Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! With recent renovations to our campground and Diamond Discovery Center, the Crater is pleased to announce another major park improvement with the reopening of our visitor center! After closing its doors in March of 2009, the visitor center has been enhanced both structurally and aesthetically, to not only accommodate more visitors but to also be more energy-efficient.

 Park Superintendent Justin Dorsey says the building’s new layout improves traffic flow and the overall park experience. Upon entering through automatic sliding glass doors, visitors are greeted by park staff in a spacious lobby, from which they may access ticket sales, campground registration, and the gift shop! Treasure-seekers may also learn about the appearance of diamonds and the diamond search area via a new overhead display, featuring photos of recent diamond finds and diamond searching methods. After purchasing tickets, visitors may continue their adventure through another set of sliding doors to the Diamond Discovery Center.

Visitors are greeted in a spacious lobby, from which they may access ticket sales, campground registration, and the gift shop!

 Besides a professional, pleasing appearance, the newly-renovated visitor center also has numerous improvements to make it more earth-friendly. A new insulated metal roof and economical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units help keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer. Energy-efficient windows maintain a more steady indoor temperature, and the sliding glass doors feature air curtains to stop drafts and keep flying insects outside. New restroom facilities feature touchless sinks, soap dispensers, and paper dispensers to reduce waste.

 More improvements are still in the works for the building! The Adventure Theater, a short video introducing the Crater’s history and geology, and the famous Strawn-Wagner Diamond display will reopen in the coming weeks. Our interpretive staff is also working hard on new museum exhibits, detailing the park’s fascinating history and the impact of diamonds in Arkansas. We expect to reveal this highly-anticipated addition in the spring!

 

Park Superintendent Justin Dorsey shows off his new office in the visitor center.

 

 The Crater of Diamonds visitor center reopened January 14, and we want to show it to you! We hope you’ll come by soon to say hello, check out the new building, and enjoy a diamond hunting adventure!

January 19 - David Anderson, Murfreesboro, AR, 7 pt. yellow