Outdoor Adventure Center, 1801 Atwater St., Detroit, MI 48207

Guest parking is located at the gated lot off Atwater, west of St. Aubin Street. The cost is $5 per vehicle prior to 4 pm. Credit cards are the only accepted form of payment.

We recommend getting to the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center from Jefferson Avenue by heading south on Chene Street. Then head west on Atwater. The Outdoor Adventure Center entrance is off Atwater, on the east side of the building (where the bright green DNR logo is visible). Get driving directions below.

You also can get to the OAC by bicycle with MoGo (Metro Detroit's nonprofit bike-share organization) or by bus with the Detroit Department of Transportation's #9 Jefferson bus route.

An annual membership can be purchased for $50 for up to five members of the same household. For an additional $25, you can bring up to two guests any time you visit the Outdoor Adventure Center.

Purchase membership »

Benefits of membership:

• Free admission for one year from the date of purchase.
• Early admission to select special events.
• Adventure packs (for use during your visit). Adventure packs are available for loan to OAC family membership holders for a one-day use. Each pack will be filled with supplies to help guide you in your own outdoor experience, from birding to animal track identification and more - there is an adventure pack for all interests! Check in with our front desk staff to learn more or to check one out during your next visit.
• 25% discount on Camp Explore (summer camp) registration fee.
• 20% discount on gift shop merchandise when paying by credit card.
• Through April 30, 2025, OAC members may receive free or reduced admission to Association of Science and Technology Centers organizations located 90 miles or more from of the Outdoor Adventure Center. Find participating ASTC organizations to visit while this benefit lasts.
• The Outdoor Adventure Center has joined the Association of Nature Center Administrators. This partnership with ANCA offers a fresh range of benefits, including free or discounted admission, discounted gift store purchases and discounted program registration opportunities at over 150 participating organizations. Find participating ANCA organizations to visit.
• Monthly parking voucher for complimentary parking, in the gated lot off Atwater Street, west of St. Aubin Street.

Gift memberships

Gift memberships can be purchased online by clicking on the OAC Membership tab at https://secure.rec1.com/MI/michigan-dnr/catalog. After the purchase is processed, a certificate will be mailed to the address of your choice. The certificate can not be delivered electronically.

The membership will go into effect once it is redeemed at the OAC.

Gift a visit

A $20 gift visit can be purchased online by clicking on the OAC Membership tab at https://secure.rec1.com/MI/michigan-dnr/catalog.  After the purchase is processed, a certificate will be mailed to the address of your choice. The certificate can not be delivered electronically.

Children

Children must be under the direct supervision of an adult at all times. Only those over 18 years old may supervise minors. Staff will redirect unsupervised minors back to their grown-ups throughout the building.

Cafeteria

• Round tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Reserving tables or monopolizing all tables is not permitted.
• Guests are able to bring snacks and drinks to be enjoyed in the cafeteria and cannot be carried throughout the building.
• The cafeteria closes one hour before the building closes.
• The cafeteria does not serve food other than snacks and drinks from vending machines.
• Bagged lunches are permitted for individual families.
• Food cannot be cooked or prepared in the cafeteria.
• Individuals cannot serve homemade food to groups; a licensed vendor or restaurant is required for group meals.

Parties

COVID protocols

Post-COVID, we remain committed to the health and safety of our guests. Approved cleaning supplies and protocols remain in place, and complimentary masks are available to guests.

Mobility

• Although the parking lot at St. Aubin and Atwater has accessible parking spaces, the parking lot is about 190 feet from the entrance to the OAC. In 2022, a paved walkway was installed to replace the gravel. If the distance from the lot to the building is too far, we recommend that guests with limited mobility be dropped off near the entrance from Atwater Street.
• Electronic-assist doors are available at the entrance and exit.
• An elevator is available to access all three floors of the building.
• Ramps are installed behind the sustainable home and behind the hunting exhibit on the second floor.
• All restrooms are equipped with an accessible stall.
• Service dogs are welcome inside the building. The OAC follows Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for service dogs. The dog must be trained to provide assistance to a person with a disability. Visitors are not allowed to bring emotional support animals or pets into the OAC.

Hearing

• Every attempt will be made to provide a sign language interpreter if requested. Please provide at least two weeks’ notice if possible.

Vision

• Large print and Braille maps are available for loan at the front desk.

Sensory inclusion

• The OAC has partnered with KultureCity to improve our ability to assist and accommodate guests with sensory needs. Our objective is to provide an inclusive and seamless experience for all guests for all events, including those with sensory needs. Our team members get annual training, and we offer our guests the following resources and accommodations.
• An all-gender restroom is located on the second floor.
• A secure, private Quiet Room, located on the second floor of our building, is available to any person who needs this space during open OAC hours. The features of this room include: tile flooring with a soft rug, an automatic overhead light that can be turned off, a soft light that can be turned on and off, a two-person couch, a side table with a removeable lid containing a weighted blanket and sensory items, books, and a silent clock.
• A limited number of sensory bags – containing special KultureCity VIP badges, fidget tools, noise-canceling headphones and other resources – are available for checkout (at no cost by leaving an ID) at our front desk on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Weighted lap pads are also available upon request (at no cost by leaving an ID) at our front desk.
• A virtual tour of our building, courtesy of Able Eyes, is available to view at home to prepare for a visit. This “walk-through” of our facility gives guests, along with their families, teachers and leaders, the opportunity to review what a visit through the Outdoor Adventure Center will include. You also can view our exhibit map.
• The KultureCity Sensory Inclusive App is available to view our social story to help you plan your visit. Get it on the App Store (Apple devices): http://bit.ly/KCiphone or Google Play (Android devices): http://bit.ly/KCandroid.
• We offer Sensory-Friendly Days throughout the year, when we welcome friends and families with sensory processing differences to our sensory-friendly building hours.
• Communication boards are located on every level of the building next to the elevators, in both classrooms and outside by the front door.

English as a second language

• Facility maps are available printed in Arabic, Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Japanese. These maps are available in the entrance lobby.
• Exhibit information can now be translated to Spanish, Arabic and Mandarin using a smart device and QR codes.

Family needs

• An all-gender restroom is located on the second floor.
• A secure room for nursing mothers is available on the second floor. It has a rocking chair and can be used by any guest to nurse or just spend a few quiet moments. Any staff member can help guests gain access to this room.
• Baby-changing tables are available in all multiple-toilet restrooms. They are installed in the accessible stalls.
• The entire building, except for a few exhibits such as the rope bridge, is stroller-accessible, and you may also park strollers in the locker area.