American Prairie National Discovery Center

American Prairie is a donor-funded nonprofit organization with the mission of conserving the temperate grassland ecosystem by connecting and restoring enough land to support the natural ecological processes. Our strategy to achieve landscape-scale results is to add to and complement existing swaths of public land that have already been set aside for conservation. We act as stewards for the prairie’s biodiversity, we foster relationships with public and private stakeholders, and we create opportunities for the public to explore the region’s splendor. The entire project (the organization, the land we own, and the 3.2-million-acre vision) is referred to as “American Prairie,” but the end result will be a multi-jurisdictional complex made up of public and private land.

Two of the core tenants of American Prairie are providing education about the prairie and access to the land. The National Discovery 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. The National Discovery Center is located a short drive from the prairie in Lewistown, Montana. It is open to the public and hosts an ever-growing lineup of local, regional, and national activities and programs that stir visitors to love and want to preserve the prairie and all of its inhabitants.

Located in the renovated Power Mercantile building, the National Discovery Center features interactive exhibits about the prairie ecosystem, community meeting spaces, and a film theater. The Exhibit Hall includes interactive exhibits and the Night Sky Theater that explore the nuances of the prairie ecosystem. The Talpins Children’s Center gives kids their own place to play and learn about the prairie. The Clyde Aspevig Event Center, which provides flexible spaces for events, presentations, and meetings with state-of-the-art technology. The Ken Burns American Heritage Theater offers a variety of films that introduce visitors to American Prairie, its mission, and the prairie ecosystem.