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Since humans first drew petroglyphs to record their observations, wolves have
populated the art, literature and culture of our planet. The howl of the wolf sends
shivers of fascination and love, or fear and distrust, up the backs of people around
the world. Hardly anyone treats the wolf with indifference.
 In 1985, the wolf's relationships with other living creatures became the topic of
the celebrated "Wolves and Humans" exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota. The
6,000-square-foot display won awards, set attendance records and eventually went on
tour in 19 cities around the United States and Canada. More than 2.5 million people
learned about wolf behavior and wolf lore and viewed the animal artifacts and masks,
the wolf-kill diorama, and groundbreaking research tools.
The wolf biologists who consulted in the creation of the exhibit began planning
for its return to Minnesota. Dr. L. David Mech gathered representatives from private,
public and professional groups to form the Committee for an International Wolf Center.
The goal: a permanent home for the exhibit and an international center promoting public
education about the wolf. The site search for the nonprofit center ended in the heart
of the largest wolf population in the lower 48 states, Ely, Minn. By 1989, a temporary
facility was established there, on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
 For more than seven decades, gray wolf research conducted near Ely has informed
the world about this species and has contributed to its repopulation in the north woods.
Sigurd Olson, a world-renowned naturalist, made the first noted studies in the 1930s.
Milt Stenlund conducted a second wolf research project from 1948-1952. The quality
and sophistication of wolf research in the area grew throughout the years and continues
today under the direction of Dr. Mech, who has tracked and studied wolves there since
1966. The foremost international expert in the field, Dr. Mech generously interprets
his research for the Center's educational programs and serves on the board of directors.
The International Wolf Center opened the doors to its $3 million, 17,000-square-foot
facility featuring the "Wolves and Humans" exhibit in June, 1993. State funding of
$1.2 million and $400,000 in donations from individuals and foundations paid for the
expansion of the Voyageur Visitor Center in Ely. A $125,000 grant for construction
and promotion of the Center was received from the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation
Board (IRRRB) in Eveleth, Minn. In 1998, a 3,260-square-foot addition provided a 120-seat
wolf-viewing theater and more classroom, storage and laboratory space. The expansion
was funded by a 1996 bonding bill in the Minnesota State Legislature.
The Center's flagship facility features triangular windows designed to represent
wolf eyes and ears. The observation windows look into a 1.25-acre wolf enclosure and
den site that is home for the resident wolf pack. Four wolves born in April 1993,
served as ambassadors for the educational mission of the Center. They were joined by
two arctic wolves in the summer of 2000. Since then, older wolves have moved into a
retirement enclosure, and new pups have been introduced to the pack about every four
years. The Center's Ely facility offers a variety of educational programs for adults
and families. Afternoon, weekend and week-long visits include howling trips, radio
tracking, snowshoe treks, dogsledding, videos, flights over wolf country and hikes.
Programs are custom-designed for groups of all ages. Since its inception, the membership
in the Center has grown to more than 9,500 people in 50 states and 38 countries.
Membership continues to grow and provides funding for educational programs.
 The Center accomplishes educational outreach
beyond its Ely facility through a comprehensive Web site at www.wolf.org, a quarterly
magazine, web cams on the resident pack, international symposia and a distance learning
program that virtually brings our educators and wolves into classrooms in real time.
People around the world are touched each year with educational messages about the wolf.
By teaching people about this mysterious predator, the Center aims to ensure a future
wilderness complete with the exciting howl of the wolf.
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