Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center

This impressive 22,000 square foot center welcomes and orients park visitors to Grand Teton National Park. The building was a partnership project between the National Park Service, the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, and the Grand Teton Association.

Nearly 4,800 square feet of interactive exhibits focus on four main themes that are important to the park: Place, People, Preservation and Mountaineering. Highlights include: life-size wildlife sculptures, mountaineering and western memorabilia, a three-dimensional park map, floor-to-ceiling windows, an impressive rock fireplace, a fine art gallery, and a 154-seat auditorium with stunning views of the Teton Range. As visitors stroll through the building, they learn about the unique features that make Grand Teton a world-renowned national park.

In addition to the exhibit area, visitors can wander through a 900 square foot gallery room with displays of fine art from the park’s permanent collection and other traveling exhibits. You’ll also find a wide variety of books, maps, souvenirs and educational materials to purchase in the center’s 1, 500 square foot Grand Teton Association bookstore. All profits from the sales of items in the bookstore support educational, interpretive and scientific programs in the park.

Numerous sustainable building practices were incorporated into the building, including: recycled glass tiles, carpet with post-consumer and post-industrial content, high efficiency cooling and electrical systems, natural lighting, and paints with no harmful chemicals.