The Shenandoah National Park mobile visitor center recently won a national award from the Public Lands Alliance (PLA).
The award was announced at their annual conference in Denver last February. The mobile visitor center won first place in the Outstanding Public Engagement of the Year category.
The mobile visitor center was a partnership project between the park and the Shenandoah National Park Association (SNPA). The SNPA purchased a van and also funded the exterior design and the customized interior design and fabrication. Visitors to the southern end of the park where there is no in-park visitor center are now able to get maps, see movies and exhibits, and learn more about how to experience the park. The van is out and about in the southern district (between Highway 33 and Highway 64) about five days a week. The park also features it at special events including the Virginia State Fair, Park Neighbor Day, and local Christmas parades.
“We are excited to offer this non-traditional way to engage with our visitors and facilitate a great visit to Shenandoah National Park,” Superintendent Jennifer Flynn said.
Greta Miller, Executive Director of SNPA added, “We love the idea of providing these services to visitors and winning a national award from the PLA is quite an honor.” The PLA’s mission is “to build and elevate effective nonprofit organizations and exceptional public-nonprofit partnerships for the benefit of public lands and their users.”
The Shenandoah National Park Association is one of the non-profit partners of the park. The Association sells interpretive and educational products in the two visitor centers in Shenandoah National Park and online. All profits are used to support the interpretive and educational activities of the park. For more information about the Shenandoah National Park Association, visit their website at www.snpbooks.org.
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