New visitor center opens at Wanapum Dam

A new visitor center called The Power of the Columbia River will open Dec. 1 at the Wanapum Dam on the Columbia River about seven miles south of the Vantage Bridge at Interstate 90.

The Grant PUD has prepared new displays that highlight the balancing act between hydropower, fish passage, recreation and natural resource management.

The 2,000-square-foot facility includes many interactive exhibits and a theater with videos showing how the Columbia Basin was formed and how the Wanapum Dam works.

After a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 1, the center will be open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday from October through April and open daily, including holidays and weekends, the rest of the year.

From Highway 243, turn onto Wanapum Dam Road. Admission is free.

This story was originally published November 28, 2015 at 8:43 PM with the headline "New visitor center opens at Wanapum Dam."