Visitor center
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A visitor center is a place where visitors to a location can get information on the area's attractions, lodging, maps, and other items relevant to tourism. Often, these centers are operated at the airport or other port of entry, by the local government or chamber of commerce.
In the U.S., a welcome center is a rest area with a visitor center, located after the entrance from one state to a another state, usually along an interstate highway.
At certain public destinations, such as a national park, national forest, or state park, a visitor center provides general information on the site's features (trail maps, camp sites, etc.), in depth educational exhibits and artifact displays, often a film or other media display of the site's natural or cultural history, staff contact, and restrooms. If the site has permit requirements or guided tours, the visitor center is often the place where these are coördinated.