Crane Lake Visitor Center

As Voyageurs National Park celebrates its 50th anniversary, a new chapter in its history is beginning.

The Crane Lake Visitor Center is an exciting new space for visitors to learn, explore, and connect with the park’s breathtaking landscapes and rich history. The grand opening in 2025 is a part of a year-long celebration honoring five decades of Voyageurs National Park.

Located in the gateway community of Crane Lake, Minnesota, the new visitor center will serve as an important entry point for those venturing into the park’s vast interconnected waterways.

The visitor center is a community-led effort championed by the Crane Lake Township who garnered $3.2 million for a municipal campground, and $2.6 million for the community building through the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. The National Park Service will lease and operate the community's building as a visitor center to the eastern gateway of Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs Conservancy is proud to support this project by funding the new educational exhibits, ensuring that visitors experience the area’s rich landscapes, cultural heritage, and recreational opportunities.

A New Hub for Exploration and Education

The new visitor center will immerse guests in the natural and cultural history of the region through four themes:

  • Ojibwe Home

    Indigenous people have lived in this region for generations, and many bands of Ojibwe continue to call this land home. The visitor center will share Ojibwe perspectives, oral histories, and traditions, highlighting their enduring relationship with the land and water.

  • Connected Waters

    Voyageurs National Park is defined by its vast network of lakes and rivers, a historic trade route that connected Indigenous communities, European explorers, and fur traders. The new exhibits will explore the park’s role in shaping history and culture.

  • Dark Skies

    Voyageurs is one of the few places in the United States where visitors can experience truly dark night skies. The center will educate guests about the importance of preserving natural darkness, not only for human enjoyment but also for wildlife and ecosystems.

  • Enduring Relationship with Nature

    The immense forests, lakes, and skies of Voyageurs inspire a deep personal connection to nature. Visitors will be encouraged to slow down, listen, observe, and appreciate the beauty of the park in new ways.

Coming Soon, With Your Support
$500,000 Needed for Permanent Visitor Center Exhibits

This new space reflects our commitment to the next 50 years of Voyageurs National Park, ensuring that visitors have a place to learn, explore, and experience the magic of this landscape. But we need your support to make it a reality.

Permanent educational exhibits are key to the center’s success, and to bring them to life by 2026–2027. We invite you to be a part of this historic milestone, with a gift to Voyageurs Conservancy. Your contribution helps fund these exhibits, creating inspiring learning spaces where visitors of all ages can learn, explore, and connect with Minnesota’s national park.

Be a part of something lasting. With your support, this destination will engage and inspire millions of future adventurers.

Celebrating 50 Years of Voyageurs National Park

Voyageurs Conservancy and the National Park Service are commemorating this milestone with a year-long celebration of special events and programs that honor five decades of adventure, connection and conservation. Come celebrate with us!