Skip to content
NOWCAST WGAL News 8 at 5 am
Live Now
Advertisement

Explore Outdoors: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Dauphin County

Explore Outdoors: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Dauphin County
"EXPLORE OUTDOORS" REPORT. MATT: AS A KID, DOES IT GET ANY BETTER THAN TH?IS YEAH, WE DON’T THINK SO EITR.HE >> IT HAS SO MUCH DIFFERENT STF UFTO DO HERE. MATT: A PLAYGROUNDHA TT ENCOURAGES PLAYING BY REPLACING SWINGS AND SLIDES WITH WOOD AND WATER. THE ADVENTURE PLAY AREA IS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AT THE NED SMITH CENTER FOR NATURE AND ART IN NORTHERN DAUPHIN COUNTY. >> WE WANT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF OBJECTS SO THAT KIDS OF ALL AGES, ALL ABILITIES, ALL HEIGHTS CAN STILL HAVE FUN AND EXPLORE OUT HERE. MATT: AND ADULTS CAN FIND PLACES TO PLAY HERE, TOO. WHAT DO U YOLIKE ABOUT THE TRAI?LS >> I LIKE THAT THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW TO DISCOR.VE MATT: EMILY ROSMUS, WITH THE CENTER, SHOWED US SOME OF ETH MORE THAN NINE MILES OF TRAILS ON THE PROPERTY, ALL WITH DIFFERENT DEGREES OF DIFFICULTY. >> WHATEVER KIND OF MOOD YOU’RE IN, HOWEVER MUCH ENERGY YOU WANT TO EXERT THAT DAY, WE’VE GOT SOMETHING THAT CAN ACCOMODATE TH.AT MATT: AND IT WLDOUN’T BE THE CENTER FOR NATURE AND ART WITHOUT ART. NED SMITH, THE CENTER’S NAMESAKE, WAS AN AVID OUTDOORSN.MA >> WE’VE GOT A WHOLE COLLECTION OF HIS PROGRESS. MATT: AND A CELEBRATED WILDLIFE ARTIST. HIS WORK IS ON DISPLAY AT THE CENTER’S PERMANENT ART GALLY.ER >> IT’S VERY SPECIAL. YOU CAN TELL IT’S DIFFERENFRT SOME OTHER WILDLIFE ARTISTS, BUT IT’S ALSO AN INCREDIBLE TEACHING TO.OL MATT: THE PIECES ARE SO DETAEDIL AND ACCURATE THAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT WHAT’S OUTDOORS WHILE INSIDE. YOU ARE AND MAYBE AFTER VISITING, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CREATE YOUR OWN MASTERPIECES, BECAUSE INSPIRATION IS ALWAYS ON DISPLAY JUST OUTSIDE THE GALLERY WALLS. MATT BARCARO, WGA
Advertisement
Explore Outdoors: Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Dauphin County
Nature centers in the Susquehanna Valley can be great spots to relax and see nature in your own communities.A center in Dauphin County has added a few more elements that make it an ideal trip for the whole family. WGAL News 8's Matt Barcaro visited the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Millersburg as part of our "Explore Outdoors" series.The adventure play area is one of the highlights at the center. The playground encourages playing by replacing swings and slides with wood and water."We want different levels of objects so that kids of all ages, all abilities, all heights, can still have fun and explore out here," said Emily Rosmus, the center's director of educational programming.Adults can find places to play, too."I like that there's always something new to discover," Rosmus said.The property has more than 9 miles of trails, all with different degrees of difficulty."Whatever kind of mood you're in, however much energy you want to exert that day, we've got something that can accommodate that," Rosmus said.And it wouldn't be the center for nature and art without art.Ned Smith, the center's namesake, was an avid outdoorsman and a celebrated wildlife artist. His work is on display at the center's permanent art gallery."It's very special. You can tell it's very different from some other wildlife artists, but it's also an incredible teaching tool," Rosmus said.The pieces are so detailed and accurate that you can learn about what's outside while you're inside.And maybe after visiting, you might want to create your own masterpieces – because inspiration is always on display just outside the gallery walls.Send us your suggestionsIf there's a place in the Susquehanna Valley that Matt should check out or an activity he should try, email us at news8@wgal.com.

Nature centers in the Susquehanna Valley can be great spots to relax and see nature in your own communities.

Advertisement

A center in Dauphin County has added a few more elements that make it an ideal trip for the whole family.

WGAL News 8's Matt Barcaro visited the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art in Millersburg as part of our "Explore Outdoors" series.

The adventure play area is one of the highlights at the center. The playground encourages playing by replacing swings and slides with wood and water.

"We want different levels of objects so that kids of all ages, all abilities, all heights, can still have fun and explore out here," said Emily Rosmus, the center's director of educational programming.

Play area at the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art.
WGAL
Play area at Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art.

Adults can find places to play, too.

"I like that there's always something new to discover," Rosmus said.

The property has more than 9 miles of trails, all with different degrees of difficulty.

"Whatever kind of mood you're in, however much energy you want to exert that day, we've got something that can accommodate that," Rosmus said.

And it wouldn't be the center for nature and art without art.

Ned Smith, the center's namesake, was an avid outdoorsman and a celebrated wildlife artist. His work is on display at the center's permanent art gallery.

"It's very special. You can tell it's very different from some other wildlife artists, but it's also an incredible teaching tool," Rosmus said.

Art by Ned Smith.
WGAL
Ned Smith’s art.

The pieces are so detailed and accurate that you can learn about what's outside while you're inside.

And maybe after visiting, you might want to create your own masterpieces – because inspiration is always on display just outside the gallery walls.

Send us your suggestions

If there's a place in the Susquehanna Valley that Matt should check out or an activity he should try, email us at news8@wgal.com.