Oconaluftee Visitor Center & Museum - Cherokee, NC - History Museums on Waymarking.com

County of center: Swain County
Location of center: Newfound Gap Rd (US-441), 2 miles N. of Cherokee
Phone: 828-497-1904

"The Oconaluftee Visitor Center for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a state-of-the-art center constructed by the Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA) and donated to the Park. See orientation and cultural themed exhibits and informational media. Pick up brochures and shop in the well-stocked gift shop. Park rangers will answer questions and give you a free map! The center is open daily, 8 AM until 6 PM. The fully-accessible restroom building and orientation kiosk are open 24 hours a day." ~ Romantic Asheville.com

"The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is the first new visitor service facility to be constructed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the early 1960's and is the first structure in North Carolina to be constructed explicitly as a full-service visitor center.

"The new 6,300-square-foot visitor center and adjacent 1,700-square-foot comfort station were 100% funded by the park's non-profit partners. It was constructed and donated by the Great Smoky Mountains Association at a cost of $3 million. The Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park provided over $550,000 to fund the visitor orientation and museum exhibits.

"The center was designed from the ground up to be a model of energy efficiency and sustainability. The park followed the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ framework for design, site preparation, construction, and operation of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Designed to reflect the traditional National Park Service architecture, the state-of-the-art facility is green to the core and features energy efficient design and eco-friendly materials." ~ National Park Service