Would you like to receive daily tips on things to do and places to go with kids in Northwest Arkansas? If so, Click here to sign up for Life+Kids by Email. It's FREE! Thanks for visiting!
All Side of Life reader, Jamie wrote to me with some details about the Ozark Reptile Museum. We have never been, but I am sure my boys would love it.
I wanted to let you know about another museum in the area worth visiting. It’s called Ozark Reptile Museum. It’s VERY small, but a neat place to go if you’ve got kids into snakes, lizards etc. (They even have an alligator.)
It’s located in a small L-shaped building next to Mermaids where 71 Business merges with Green Acres Road.
It’s open Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoon. Admission is $1.50 for kids 5-12, $2.50 for 13 years and older and it’s free for kids 4 and under.
We didn’t do this, but we were told you could bring a camera and get your picture taken holding the 9 foot Boa!
Thanks for the tip, Jamie!
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I went to the Reptile Museum today with my 3 yr old and the man who runs this place is awful. I went with the intent on paying to enter the facility and he had a sign requesting food products for the animals instead of money. I asked if he was open and his response was..
“I am for the people who bring food. I don’t know what is wrong with these uneducated people who come here. I know they can read the sign.” Then he went off on a tirade about not cheating the government and started to talk about medical prescriptions and govt programs.
Oh if my daughter hadn’t been so excited I would have left right then and not returned. But I made a trip to Ozark Foods and purchased two heads of red leaf lettuce for the animals and returned.
He then let us in but ignored us for the rest of the time. He did not explain any of the creatures to my daughter who was so happy to be there. There is religious propaganda and pamphlets everywhere it isn’t a very friendly place and I will not return.
So before you go you may want to prepare your children for for the environment and bring crickets or lettuce( not iceberg)
This place in an embarrassment to Fayetteville. The animals are neat but the man that runs this place is horrible. He acts like he could care less about the people visiting. He sat in the back the whole time, so we just looked at the animals by ourselves…he never explained what the animals were or gave us any info about them at all. I knew most everything in there except the name of a few snakes…it would have been nice to know what I was looking at. The owner just has no people skills whatsoever…Also, he doesn’t accept money, you have to bring food (for the animals) to get in…lettuce or feeder fish or mice..
I hope no out of town visitors to this “museum” think this is how all citizens of Fayetteville act…
We were there about 5 mins max…it was really small plus we just didn’t feel welcomed. We felt like we were bothering this man just being there…
OH well…
I couldn’t disagree more with the two post above. I took my daughter 5, and my son 1 1/2 and he was pleasant, informative, and let us have a very hands on experience. She held an alligator, a couple snakes, and a gila monster. I got to hold a tarantula, but she wasn’t too into that.
I think it’s a great place to go to learn, but that should be your objective. This is not a zoo for your kids to run wild in, they should be reserved and understand about respecting animals. It’s an education trip, not a trip to the park.
This place has moved to a new location right off of College and Township. It is an amazing place!! The owner was as nice as could be, and told us about all of the animals there. The cost was $2.50 for children, and $5 for adults, and there were no signs asking for food. He does have a large picture of Christ hanging up, so if that is offensive to you, maybe you shouldn’t go. It is a great place for children to learn and get a hands on experience with reptiles.
I have to also make mention about Jonathan’s (the owner) move to the larger place on Township right off College. It’s very nice and much more open. He has really straightened up (don’t know how bad he was before.. ?!) and is really kind and informative, and seems like he enjoys helping the children interact with the reptiles.