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National Park Mystery Photo 13 Revealed: Listening Chairs at Yellowstone's Grant Village Visitor Center

"Listening chairs" at Grant Village Visitor Center, Yellowstone National Park, in 1973. National Park Service photo.

Well, as much as it might be interesting to have a spot in the National Park System where we could be beamed off to another location, these pods actually were "listening chairs" in a Yellowstone National Park visitor center.

There are a lot of intriguing interpretive tools on display throughout the National Park System, but these "listening chairs" perhaps were among the most novel. Not only could you relax, but you had somewhat of a "surround sound" experience. This photo was taken at the Grant Village visitor center in 1973.

If anyone has experienced these chairs, please share your thoughts on their effectiveness.

Comments

Do they even exist anymore? I don't ever remember seeing them; however, in five years at Grant, I probably visited the museum about five times.

Jim Macdonald
The Magic of Yellowstone
Yellowstone Newspaper
Jim's Eclectic World


They don't exist anymore - or rather, they aren't located in the public area of the VC anyway.

Though the rest of the displays appear to me as early 70's vintage. LOL


I was there a few years ago and don't recall anything that looked like egg chairs. Even the NPS description of the visitor center mentions that the construction of Grant Village was controversial because the location was in prime grizzly bear habitat.

http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/grantvc.htm

As for the out of place design - it reminds me of the former Jackson Visitor Center at Mt Rainier. That thing had a design that was way out of place for a national park. It was replaced by a structure that is closer to a lodge style building. Canyon Village in Yellowstone is also rather odd with this 50s style architecture that seems inappropriate for the location.


I have worked as a seasonal ranger in Yellowstone for over 40 years and remember them well.  In fact, I still have a copy of the wonderful 6 minute message that was played.  It was about why we need wilderness.  The message applies today even more so than it did in the 70s.  If you are in Bozeman on Oct. 19, 2016, come to my presentation to the Montana Wilderness Assocation and you will get to hear the wonderful message with some images to match


Mr. Bach, I'm coming to this page two years after your lecture...have you ever posted your "listening chairs" message online anywhere? I remember sitting in these chairs as a kid, and would love to hear it again.


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