulses with promise of spring: gentle rains fill streams and soak fields. The colors of spring beauties and flowering dogwood revive the winter landscape, fresh flowering scents fill each breath. Can the attentive ear hear the eager budding of new life? Let our Spring Nature Rx yoga practice pique our senses…and sense of wonder. We will finish our practice with furoshiki-inspired eye bags made at the beginning of the program. Bring a yoga mat or towel. Registration required. Ages 16+

Nature's Needlers is a monthly series featuring a nature presentation along with a customized quilt block pattern to take home and complete at your own pace. Our 2025 theme is "Missouri's Natural Communities.” Our fourth topic and quilt block are the lakes with its representative organism, the great blue heron. Registration required. Ages 18+