ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, Burlington

ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, is a science and nature museum located on Burlington’s waterfront in northern Vermont. Opened in 2003, it focuses on the ecology and heritage of the Lake Champlain Basin through hands-on, accessible exhibits. Inside, visitors encounter interactive displays such as Engineer It! and Awesome Forces, a 30-foot 3D model of Champ—the lake’s legendary creature—and live exhibits featuring more than 70 species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. A 3D theater and rotating traveling exhibitions add further variety, while daily animal encounters make the experience especially engaging for families.

The centre forms part of the 2.2-acre Leahy Center campus, named in recognition of Senator Patrick Leahy’s support for environmental stewardship in the region. It also hosts educational and research partners, including the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and the Lake Champlain Basin Program Resource Room.

Designed with sustainability in mind, the building was Vermont’s first LEED-certified green building and remains the only lake aquarium in the United States with this distinction. A large solar canopy, added in 2018, further underscores its environmental focus. The name ECHO reflects its broader mission: to educate and inspire people of all ages about the ecology, culture, history, and stewardship of Lake Champlain.