Minnesota is home to an array of fascinating animals found in few other places in the lower 48 United States. From wolves and bears to our official state bird, we’ve got 5 wildlife centers dedicated to education, conservation, and the rare opportunity to see these incredible animals up close in person. The Minnesota Wildlife Passport Adventure is an invitation to visit all five wildlife centers across the state.
Get Your Passport and Go Wild!
Minnesota Wildlife Passports can be purchased at any of the five participating wildlife centers and include maps, center information, and journal pages to take notes at each wildlife center. Earn a stamp for each center visited, and work toward completing the passport. Once complete, participants will be entered to win grand prizes, including swag bags from the wildlife centers! Can’t make it to all five in a year? Don’t worry! Passports never expire, and can be added to year to year.
Close to Home
National Eagle Center | Wabasha, MN
Located just 40 minutes from Rochester in the charming Mississippi River town of Wabasha, the National Eagle Center is home to multiple Bald Eagles and other raptors who have been rescued and rehabilitated at the Center. See majestic eagles face-to-face through a rotating group of Eagle Ambassadors— eagles (and a few other raptors) that were injured prior to their arrival at the Eagle Center and not able to be re-released into the wild. Learn more by adding an Eagle Program to your admission ticket, or a special behind-the-scenes tour to watch an eagle training session and more!
In addition to viewing eagles inside the Eagle Center, take the opportunity to see Bald Eagles in the wild with a Mississippi River Cruise, available seasonally. Expert naturalists will take you through Bald Eagle territory, highlighting the habitat, biology, and behavior of eagles and the many other fish and wildlife that call the Mississippi River Valley home.
International Owl Center | Houston, MN
About 1 hour away from Rochester, in the small town of Houston, MN, is the International Owl Center. This wildlife center is home to 6 varieties of owls, each with its own unique features and adaptations that equip them to live and thrive in their natural environment. The International Owl Center is home to a variety of Owl Ambassadors, who assist the naturalists in educating visitors about these incredible birds, their habitats, and ways that people can help owls.
Join one of the Owl Center’s special programs year-round, including Owl Prowls (looking for owls in the wild), Festival of Owls, and more!
A Northern Minnesota Adventure
Both of the following centers are located in Ely, MN. Make a weekend or long weekend trip and visit scenic locations along the North Shore of Lake Superior starting in Duluth, camp at Lake Vermillion, or visit Voyageurs National Park. There is endless natural beauty in every direction!
North American Bear Center | Ely, MN
North American Bear Center is the only center of its kind in the country, and is dedicated to the American Black Bear, and the research and education about these incredible creatures. They seek to educate the public, dispelling old myths about bears and replacing with facts, and allowing the bears to do a lot of the teaching themselves! The Bear Center currently has three black bear residents, who were all unable to be reintroduced to the wild due to injuries: Lucky, Holly, and Tasha. Visitors can watch them forage for food, play, and swim in the pond in their 2.5 acres of natural forest.
Admission to the North American Bear Center includes daily programs, including behind-the-scenes tours, breakfast with the bears, ecology hikes, and more.
International Wolf Center | Ely, MN
The International Wolf Center in Ely is dedicated to education about wolves, their ecology, and how humans and wolves can co-exist in our natural world. Their pack of Ambassador Wolves gives visitors the chance to get to see wolves up close in person, learn about wolf packs, their habitats and ecosystems, and gain appreciation for these magnificent animals.
Looking to learn even more? The Wolf Center offers Adventure Programs that take groups out into the wild to immerse themselves in the North Woods and wolf habitats.
Opening in 2027: National Loon Center | Crosslake, MN
This incredible new facility will open in 2027, dedicated to research and education of loons and freshwater ecosystems. We will update when it opens!
