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The John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum, located in Arizona, is a non-profit organization. The museum focuses on Powell?s Colorado River journey between 1869 and 1871. The museum also keeps several collections of Native American, artifacts, as well as exhibits on geology of the canyons from Colorado and documentary film of the Lake Powell.

The inspiration behind the museum was taken from John Wesley Powell, an expedition enthusiast and a pioneer of Arizona. From an early age, Powell was known to enjoy collecting artifacts and made exploration trips to other areas. He also studied botany, zoology, and geology without the help of a teacher. According to historical accounts, he traveled as far as Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and the Iron Mountain regions of Missouri. During his travels, he collected minerals, shells, and natural history objects.

Because of his vast experiences and collections, he was elected as the secretary of the Illinois Natural History Society in 1859. When the Civil War came in 1860, he enlisted himself and became a lieutenant. Years later, his contributions to the army were recognized and he later attained the rank as General.

However, his love for expeditions and trips never wavered, so he set out a new expedition in 1869 and made his first trip to the Colorado River along with his friends Jack Summer, Andy Hall, George Bradley, and his brother, Walter Powell. Most of the participants on his trip claimed that he studied and the Grand Canyon in Colorado and collected dozens of artifacts that were brought home after his trips.

Now, all of his collections, sketches, photos and other memorabilia are now stored and displayed in the museum. A replica of the long boat used by the famous explorer can also be seen on the front lawn of the museum. The exact boat was featured in the Disney Movie Ten Who Dared.

The museum currently has a visitor?s information center that houses memorabilia and documents on Powell?s lake and river trips, scenic flights, and tours of the Antelope Canyon and the Alstrom Point. Aside from that, the museum allows rentals for its powerboat and rentals.
Explorers, voyagers and historians are welcome to visit the John Wesley Powell Memorial Museum to gain insight about exploration and other subjects.
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