William H. Morrissey Visitor Center — Attraction in Stewartville

William H. Morrissey Visitor Center: Where Your Cave Experience Starts

This is where it all begins. The William H. Morrissey Visitor Center is the starting point for Mystery Cave tours and a great intro to everything that makes this place special. It’s named after the man who helped bring the cave into public view and protect it—fitting, since the center gives visitors a chance to understand what they’re about to explore.

We stopped in before our tour and were impressed with how much they fit into a small space. There’s a mini museum with displays about the cave’s formation, history, and ecosystem. You don’t need a lot of time to take it all in, but it adds a lot to the experience. It helped us appreciate the tour even more.

The gift shop had a fun selection—stickers, shirts, some books—and the restrooms were very clean, which is always a plus. Staff were friendly and helpful, and this is also where you check in or buy tickets for your guided tour.

It’s worth noting that the rest of the state park—campground, trails, and picnic areas—is a few miles away from here. So if you’re coming for the full park experience, make time to visit both areas. But if your goal is to explore the cave, this is your starting line.

Simple, informative, and easy to navigate—it’s the kind of visitor center that quietly sets the tone for a great day...

Wonderful experience! A must see if you live in the northern part of US. We took the scenic guided tour since our bunch had 3 toddlers who weren’t allowed to go on other rides. But it was amazing. Tour is for 1 hour and the guide did a comprehensive explanation on the geological evolution that had happened underneath, inside the caves and the experience of walking in the natural and man made paths is definitely memorable. This tour is accessible for wheelchair or strollers, which is a plus and you’re not allowed to take any snacks, drinks, gum, or backpacks. Only request is to leave the place as is when you’re in the tour in order to preserve the caves for...

This visitor center was so informative to me. I learned a lot by looking at the various artifacts and reading information about Mystery Cave. The small gift/souvenir shop held gorgeous rocks, gems, and minerals. Loved the layout of everything. The staff was kind. My friends and I tried to add on two more tickets to the tour we were planning on taking that afternoon and were told that the tour was already fully booked. They were so nice however, and got us in the following morning so we could all participate. One staff member who I interacted with was a geologist, who told me all about the minerals I was purchasing at the time....