Tom Ridge Environmental Center

The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is an environmental museum in Erie with about 7,000 square feet of exhibition space. The displays cover the habitats and ecosystems surrounding Presque Isle State Park and Lake Erie.

The center was established to document and protect Pennsylvania's only shoreline on the Great Lakes. It has served since its opening as an educational facility for natural research and environmental conservation.

The center shows how people value and interact with the shoreline and waters of this region. Visitors can see how environmental education shapes the daily awareness of the local community.

Admission is free and the center opens daily from 8 AM to 4 PM. The building also includes a cafe and a gift shop for visitors.

A 75-foot observation tower offers views across Lake Erie and the shoreline landscape. The four-story theater shows large-format nature films that immerse visitors in different ecosystems.

Location: Pennsylvania

Website: https://dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/PresqueIsleStatePark/TRECPI/Pages/TRECPI.aspx

GPS coordinates: 42.11000,-80.15400

Latest update: December 12, 2025 08:01