As you enter, there is a large gift shop portion of the building the your left, although you can't take any photos as they showcase local art. Understandable. To your right is the NPS ranger desk. Even though I went during shoulder season, the NPS rangers were still inundated with visitors and they seemed overwhelmed. I checked out the displays they had of how the Badlands came to be, and of the flora and fauna. Very informative! The center also has a fossil lab, but it was shut down for the season. You can still peek through the glass and see the fossils that they have cleaned off. Remember, don't take any fossils within the park as that's a federal crime!
The gift shop has a wider variety of items than what is usually offered, with artwork, mugs, posters, and more. There's also a larger selection of items next door at the Cedar Pass Lodge. read more