The voyageurs will be there. The loggers and miners will be on hand, too. And native peoples from throughout history (and prehistory) will be present… so what’s your excuse?

On Sunday the 4th of July, the new Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center celebrates its grand opening, inviting visitors to experience the story of the Gunflint Trail. With numerous interactive exhibits, dioramas, videos and more, the storytelling looks to be as rich as the heritage it draws from.

Renovated from the former Chik-Wauk Lodge, the facility not only embraces its past; it lives in the midst of it. The region’s diverse human history has seen the ebb and flow of seven distinct populations, all of which are represented.

And bravo for its nature center function, with hiking paths woven throughout the 50-acre property. It would have been sad to see if the place had been in downtown Grand Marais, removed from all the green beauty that makes the Gunflint such a gem.

While a bit of a drive for those daytrippers out of Grand Marais (Google Maps clocks it at 1hr, 38min) it promises to be worth the trek. Definitely a must-see for anyone lodging along the Trail or entering/exiting the BW.

Oh, I almost forgot… can I bum a ride off ya?

[photo: Gunflint Trail Historical Society]

UPDATE: Someone’s posted a video walk-through of the museum, here.