Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Kodiak NWR Visitor Center
A free visitor center in town that showcases Kodiak brown bears, a whale skeleton and island ecology, and is the first stop for understanding the refuge.
The visitor center is near the ferry terminal in downtown Kodiak and is run by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Admission is free. Highlights include a complete gray whale skeleton suspended in the lobby, lifelike mounted Kodiak brown bears, interactive exhibits, and films introducing the refuge's ecology and Native cultures. In summer, ranger talks and family activities are offered, and staff can advise on bear viewing, camping and booking refuge cabins. Allow about 45 minutes. It can be combined with the two museums nearby.
Opening hours
Summer: daily about 09:00–17:00; shorter in winter
Nearby sights
- Kodiak History Museum (Baranov Museum)
- Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church
- Alutiiq Museum
- St. Paul Harbor
- Near Island & Kodiak Fisheries Research Center
- Pillar Mountain
- Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park
- Termination Point Trail