Message from Tripadvisor •
Closed until Apr 19, 2024
North American Bear Center
North American Bear Center
5
Temporarily closedClosed until Apr 19, 2024
About
The North American Bear Center is the only educational facility of its kind - it helps people learn from the bears themselves about bear behavior, ecology, and their relations with humans. There is a huge need for accurate information about bears worldwide and the mission of the non-profit North American Bear Center is to advance the long-term survival of bears worldwide by replacing misconceptions with scientific facts about bears.
Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Full view
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
22 within 3 miles
Attractions
14 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
732 reviews
Excellent
595
Very good
104
Average
26
Poor
3
Terrible
4
Bill K
Mantorville, MN6,372 contributions
Oct 2020
Wow! This place is packed with so much information about bears and other wildlife native to this area. If you want to take in all of the pictorial and print information you should plan for more than an hour or at the Bear Center.
Admission also includes a behind the scenes tour in which you get to meet some of the resident bears. 🐻 The bears are obviously well cared for and seem to enjoy their life at the Bear Center.
In our opinion this is a must stop in Ely.
Admission also includes a behind the scenes tour in which you get to meet some of the resident bears. 🐻 The bears are obviously well cared for and seem to enjoy their life at the Bear Center.
In our opinion this is a must stop in Ely.
Written October 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reedmolly
Apple Valley, MN95 contributions
Aug 2020 • Solo
The North American Bear Center has so much to see and do. The large building has videos, exhibits with bears, moose and many of the animals that live in northern Minnesota. They behind the scenes tours are when you will see bears up close in their enclosures. The staff is very Informative and can answer all your questions. They dispel the many myths about black bears. They have ensured safety and social distancing. Masks are required for ages 2 and up.
All ages will have a good time.
All ages will have a good time.
Written August 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Arabrabs
11 contributions
Jun 2021
What a valuable experience, being immersed in information and activities about bears. We watched the bears in person and then saw videos and displays about bears. These dispelled the myths about dangerous bears and replaced the myths with research-based information. My whole picture of bears is transformed. Dr. Rogers, the founder, was there the day I visited. He gave me personal attention, answering questions and recommending additional things for me to look at. College-aged interns are available to talk with too, and their dedication to bears and to research about bears is inspiring. The displays are inviting to all ages, from young children to teenagers to busy parents to scholars. I spent 2 hours on my first visit and then came back three days later and spent another 2 hours. We came all the way from Virginia to visit Ely for boating and fishing, and the Bear Center was the highlight of my vacation. I'm ready to return and learn more.
Written July 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AimeeLovesToTravel
Minneapolis, MN21 contributions
May 2021
This was my favorite stop in Ely this May. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. They take you to "meet" the 4 resident bears every half hour. The indoor exhibits are really interesting and cover a broad range of topics about bears and other animals of the north woods. They also have a very cute gift shop for souvenirs. Overall, very educational and fun!
Written May 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Angela N
New Ulm, MN48 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We loved this place and were blown away by the exhibits inside. There was so much information and it was presented in an engaging way that we appreciated. Getting to see the bears was also cool, but the inside exhibits were actually our favorites. 🤓
Another thing to note: This was a great day trip from Bear Head Lake State Park, and we also went to the Wolf Center (also cool) and had lunch off the beaten path at a little resort with a view of the lake.
Another thing to note: This was a great day trip from Bear Head Lake State Park, and we also went to the Wolf Center (also cool) and had lunch off the beaten path at a little resort with a view of the lake.
Written August 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LovesPhotoOps
Hoover, AL1,061 contributions
Jun 2021
The museum has tons of information about black bears and some about other kinds of bears. In the theater they show a very interesting movie about the biologist who founded the center and his work studying black bears up close and personal. They have four live black bears on site that they bring into the viewing enclosure one by one where they can be seen from the large viewing windows and from the outdoor deck above. It was fun to watch the bears eating and swimming in the pool.
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PFGriff22
Maryland4 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
The North American Bear Center is without a doubt, a don't miss stop when "up north" in Minnesota. The displays in the "museum" portion of the center are engaging and modern. Plan at least 90 minutes or much longer to give it the time and attention it deserves. The behind the scenes tour that is part of the general admission price is also very good. The highlight for us was the outside 2nd story viewing platform where we were able to observe and photograph Holly and Lucky, two of their three resident black bears, without any fences or bars to get in the way. We hoped this attraction would be good, but it far exceeded our expectations!
