Millbrook Marsh Nature Center was a functioning barn in the 1800s, but today it exists in a different form — it’s a retreat for birds in migration, plants, and people.

Penn State owns the centuries-old farmland but rents it to Centre Region Parks & Recreation for a whopping one dollar per year. Located at 548 Puddintown Road, the old barn and silo remain and give the nature center some Central Pennsylvania authenticity. To start a tour through the park, which coordinators do give most days of the week, the best place to begin is on the wooden walkway that will take you through the majority of the center:

A good stopping point along the trail is on the first bridge. A creek runs through the center of the park and winds its way past this spot. The park coordinators allow fishing but no one is allowed to keep the fish they catch.

After this, the next place to rest is in the bird blind. The bird blind looks out over a portion of the wetland and is a great place to watch migrating birds if visiting at the right time of year. The name Millbrook Marsh was intentional —  most of the land on the 62-acre property is wetland which functions in many roles in everyone at Penn State’s lives. From purifying the water supply and moderating flooding to giving students a place to learn about mother nature, the center does more than you might think.

The staff at Millbrook Marsh is very inviting and seems genuinely happy when new faces show up at its door to learn more about the natural world around Penn State, so give it and mother nature a visit.