Like many large-scale parks and protected natural areas across the globe, American Prairie now has a central gathering place for visitors from around the world.

That place is called the National Discovery Center, and it is located in Lewistown, Montana, within a short drive to the prairie. The Center will soon welcome the public and eventually will host local, regional, and national activities and programs that stir visitors to love and want to preserve the prairie and all of its inhabitants.

About the National Discovery Center

Two of the core tenets of American Prairie are providing education about and public access to the prairie. The Center is a rendezvous point for visitors going to the prairie, a vibrant place for community building and partnership, and an important educational resource on the importance of grassland ecosystems to the health of our planet.

American Prairie staff spent 18 months carefully researching potential locations for the Center, settling on the Power Mercantile building in Lewistown due to its proximity to the prairie, the presence of local land and wildlife management partners, and to contribute to the Lewistown economy.

Thanks to a generous gift from Kären and Jay Abbe, the team hired the Center’s new director, Seth Hawkins. As Director, Seth will oversee the Center’s renovation, while also keeping local stakeholders and residents involved and informed during the process.