A new visitor center and museum recently opened in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park giving visitors a glimpse into the human history of the Great Smokies. Located on the North Carolina side of the park the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center at 6,300 suare feet, is close to four times the size of the old building it replaces which was built in the 1930s. It’s the first such facility built in the Smokies in almost 50 years. The old building will now serve as a ranger station and administrative building.

Next to the visitor center is also a 1,700 square-foot confort station. The Great Smoky Mountains Association and Friends of the Smokies raised over three and half million dollars to pay for the construction costs of the  buildings and musuem.

The Oconaluftee Visitor Center will be officially dedicated at 11 a.m. April 15.