Written July 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kate N
111 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
If you have to choose between the bear center and wolf center, I would recommend the bear center. You can take a behind the scenes tour that guarantees you see a bear. There is a ton of information and it would take hours to read, but it is very informative.
Written August 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tracey M
Bluemont, VA501 contributions
Jul 2022
This place is huge! The displays never seem to end and the information keeps coming. This place is so well put together and it flows nicely. One could easily spend hours and still not see everything. They have a polar bear on display inside and we were blown away by how large it is.
The actual bears are in a great viewing area and were so fun to watch. There is even a behind the scene trouble which allows you to get a little closer to the bears. Do not miss this place, it is truly worth a visit.
The actual bears are in a great viewing area and were so fun to watch. There is even a behind the scene trouble which allows you to get a little closer to the bears. Do not miss this place, it is truly worth a visit.
Written July 31, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BARBARA H
Thomasville, GA169 contributions
Jul 2022
This center is filled with loads of info on bears and interactive displays. We did get to see 4 bears and intern Kevin presented lots of good information about each of the particular bears and specific bear behavior. Even one of the bears is fed by hand. Would recommend of visit if you are in Ely, we spent about hour and half there.
Written July 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How much is it for two seniors and a 9 year old?
jamgeff
Shakopee, MN70 contributions
It will be 12.00 each. 60 and older
How much are the tickets for two seniors and a 9 year old?
DrgnL80
Elgin, IL15 contributions
From their website on 07/18/2019:
Admission:
Adults and Teens $13.00
Seniors (60+) or Military $12.00
Children (ages 3-12) $8.00
Children under 3 Free
Kcksum
Lee's Summit, MO
What time of day are the bears most active?
NABC_Ely_MN
Ely, MN
Hi kcksum1. Thank you for your question. While our four ambassador bears' activity levels vary, we have bear enrichment activities at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily, viewable from the viewing window inside or the outside viewing deck. Also, join any one of our eight hourly (10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) Behind the Scene Tours to be guaranteed to see bears. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Note: Admission fee covers all programs and activities at the Bear Center.
cren1989
Sioux Falls, SD1 contribution
I am planning a visit to the area in a few weeks, how much time should I plan on spending at the NABC?
kdemoss43
Brighton, MI1 contribution
I would give more time than an hour, I would try 2-3 hours. There are many things to experience at NABC and watching the bears interact with each other and the staff is fun stuff.
How much is admission for Senior citizens?
JM B
Westlake, TX3 contributions
Hello Angus,
Admission for Seniors (65+) is $11.00. Other admission rates are:
Adults and Teens $13.00
Children (ages 3–12) $7.00
Children under 3 Free
Members Free
Bear Center regular hours are 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through the end of April. Beginning May 1, the center is open daily from 10:00 - 4:00. Please check the NABC tab on our website for additional summer hours beginning May 25.
We look forward to your visit and thank you for your interest!
Joan S
Thunder Bay, Canada
How far is Ely off Highway 61? What is the population? What are the services?
NABC_Ely_MN
Ely, MN
The North American Bear Center is approx. 63 miles from the intersection of Hwys 61 & 1, near Illgen City, MN. Ely, pop. 3,500, offers many activities in both summer and winter, although many activities and restaurants are closed during the winter. A good resource google Ely and look at the 'winter' tab for best info for this time of year .Also, check for Bear Center hours. Hope this helps!
Joan S
Thunder Bay, Canada
How far off Highway 61 is the Bear Center.
Can you give me information about the town of Ely? Population, hotels, etc.?
NABC_Ely_MN
Ely, MN
The North American Bear Center is approx. 63 miles from the intersection of Hwys 61 & 1, near Illgen City, MN. Ely, pop. 3,500, offers many activities in both summer and winter, although many activities and restaurants are closed during the winter. A good resource google Ely and look at the 'winter' tab for best info for this time of year .Also, check for Bear Center hours. Hope this helps!
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingNorth American Bear Center - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about North American Bear Center
- North American Bear Center is open:
- Mon - Thu 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Fri - Sat 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Hotels near North American Bear Center:
- (1.55 mi) Grand Ely Lodge
- (0.66 mi) Shagawa Inn Resort
- (0.90 mi) Canoe On Inn
- (0.93 mi) Stay Inn Ely
- (1.76 mi) Motel Ely
- Restaurants near North American Bear Center:
- (1.01 mi) Britton's Cafe
- (1.07 mi) Northern Expressions Ice Cream Parlor
- (1.15 mi) Insula Restaurant
- (1.08 mi) Boathouse Brewery
- (1.27 mi) Front Porch Coffee & Tea Company