September 8, 2026
Two Million Wild Center Visitors & Counting
The Wild Center hits a major milestone in its 20th year
Tupper Lake, N.Y. – The Wild Center has welcomed its two-millionth visitor, marking a major milestone 20 years after the natural history museum and science center first opened its doors in Tupper Lake.
Fourteen-year-old Emily Dubail of Woodbury, Connecticut, became The Wild Center’s two-millionth visitor on September 7. Emily arrived with her sister, mom and a family friend. The group made the four-hour drive to the Adirondacks to experience TROLLS: Save the Humans and visit The Wild Center for the first time.
The Wild Center welcomed its one-millionth visitor in July 2017, less than 11 years after opening in 2006. The second million came faster: the Center welcomed its two-millionth visitor just over nine years after reaching the first million, during its busiest season on record.
That growth reflects The Wild Center’s continued evolution and its commitment to creating new visitor experiences. The Center has continually looked for ways to give people more reasons to visit, return and see the Adirondacks in a different way.
Most recently, TROLLS: Save the Humans, an exhibition of six giant sculptures by Danish environmental artist Thomas Dambo, has added a new dimension to the campus as part of The Wild Center’s 20th-anniversary season. The exhibition has drawn visitors from near and far and introduced many people to The Wild Center for the first time.
“It is an impressive number, and we are proud to have touched so many people, but what is most touching is seeing families running around campus, connecting with each other and nature,” said Stephanie Ratcliffe, Executive Director of The Wild Center. “That is what this milestone really represents. Behind two million visitors are millions of individual experiences—families exploring together, children discovering something for the first time, people learning about the Adirondacks and visitors simply enjoying time together.”
Since opening in 2006, The Wild Center has welcomed visitors from across the country and around the world, while also serving as a resource for Adirondack residents and regional communities. Its growth reflects both the increasing interest in the Adirondacks and the Center’s role as a place where people can experience the region through science, art, education and outdoor exploration.
“We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has walked through our doors over the past 20 years,” Ratcliffe said. “While this is an opportunity to celebrate our institution's growth, it’s also an opportunity to look ahead at what’s to come for the next two million.”
For more information about The Wild Center, visit wildcenter.org.
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