GREAT FALLS — The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls recently was named the Tourism Destination of the Year by the Governor's Office for Tourism.
Managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the 25,000 square-foot facility includes a permanent exhibit hall, 158-seat theater, an education room for hands-on curriculum-based activities, and a retail store.
A news release announcing the award explained: "Consistently ranked on Trip Advisor as the number one place to visit in Great Falls, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center welcomes approximately 50,000 visitors annually from all parts of the globe. The facility offers multimedia presentations, interactive exhibits and guided tours to introduce and share the comprehensive Lewis and Clark story."
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The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center provides education to adults and children in the area as well as visitors, but it also brings money to the Great Falls-area economy through visitors going to hotels, restaurants, and other attractions.
Currently in its 26th year of operation, the center owes a lot to its largely volunteer staff.
Elizabeth Moore, director of the Lewis & Clark Foundation, noted, “Our staff is primarily made up of some incredible people who volunteer their time, which is of course, the best and most precious gift they can give us. When you have a building like this where you learn the history from beginning to end, it's absolutely amazing. It's a treasure.”
Here is the full 2024 list of tourism award winners:
- Tourism Destination of the Year Award: Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Great Falls
- Heritage and Cultural Tourism Award: Friends of Fort Owen, Stevensville
- Tribal Tourism Award: Montana Indian Athletic Hall of Fame, Donnie Wetzel
- Marketing Campaign of the Year Award: Visit Billings
- Tourism Ambassador of the Year Award: Dale and Kathy Galland of Prarie Unique, Terry
- Film Community of the Year Award: Livingston Chamber of Commerce
- Excellence in Film and Culture Award: Lily Gladstone
The LCIC is located at 4201 Giant Springs Road. Click here to visit the website, which provides this overview:
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center imparts to the public a personal sense of President Thomas Jefferson's vision of expanding America to the west; it inspires awe and awakens curiosity toward the challenges faced by the expedition as they portaged the great falls of the Missouri River and explored the 'unknown'; brings to life the daily experiences of the expedition and the environment and native peoples of the 'uncharted West'; and celebrates the indomitable spirit of human discovery we all share.
