Celebrate Glacier National Park's Centennial With a Seminar in the Park

You can learn about mountain goats in Glacier National Park through the Glacier Institute. NPT file photo.

Though the "official" birthday for Glacier National Park is May 11, throughout the year there will be various events to help celebrate the park's centennial. You can join in the celebration by attending one of the special seminars the Glacier Institute is offering.

You can learn about the park's bears, study the night skies, learn about the international peace park Glacier forms with Waterton Lakes National Park, even bone up on the park's mountain goats.

“National Park Service education and outreach programming at Glacier has greatly benefited over the last 25 years through its cooperation and partnership with the Glacier Institute,” says Glacier Superintendent Chas Cartwright. “No national park can reach all desired audiences, but through teamwork and partnerships, all audiences benefit from quality programs such as those offered by The Glacier Institute.”

The institute's Centennial Series includes the following programs:

One Hundred Years of:

* Bears in Many Glacier, June 4-6, $325

* Natural & Cultural History of the Many Glacier Valley, June 14-15, $230

* Riding the Rails, June 30, July 7 & August 11, $100

* Traversing the International Peace Park, July 14-16, $275

* Astronomy & Night Sky Awareness, August 6 & 13, $65

* Astrophotography of Glacier’s Night Sky, August 7 & 14, $65

* Glacial Change at Sperry Chalet, August 27-29 , $450/$550

* Goats in Glacier, September 2, $65

The fine print: Emphasizing outreach and field-based learning experiences, the non-profit Institute provides an objective science-based understanding of the area's ecology and history. The Glacier Institute is a long-time partner with Glacier National Park, Flathead National Forest, Flathead Valley Community College and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The Institute offers family programs, youth science adventure camps, Discovery School at Big Creek Outdoor Education Center and adult educational programs.

For more information on the Centennial Series, other educational courses, or to volunteer with the Glacier Institute please contact the main office at 406-755-1211 or visit the website at www.glacierinstitute.org.