UNVEILING OF DESTINATION YELLOWSTONE INSTALLATION
SHOWCASES THE TREASURES OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Bozeman, MT – Oct. 15, 2012 – Destination Yellowstone, an interactive, educational exhibit housing museum-quality displays, was unveiled today at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
The exhibit is the result of the Yellowstone Park Foundation (YPF), Yellowstone Association (YA), and Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) partnering to provide visitors arriving at the airport with a unique experience. YPF provided $150,000 in funding for the exhibits, and YA provided $170,000 in funding for the store and information desk.
“We want Destination Yellowstone to welcome visitors to our area with entertaining and educational information that will help them have a trip of a lifetime to one of the world’s most treasured places, Yellowstone National Park,” said Karen Bates Kress, Yellowstone Park Foundation president.
“Since 1993, the Yellowstone Association has connected people to Yellowstone National Park through education,” said Jeff Brown, Yellowstone Association Executive Director. “We are excited to interact with travelers as they arrive at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, which serves as the gateway to two of the Park’s main entrances.”
Destination Yellowstone, located at the base of the escalator and steps which lead from the arrival gates to the baggage claim area, includes:
• An 800-square-foot store, managed by YA, which houses a staffed information desk, an
extensive collection of Yellowstone National Park educational merchandise, information on weather and road conditions, and animal sightings.
• A 55-inch multi-media interactive exhibit loaded with fun facts, Yellowstone photographs by renowned photographer Tom Murphy, and information about how to get involved with YPF.
• A wall that highlights Yellowstone’s most iconic wildlife including the grizzly bear, wolf and bison, and animal track casts designed to educate the public on animal identification.
• Two 22-inch video kiosks, that includes a video narrated by Tom Brokaw, and numerous Ranger-led Park videos.
• A web-based, LCD Park map display.
• A live streaming webcam of Old Faithful Geyser.
“Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is a proud partner with the Yellowstone
Association and Yellowstone Park Foundation,” said Scott Humphrey, deputy airport director, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
“Having a Yellowstone Association and Yellowstone Park Foundation presence within our terminal is equivalent to having an interactive vacation planner offering visitors a comprehensive collection of Park information, displays, wildlife sightings, and merchandise designed to ensure that each visitor has a unique and unforgettable experience within Yellowstone National Park,” said Humphrey.
“Destination Yellowstone is a great asset to the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport,” said Dan Wenk, Yellowstone National Park superintendent. “These new exhibits will provide more understanding of Yellowstone National Park, and enrich many travelers’ visits to Yellowstone and the Bozeman area.”
Presenters at the event to celebrate the opening of Destination Yellowstone include:
Dan Wenk, superintendent, Yellowstone National Park
Brianne Dugan, deputy state director, Sen. Max Baucus’ office
Jennifer Madgic, field director, Sen. John Tester’s office
Karen Bates Kress, president, Yellowstone Park Foundation
Danny Bierschwale, director of sales and marketing, Yellowstone Association
Scott Humphrey, deputy airport director, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport
Matt Wren, Destination Yellowstone project manager
-more-
The Yellowstone Park Foundation (www.ypf.org) has served as Yellowstone National Park’s official fundraising partner since 1996. Its mission is to fund projects and programs that protect, preserve, and enhance the natural and cultural resources, and the visitor experience of the Park. YPF has raised more than $70 million and funded more than 200 important projects and initiatives since 1996 that include wildlife research, cutthroat trout restoration, trail maintenance, and youth education.
Since 1933, the Yellowstone Association (www.yellowstoneassociation.org) has served as Yellowstone National Park’s official partner in education. Its mission is to connect people to Yellowstone National Park and our natural world. YA operates 12 educational Park Stores with gross sales of $4 million; the Yellowstone Association Institute which offers more than 600 in-depth courses each year; and a membership program with 35,000 members world-wide. Revenues from sales and memberships allow YA to make an annual cash donation to Yellowstone National Park for education and research.
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (www.bozemanairport.com ) serves Bozeman, Big Sky, Southwest Montana and Yellowstone National Park with non-stop service to Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Oakland, Salt Lake City and Seattle/Tacoma. BZN also has seasonal non-stop service to Atlanta, Los Angeles, Phoenix/Mesa, Portland, OR, Newark/New York and San Francisco.
Yellowstone National Park (www.nps.gov/yell) is home to the majority of the world’s geysers, the main reason it was established as the world’s first national park in1872. This wild, mountainous, 2.2 million-acre expanse is home to grizzly bears, wolves, bison, elk, numerous rivers, lakes and waterfalls, and the magnificent Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
