National Parks

The lands administered by the National Park Service have long been prized as vacation spots and sources of national pride. But they have also had a contentious history, with questions swirling through the years around who should own, administer, and have access the land, and for what purposes. This exhibit examines some of these debates about the roles national parks should or shouldn’t play in conserving nature, accommodating tourists, and interpreting the American past.

Postcard of two men enjoying a scenic overlook in Zion National Park, ca. 1930.