News Release

Local organizations bring summer fun with Junior Ranger Park Explorer programs

Kids learn about nature from a park ranger.

NPS/BURGHART

News Release Date: June 16, 2023

Contact: Becky Burghart, 208-848-6098

RICHLAND, WA – Manhattan Project National Historical Park rangers and REACH Museum educators are partnering to bring Junior Ranger Park Explorer programs to different neighborhood parks in Richland throughout the summer. This series of free programs engages families and children of all ages in activities that explore Richland’s nature and history at different neighborhood parks. 

Many of these parks were created during World War II when the Manhattan Project developed a community for its professional workers that included green spaces for people to enjoy. Other parks, like Howard Amon Park, predate the Manhattan Project, but served as an important gathering place for the community during the Manhattan Project and beyond.

Families can drop in any time during the two-hour program, and no reservations are needed. Children can earn a special junior ranger patch or pin by attending at least two of the three programs and completing the corresponding activities in the Junior Ranger Park Explorer Passport booklet, which will be available during the programs. 

Program dates, times, and locations are:
Tuesday, June 20, 9am-11am: Howard Amon Park (meet by the playground)
The Columbia River has and continues to play an important role in the daily lives of many people. Discover the many things the Columbia River provides to people, plants, and animals and how we can care for this important resource. 

Monday, July 10, 9am-11am: Claybell Park
Claybell Park is a gateway to the Amon Creek Natural Preserve, where animals such as beavers leave their mark on the landscape. Learn how to spot the signs of this and other animals that have been a part of our local history. 

Thursday, August 17, 9am-11am: Leslie Groves Park (meet by the playground) 
What does home mean to you? Design your own alphabet house and learn about homes for both humans and animals. 


Manhattan Project National Historical Park interprets one of the most transformative events of the 20th that ultimately ushered in the nuclear age with the development of the world’s first atomic bombs. 

The REACH Museum shares the natural and human history of the Tri-Cities. It has rotating and permanent exhibits about area history and an outdoor learning space with a sampling of the native shrub steppe and riparian ecosystems.