Heart Mountain Interpretive Center near Cody, Wyoming, tells the story of Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed and confined during World War II. Its exhibits place individual experiences alongside the history of anti-Asian prejudice and questions of civil liberties, while historic features across the site give the visit a wider setting.
- Location: 1539 Road 19, Powell, Wyoming, off Highway 14A.
- From Cody: The center says the drive takes about 15 minutes.
- Admission: Prices vary by age and category; children under 10 enter free.
- Access: The Interpretive Center, original barrack, and Setsuko Saito Higuchi Interpretive Trail are described as wheelchair accessible.
What the Interpretive Center Covers
Heart Mountain Interpretive Center examines the wartime removal and confinement of Japanese Americans, including the prejudice behind it and its effects on civil liberties. The center opened to the public on August 20, 2011.
Rather than treating the story as a single event, the interpretation brings together the broader political context and personal accounts. That approach connects the history of Heart Mountain Wyoming with the experiences of people who lived through incarceration during the war.
The center is a regional history stop distinct from Cody’s Buffalo Bill attractions. For a separate look at the town’s western history and collections, the Buffalo Bill Center of the West visitor guide covers what to see there.
The History of Heart Mountain
Heart Mountain was one of the sites where Japanese Americans were confined during World War II. The center addresses the background of anti-Asian prejudice, the individual experiences of those confined, and the civil-liberties questions raised by their removal and incarceration.
The site itself includes remnants and memorial features that extend this history beyond the museum building. Among them are an original barrack, hospital grounds, a root cellar, and a military honor roll and memorial. Walking trails and a victory garden are also part of the grounds.
Give yourself time to take in both the center and the outdoor site features. Their different settings offer context for the history without reducing it to a gallery visit alone.
Exhibits and Site Visit
The center’s permanent exhibits cover the wartime experience through photographs, artifacts, oral histories, and interactive displays. Its special exhibits include “The Patriotism of Protest.”
Outside, the original barrack, hospital grounds, root cellar, memorial, trails, and victory garden add to the visit. Free audio guides are available in English, Japanese, Spanish, and German. Museum videos are subtitled, and transcripts are available on request.
The Setsuko Saito Higuchi Interpretive Trail, the original barrack, and the Interpretive Center are described as ADA wheelchair accessible. A manual wheelchair is available at the center on a first-come, first-served basis. Service animals may enter the Interpretive Center; general pets are not allowed inside, though you may walk them outside on the site’s two trails.
Hours, Admission, and Access
Opening days and hours vary across the year, so check the official site before you go. Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors aged 62 and older and students, and $10 for children ages 10–17; children under 10 enter free. Commercial group admission is $10.
Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation members receive free admission, and the center participates in the Blue Star Museums program. For questions about hours, admission, or access, contact the center at 307-754-8000 or info@heartmountain.org.
How do you get from Cody to Heart Mountain?
Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is about 15 minutes from Cody by road, according to the center, and about 15 minutes from Powell. From A Wyoming Inn, the site is about 11.3 miles away.
The center is at 1539 Road 19, off Highway 14A. For the turn, look for a historic red-brick chimney on the hill and two large trees marking Road 19. Follow Road 19, turn right onto the center’s road, then continue around the circular drive to the paved parking lot.
If you’re planning a longer regional outing, the center is about an hour from Yellowstone National Park’s east entrance. The route and planning guide for Yellowstone’s east entrance from Cody covers that separate drive.
FAQs
What is Heart Mountain Interpretive Center about?
It interprets the wartime removal and confinement of Japanese Americans, including personal experiences, anti-Asian prejudice, and civil liberties.
What is included at the site?
Along with the Interpretive Center, the grounds include an original barrack, hospital grounds, a root cellar, a military honor roll and memorial, walking trails, and a victory garden.
Are audio guides available?
Yes. Free audio guides are available in English, Japanese, Spanish, and German.
Can visitors bring pets?
General pets are not allowed inside the Interpretive Center, but they may be walked outside on the site’s two trails. Service animals are allowed inside.