On Tuesday, Dec. 11, a new exhibit in Carl Hayden Visitor Center will be inaugurated by its intended audience: Junior Rangers!
Lakeview Primary School second graders will help cut the ribbon, then explore the exhibit in a combination field trip and “Junior Ranger Corner" Grand Opening. The exhibit features creative activities, an augmented reality sandbox, play space, and a boat-shaped work station for completing Junior Ranger booklets. A certain jolly character in a red suit may also attend the kid-focused event.
The Junior Ranger Corner is a collaboration by Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and the Bureau of Reclamation. It compliments the visitor center’s main exhibitry which opened in April 2017. The Junior Ranger Corner elements are all kid-friendly height and encourage hands-on learning.
“The main exhibit focuses on how Colorado River water goes from source to citizen, so I wanted the Junior Ranger Corner to help kids understand what it means to be a good citizen, and specifically a good park visitor," said Glen Canyon’s exhibit coordinator, Stephanie Metzler.
After the grand opening event, the public is invited to visit Carl Hayden Visitor Center and check out the new additions. The visitor center is located off U.S. Route 89 next to Glen Canyon Dam. Winter hours of operation are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST daily.
The Junior Ranger program exists in almost all national parks and encourages young people to explore, learn, and protect the park lands they visit. Participants can even earn a badge, symbolizing their role as a park protector.
By creating a space in the visitor center just for kids, Glen Canyon staff hopes to promote the program and inspire stewardship in the park’s youngest visitors.
Learn more about becoming a Junior Ranger.
Tags: junior ranger exhibit glen canyon national recreation area carl hayden visitor center
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
