Project overview: Replace exhibits in the Exploration Center, in consultation with affiliated Tribes and other stakeholders, that were irreparably damaged by the unprecedented rainfall of winter 2022–2023.  

How your support helps: Due to the unseasonably wet winter of 2022–2023, some 3,440 square feet of exhibits in the Exploration Center — formerly the Valley Visitor Center —suffered irreparable storm damage and resultant mold. This project funds the planning and design of new exhibits at a time when the Visitor Center, which welcomed nearly 700,000 visitors a year pre-COVID, will be transitioning to a place for visitors to immerse themselves in science and history.  

New exhibits at the Exploration Center will be ADA compliant, include all learning styles and abilities, address all the park’s significant resource themes, diversify visitor access to park information, incorporate multiple viewpoints and voices, use appropriate types of technology, and reinforce the cultural history of the park’s early inhabitants.   

This year: Donor funds in the first project phase allowed for the successful reopening of the exhibit hall, as well as the development of temporary exhibit templates and a draft scope of work for a planning and design contract. Now, in year two, funds will support continued planning and design work and Tribal consultation, and will provide salaries for key park staff to move the project into the next stages of production. 

Project partners: Seven Affiliated Tribes of Yosemite, Yosemite National Park, and Yosemite Conservancy