The National Loon Center broke ground on June 20 in Crosslake, MN, marking a major milestone nearly a decade in the making. Close to 100 people gathered to celebrate the beginning of this long-anticipated project. The 15,000-square-foot facility will be nestled within a 10-acre wooded site near Swann Drive and Pioneer Drive in the heart of Crosslake.
Widseth-designed site plan concept.
The National Loon Center will be a place of discovery, offering a wide range of hands-on learning that will teach visitors about loons and freshwater conservation. Kansas City firm Dimensional Innovations (DI) is designing the center’s immersive exhibits. If you’ve been to Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins, you’ve seen some of their work—DI revamped the iconic Minnie & Paul “handshake” Celebration Sign and created the Baseball Medallion atop the digital tower in right field. Click here to learn more. DI has some amazing ideas in store for the National Loon Center!
National Loon Center concept rendering by Widseth.
Widseth has supported the National Loon Center from the beginning, providing architecture, engineering, land surveying, environmental, and communications services. In addition to designing the building and site, Widseth led improvements along the eastern shore of Cross Lake, where the center offers boat tours to educate visitors about loons and freshwater ecosystems.
The shoreline upgrades include 700 feet of boardwalk with boat access, restored native plantings, and six outdoor exhibits about loons. Topics range from loon vocalizations and the dangers of lead fishing tackle to shoreline restoration tips and water quality improvements. Widseth designed the interpretive panels and produced accompanying videos. The video below is from Exhibit 6 and focuses on responsible recreation.
We’re excited to see the National Loon Center project move forward and can’t wait to share more updates as the center starts to take shape. The facility is expected to open in the fall of 2026.
