One of Cleveland's many eco attractions, the Great Lakes Science Center houses more than 400 hands-on exhibits.

Beginning in the late 19th century, heavy industry brought tremendous economic wealth to Cleveland, but also an abiding problem with environmental pollution as industrial waste sullied the air, land and local waterways. Much has changed, however, since the badly polluted Cuyahoga River notoriously caught fire in 1969, and today Cleveland is a surprisingly good place to get in touch with nature. In addition to an impressive collection of shoreline parks fronting Lake Erie (www.dnr.state) and a 20,000-acre chain of urban green spaces dubbed the "Emerald Necklace" (www.clemetparks.com), Cleveland is home to four noteworthy educational attractions that shed light on the natural world.

--Cleveland Museum of Natural History: This octogenarian institution in the University Circle district houses an engaging collection of exhibits focusing on anthropology, astronomy, botany, geology, paleontology, zoology and other life sciences. Open daily except major holidays. See www.cmnh.org for more information.

--Great Lakes Science Center: One of the nation’s largest interactive science and technology museums, the Great Lakes Science Center houses more than 400 hands-on exhibits, including an entire floor devoted to Great Lakes ecology. Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas. See www.glsc.org.

--Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: Some 3,000 animals representing more than 600 species from around the world are housed at this 168-acre facility just minutes away from downtown Cleveland. Displays include the largest collection of primates in North America, a marvelous rainforest exhibit and various specialty gardens highlighting the complex relationships between plant and animal life. Open daily except Christmas and New Year’s Day. See www.clemetzoo.com.

--Cleveland Botanical Garden: This compound in the University Circle district features 10 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, including a Japanese garden, rose garden, herb garden, woodland garden and an educational garden for children. Also on site is a spectacular 18,000-square-foot conservatory with separate areas replicating the cloud forest ecosystem of Costa Rica and the spiny desert terrain of Madagascar, with more than 350 species of exotic plants and 50 species of insects, birds and other animals living inside. See www.cbgarden.org.