Ijams Nature Center

In 1910, HP Ijams and his wife, Alice Yoe Ijams, purchased 20 acres of land along the Tennessee River, just three miles from the thriving downtown of Knoxville, Tenn. The graphic designer and ornithologist chose this place so he could study birds, his wife could tend lush gardens and his children would grow up understanding the importance of nature and the need to protect it.

What started as a family homesite soon became a bird sanctuary. After HP and Alice passed, their family, the Knox County Council of Garden Clubs and Knoxville Garden Club encouraged the City of Knoxville to purchase the land and preserve it as a city park. In 1986, the Ijams Nature Center, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, took the reins, managing the land and offering education programs to inspire people to appreciate and become stewards of the natural world.

Today, Ijams Nature Center manages more than 315 acres of protected land owned by Ijams, the City, and Knox County, and teaches thousands of people annually about the natural world.

More than 160,000 people visit the nature center each year. During the pandemic in 2020, the Ijams grounds NEVER CLOSED because the staff understood how important it was for people to connect with nature and exercise safely. Ijams has received thanks from many people who hiked, biked, walked and ran here, saying it has helped them keep their sanity. Now, Ijams needs YOUR help. Ijams has been there for everyone. Please be there for Ijams.