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LEFT TO RIGHT A geotourism display at the Crown of the Continent Discovery Center near West Glacier; Crown of the Continent Discovery Center near West Glacier. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
a sense of time and place without a long history lesson.
Audio displays tell the histories of log- ging, ranching, out tting, mining and homesteading, and a physical as well as a virtual pin board will act as a global guestbook for all visitors.
And though SMO doesn’t run it, they lease kitchen space in the building to La
Casita, featuring homemade Mexican food.
Outside the Discovery Center, don- keys, pigs, sheep, and a llama will delight visitors in a small petting zoo, while the horses in the corral out back are still ready for trail rides, which visitors can schedule there.
All the gear sold there is either tested
or used by SMO out tting sta , Lorona said, giving it a more authentic feel as well.
Overall, the idea is to build a founda- tion on which visitors can build an expe- rience that leaves them caring about what happens to the ecosystems and people here, she said.
“We hope we are going to make people
want to not only come back, but give back as well,” Lorona said.
For more information about the Crown of the Continent Discovery Center, visit www.crowndiscoverycenter.com or call 406-387-4405. The Discovery Center also has a Facebook page.
mpriddy@ atheadbeacon.com
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JUNE 15, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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