The Education Building was built in 1997 with funds from the Minnesota legislature and furnished with a generous grant from the Schmidt Foundation. The building may be rented for meetings, birthday parties, graduation parties, weddings, and other events. Members of the Ney Nature Center receive a $10.00 discount when renting the building. The Education Building is equipped with bathrooms, a drinking fountain, a kitchen area, tables and chairs for up to 70 people, nature and history displays, and a projector screen. Additional farm buildings on the site are locked and are only used for storage or appropriate classes such as birdhouse and snowshoe construction. The only building available for rent is the Education Building.
Cost of Education Building Rental
- Building rental fees must be paid at the time of reservation (payable to the Ney Nature Center) to hold your spot in the calendar and cover cleaning costs.
- We have implemented a new fee structure effective July 1st, 2022. Please email us with for more information about fees and add ons.
- A Damage Deposit of $50.00 for all building use is required at the time of building use paperwork submission. The deposit will be returned after rental conditions have been met.
- Education, conservation, civic, governmental, non-profit, and youth organizations will be charged $25.00 for a full or half-day. If you are charging a fee for attendance at your event, you are not eligible for the non-profit rate.
- Large events, tents, and overnights will be handled on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of Ney Staff.
Reservations and Open Times
- Reservations for building use can be made by emailing Ney Nature Center staff at least two weeks in advance. Large events such as graduation parties, reunions, and weddings need to be scheduled at least three months in advance.
- The building is secured by an alarm system during non-park hours.
- Ney Nature Center is a public county park and is open from sunup to sundown. Please keep in mind with large events that there will be park visitors throughout the day.
Parking and Accessibility
- There are parking spaces at the Education Building and the Ney Homestead site, both of which include accessible spaces.
- The parking lots and park entrances are gravel surfaces.
- The hiking trails are mowed and trimmed regularly.
- There are four wheelchair-accessible picnic tables near the Education Building.