Aviary Education Center Open House at Radnor Lake

Radnor Lake's Barbara J. Mapp Aviary Education Center opens its doors on Saturday mornings, and it is one of the best free hours in Nashville for a kid who likes animals. A 550-foot boardwalk runs past the resident birds of prey — hawks, owls, and the rest of the permanent residents — close enough to see the detail in a feather.

The tour is self-guided, so you set the pace. Small children who lose patience with a guided program do fine here because you can linger at one enclosure and skip the next.

When: Saturday, September 19, 2026, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Where: Radnor Lake State Park, 1160 Otter Creek Road, Nashville
Cost: Free

One thing to plan for: the aviary sits about three-quarters of a mile uphill from the parking area, and that walk is the real cost of admission. Strollers are a struggle on it. Bring water, wear shoes you can climb in, and give yourself more time than the distance suggests.