DRIGGS, Idaho — The county seat for Teton County, Idaho, Driggs residents often refer to the city as the heart of the valley. Lisa Simmons, Executive Director for Downtown Driggs Association (DDA), says visitor numbers support the locals’ phrasing.
“We estimate around 10,000 annual visitors to the Teton Valley Welcome Center each year based on our visitor log (signed by visitors saying who they are and where they came from) and daily tallies by volunteers,” Simmons said.
The Teton Valley Welcome Center is the new name for what’s long been known to most as “The Geo,” short for the Teton Geotourism Center, Museum & Discovery Hub.
“The new name more clearly reflects its role as a Teton Scenic Byway Visitor Center —welcoming travelers and locals while sharing information via interpretive exhibits, about the rich culture, history, and environment of Teton Valley,” Simmons said.
Simmons said the change honors the legacy of the original Geotourism Center while “clarifying its purpose as many visitors previously mistook it for a geology museum, often arriving with rocks in hand to identify and questions about geology exhibits that never existed.”
The project was envisioned by Tim O’Donoghue, Principal of Riverwind Foundation and former Executive Director of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, as part of a broader Greater Yellowstone Geotourism Project with a foundation in sustainable development, Simmons said.
The building, which is starting to predate much of Driggs’ current downtown, was bought from Broulim’s in 2004; it was owned by the grocery store Hillman’s Thriftway until then. The building was remodeled for City Hall in 2005 and for the Senior Center in 2006 according to Doug Self, Community Development Director for the City of Driggs.
The Geo Center’s buildout took place in two phases from 2008-2014 and was made possible with a grant awarded to the Driggs Urban Renewal Agency from the Idaho Transportation Department with funds from the Federal-Aid Highway Act. The Geo was established as a Teton Scenic Byway Visitor Center and gateway to Idaho along the 69-mile drive that runs from Swan Valley on ID31 to Teton Valley through Victor, Driggs, and Tetonia on ID33, and on through Felt and Ashton on ID32.
In 2024, the DDA took over what was then still known as the Geo, and last month unveiled the new moniker.
“As far as the Teton Valley Welcome Center, we aren’t changing the nature of the space itself by changing the name; we are simply being more intentional about creating an obvious jumping off point for visitors to learn about our valley,” DDA Events and Outreach Manager Teddy Nichols told Buckrail.
Simmons said the newly rebranded Welcome Center will feature four rotating exhibits annually, each celebrating both people and place.
“The ongoing ‘Community Portraits Series’ highlights individuals and groups who shape the valley’s identity, while collaborations with Idaho State University in the ‘Idea Gallery’ explore the region’s natural environment,” she said.
The current exhibit, “Amphibians & Wetlands of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,” closes Thursday, Nov. 20, with a 5 p.m. tour at the Welcome Center and a 6 p.m. talk by curator and renowned herpetologist Dr. Charles Peterson at Seniors West of the Tetons. The next exhibit, “Snakes of Idaho,” opens in early December.
“His talk will be about wetland ecosystems in the Tetons and the amphibians who live in them, how they contribute to ecosystem health, and what we can do to protect them,” said Simmons. Peterson curated the exhibit’s themes to align with Teton Valley’s history, culture, environment and community.
“The ‘Wetlands’ exhibit is about a little-known but vital component of our local ecosystem, as will be the ‘Snake’ exhibit, and both are wonderful, free traveling exhibits put together by Idaho State University professors and researchers,” she said. “The Welcome Center’s permanent exhibits also interpret our local natural world, so these new exhibits build upon that.”
Simmons said DDA is discussing an exhibit on the historic mining town of Sam in the near future, likely after the snake exhibit.
“We can’t change the permanent exhibits, so this is a way to refresh the space and continue offering reasons to return and learn and connect to our Valley in new ways,” she said.
Beyond the exhibits, the space is usually staffed by volunteer docents aiding visitors in their Teton Valley discovery, along with suggestions for where to explore, eat, stay and shop, and what events are happening in town. When volunteers aren’t available, guests can explore on their own using local and regional maps, brochures and interpretive exhibits highlighting the best of Teton Valley.
Simmons says the rebrand aligns perfectly with managing this space as a Main Street America affiliate organization under the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Simmons hinted to making more of the area’s history in the near future.
DDA, in partnership with the Timshel Foundation and the Teton Valley Historic Preservation Commission, is developing a Downtown Driggs Historic Walking Tour, accessible via the TravelStorys GPS-activated mobile app, printed brochures and interpretive plaques.
“The tour will connect with exhibits at the Welcome Center, serving as its starting point with the goal of an early summer 2026 roll-out,” said Simmons.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated that professors curating exhibits worked at the University of Idaho, when they are employed by Idaho State University. That change has been reflected above.
