WABASHA, Minn. — After closing its doors for seven months, the National Eagle Center in Wabasha is gearing up to reopen to the public.
The center will welcome daily visitors back starting Friday, June 3.
"We're very excited for people to come back, visit the eagles again, reconnect with them and discover the National Eagle Center," said Ed Hahn, marketing manager.
Phase 1 of the $27 million renovation and expansion project is more than halfway done. Phase 2 has no set start date but will focus on the center's Main Street buildings.
Upgrades from Phase 1 include renovations to the existing facility, expanded eagle care facilities, updated exhibit spaces and bigger spaces for public eagle displays. Work on outdoor portions of the expansion, which will include an outdoor Amphitheater, will continue throughout the summer and wrap up by the fall.
The expansion includes a larger dedicated exhibition space for their Preston Cook collection. Cook donated his multi-million dollar collection to the National Eagle Center. Hahn said it includes about 40,000 individual pieces of memorabilia.
"We are working with the Prairie Island Indian Community, the Eastern Dakota, to share their stories, their cultural connections to bald eagles because that is important as well," Hahn said.
Minnesota-based artist Inkpa Mani created a buffalo hide painting that serves as a centerpiece on the second floor.
"One of the greatest things that is talked about in my family is the connection between eagles and creating a prayer. So it takes the prayer of the people and sends it up to the creator and then that eagle brings it down and kind of fulfills those prayers," Mani explained.
The Riverfront Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission for adults 17 and older costs $12 and $10 for kids 4-16. Children under 3 and members get in for free.
At the nearby Main Street Program Center at 110 Main Street West, live eagle ambassadors will give presentations each day at 1 p.m. Additional programs are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
“We are hopeful that all our guests – those who have visited before and those that are new – will have a wonderful experience visiting the renovated Riverfront Center," said Dr. Meg Gammage-Tucker, Chief Executive Officer of the Center. "While there is still much to be accomplished with the development of the new amphitheater, dockage, and Big Jo Alley walkway, we are thrilled to be able to share new stories and much more of the Preston Cook American Eagle Collection with the public."
Founded in 1989, the National Eagle Center is a nonprofit organization that works to educate the public on eagle populations, honor the symbol and significance of eagles in American history and world cultures and support environmental conservation and sustainability.
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