Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center (Darden Towe Park)

On the banks of the Rivanna River in Darden Towe Park, this hands-on center uses the Lewis and Clark Expedition as a gateway for learning about history, science, the natural environment, and native cultures — a fitting location, given that Meriwether Lewis was born in Albemarle County and William Clark's family lived on land adjacent to the site. The center runs by reservation. Since July 2021, the 1919 bronze sculpture *Their First View of the Pacific* — removed from downtown Charlottesville at the request of Sacagawea's descendants — sits on the grounds, outdoors, without formal conservation.