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, set to open in summer 2025, will offer an exciting new space for visitors to learn, explore, and connect with the park’s breathtaking landscapes and rich history. The grand opening event is set for June 6, 2025, an event that will be 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.
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:
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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.
Make a Lasting Difference for Voyageurs
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.
This work is not possible without passionate park stewards like you.
We invite you to be a part of this historic milestone, with a gift to Voyageurs Conservancy. Your contribution helps fund vital projects like the Crane Lake Visitor Center, so that visitors of all ages can learn, explore, and connect with Minnesota’s national park.
Crane Lake Visitor Center Moves Forward Amid National Park Challenges
It’s a critical time for national parks across the country. Recently, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) announced a major decision from the current administration that could result in the closure of 34 National Park Service (NPS) sites across the country.
We want to assure you that the new Crane Lake Visitor Center is not impacted. Fortunately, the lease included on the termination list (7580 GOLD COAST RD) was already in the process of cancellation as part of the transition to the new center. We are still on track to welcome visitors to the Crane Lake Visitor center in 2025, with a grand opening on June 6.
