Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center
The visitor center is open daily from 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific Time and closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is free.
The Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center was built in the late 1970s as part of the dam’s Nathaniel “Nat” Washington Power Plant expansion. It was designed by architect Marcel Breuer to resemble a generator rotor. An evening laser light show was added in 1989. The center was retrofitted in 2004 for seismic, life-safety, and accessibility standards. The original laser equipment was replaced in 2013, and a new laser light show, “One River, Many Voices,” premiered in 2014.
In 2006, new exhibits and displays were installed. The exhibits highlight Grand Coulee’s role as one of the main irrigation, flood control, and hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River. They also describe the effects the dam has had on various groups of people, including Native Americans and early settlers. The new exhibits were designed, manufactured, and installed by Formations, Inc., of Portland, Oregon.
This visitor center is fully accessible and features hands-on exhibits and an auditorium.
Mask requirements inside the visitor center, and while attending public tours, are determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance on community level transmission. Mask mandates are subject to change without notice.
Service animals are allowed inside the visitor center.
| Related Documents | |
| 03/2024 | Grand Coulee Dam Statistics and Facts (PDF 400 KB) |
| 05/2023 | Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center Hours (PDF 793 KB) |
| 08/2018 | Grand Coulee Dam Knowledge Scavenger Hunt (PDF 9.09 MB) |
Related Links
Recreation.gov
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
Grand Coulee Chamber of Commerce
Washington State Birding Trail: Coulee Corridor
Contact
Grand Coulee Visitor Center
509-633-9265
