Talk about a room with a view! Set into a cliff on Mendenhall Lake, 13 miles outside Alaska's capital city, Juneau, the Visitor Center features a curved wall with gigantic windows offering an awesome view of the Mendenhall glacier.

The Visitor Center's exhibits include a simulated ice cave and a model ice face of the glacier. But Mendenhall staffers say up front that they won't be disappointed if you're more impressed with the glacier than with the exhibits. After all, that's the way it should be! A half-dozen trails for hikers offer views of the colossal glacier as well as the possibility to glimpse local fauna, including porcupines, squirrels, snowshoe hares, black bears, bald eagles, short-tailed weasels, a plethora of migrating songbirds, beavers, loons, gulls, Arctic terns, mountain goats, and even spawning sockeye and Coho salmon.

Forest Service staff host Free Kids Days all year long for kids age 4-6. Activities involve natural history, arts & crafts, stories, and hands-on science fun. Summer Day Camps for kids age 10-12 are another option. Each week has a different theme as campers explore nature in the Dredge Lake area.

You can visit the Alaskan wilderness from the comfort of home. Visit the Mendenhall Glacier online at www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall

	Go to the DFTV Boards and tell us about your science center visit.