Gateway to Nature Center

The Gateway to Nature Center, located in the historic Hellman/Quon building, is designed to engage all audiences, with specific focus toward the 400,000 youth and school groups who frequent El Pueblo annually. The center explores the way in which nature is open to interpretation, inviting imagination, creativity, whimsy, and even mystery. It challenges traditional notions of outdoor exploration by highlighting unique ways people in Los Angeles engage with nature, in particular, their local parks, forests, and public lands. By expanding visitors’ perceptions, the center aims to educate and encourage new modes of park participation—but more importantly, spark moments of self-discovery, identification, and advocacy.