Earn a Junior Ranger Badge

Are you interested in learning more about the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area? Did you know that our park has many different resources, including historical artifacts, natural beauty, and recreational opportunities? Learn about the resources within our park by participating in our Junior Ranger Program! This program helps visitors of all ages learn more about the Twin Cities’ own National Park Unit! The activities and information included in our program apply to anyone with an interest in the park. This includes areas of interest such as historic communities, the rise of the milling industry in Minneapolis, river recreation opportunities, geology, and much more! Becoming a Junior Ranger for our park means learning more about the history, resources, and communities within the 72 mile stretch of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. Junior Rangers help our park rangers by learning about the park and sharing what they’ve learned with others, exploring the park, and by helping to protect its resources. You can pick up a free Junior Ranger Booklet at our visitor center, which is located in the lobby of the Science Museum of Minnesota. There are several general Junior Ranger Booklets available upon request, relating to activities within our park, such as fishing, underwater exploration, and even paleontology! Upon completion of any of the booklets, please visit the Mississippi River Visitor Center to receive your booklet-specific badge! You can also work on digital versions of Junior Ranger books like Let’s Go Fishing!, Underwater Explorer, Historic Preservation, and Paleontology. Too busy exploring the park to come back to the Visitor Center? No problem! You can mail your book to the park. You can also contact us via email if you would like to send a scanned copy OR photos of your hard work. Once the form is submitted, a ranger will reply via email, and then you can attach a file.