Heart Mountain Interpretive Center

The Heart Mountain Interpretive Center is the most important historical stop on the Cody side of Yellowstone, and one of the most moving. During World War II, the federal government forcibly removed Japanese Americans from the West Coast and held them in remote camps; Heart Mountain, on the sagebrush flats between Cody and Powell beneath the distinctive mountain that gives it its name, was one of them, and at its height its population made it one of the largest communities in Wyoming. The interpretive center, built by the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation on part of the original site, tells the story through photographs, artifacts, re-created barracks spaces and, above all, the first-person testimonies of people who lived there: families who lost homes and businesses, young men who resisted the draft while their families were confined, others who served in the Army, and children who grew up behind barbed wire. The original hospital chimney still stands on the hill as you approach, and a walking trail with interpretive signs covers parts of the camp grounds. The center also hosts an annual pilgrimage that draws former incarcerees, their descendants and dignitaries. Seasonal hours matter: from mid-May to mid-October it is open daily, and from mid-October to mid-May it is open Wednesday through Saturday, with other visits by appointment. Admission is modest, and children under 10 are free. Fit: first-time visitors staying in Cody who want more than cowboy history, families with older children, and anyone interested in American civil rights history.

What makes the center exceptional is its restraint. It does not need to dramatize: the photographs of crowded barracks, the lists of belongings families were allowed to bring, and the recorded voices describing arrival in a Wyoming winter speak for themselves. The exhibits also explore the complex choices people faced, including loyalty questionnaires, military service and draft resistance, and the long fight for redress that led to a formal government apology and reparations decades later. Many visitors find the center a necessary counterweight to the Wild West narrative that dominates Cody.

To visit well, allow at least an hour and a half for the exhibits and time outside to walk to the memorial and look across the camp site toward Heart Mountain. The site is exposed and windy, so bring a jacket even in summer. Check the center's calendar for winter programs and special exhibitions, and note the reduced Wednesday-to-Saturday schedule in the off-season if you are visiting between mid-October and mid-May.