Colorado Just Opened Its First Free 'Nature Library' in the U.S.

Walking into the Anythink Nature Library in Thornton, Colorado, is a little different from visiting an ordinary library. Along with books, visitors can borrow bird-watching kits, wildlife cameras, hiking equipment, microscopes and other gear meant to help them explore outdoors. The library opened on Aug. 8, about 20 minutes north of downtown Denver. Anythink calls it the first public nature library in the country. The 33,000-square-foot building sits on a 15-acre campus next to the 140-acre Aylor Open Lands. Visitors can learn about plants and wildlife inside, then head outdoors to try some of the things they just learned. The $43.4 million library also has study rooms, public computers, a café and all of the other things people would expect to find at a modern library. There Are Currently About 550 Items to Borrow Embedded media follows. Please allow a moment for it to load. Anythink calls the items in its collection "TryIts." The library opened with approximately 550 of them spread across 65 different collections. Some are meant for bird-watching, hiking or gardening, while others contain weather tools, microscopes, nature art supplies and cameras that can be left outside to photograph wildlife. The library eventually hopes to have more than 1,500 items available. Its website says future choices could include paddleboards and camping gear. There Is Even a Mud Pit Outside Children can climb indoors, examine plants in the nature lab or spend time in a dark room designed as a quiet place to relax. There is also a sunroom and a living wall covered in plants. Outside, visitors will find gardens, a storytelling circle, café seating and a mud exploration pit. A one-mile trail loops around the property and connects to the neighboring open space. Anyone Can Visit the Library There is no fee to enter, and people do not need to live in Thornton or Adams County. Any Colorado resident can apply for an Anythink library card and borrow materials. The library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. It is closed on Sundays. Want more articles like this one? Give us a follow on Yahoo