Interpretive exhibits feature prominently in the International Crane Foundation's new George Archibald Welcome Center, pictured March 22. The Baraboo-based organization had planned to unveil the site in a grand opening Saturday after undergoing a $10 million renovation, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19 and will be rescheduled for spring of 2021.
After almost two years of being closed for extensive renovations, the International Crane Foundation had planned to unveil its Baraboo headquarters on Saturday.
The coronavirus pandemic had other ideas.
ICF announced this week that it would cancel the grand opening due to construction delays caused by COVID-19 and wouldn’t reschedule until next spring in light of a potential surge of infections this fall.
“It’s really disappointing,” said Chief Operating Officer Kim Smith. “I mean, we were really psyched about bringing people to the site. It’s just gorgeous, you know, and we miss seeing people out there.”
While the general public won’t be able to see the conservation organization’s new exhibits and cranes in person, they can get a virtual glimpse next month. According to spokeswoman Pamela Seelman, ICF will live stream a virtual celebration called “Let’s Whoop it Up!” starting at 7 p.m. July 23 that will give a sneak peek at the $10 million renovations.
Hosted by President and CEO Rich Beilfuss and co-founder George Archibald in the new welcome center, the event will include a virtual auction, a visit from the foundation’s mascot, highlights of ICF’s work in Asia, Africa and North America and “several surprises,” according to Seelman. The organization, dedicated to protecting cranes — some of the most endangered birds in the world — and their habitat, is headquartered in rural Baraboo but works across five continents.
To view the celebration or learn more, visit savingcranes.org/lets-whoop-it-up. No advanced registration is required.
The 10-acre-plus site closed in November of 2018 for extensive renovations, including a new welcome center with an expanded gift shop, 10 new crane exhibits with water features, murals and a new “Cranes and Culture area,” according to a news release. It is the only place in the world where guests can see all 15 species of cranes at once.

Artist Jay Jocham works on a Eurasian crane mural Oct. 29 at the International Crane Foundation's Baraboo headquarters. The organization had planned to unveil the site in a grand opening Saturday after undergoing a $10 million renovation, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19 and will be rescheduled for spring of 2021.
Smith said construction is just finishing up now, causing a delay in planting prairie plants and grasses, which need time to grow before the birds can be introduced to their new homes. The cranes also need time to acclimate, so the exhibits wouldn’t be ready until September, at which time COVID-19 could be in a second wave. The headquarters would also typically close to the public for the season on Oct. 31.
“So we decided, you know, with the forecast for COVID to potentially come into a second wave this fall, why don’t we just do a grand opening when we can welcome hopefully a lot of people to our site in the spring,” Smith said.
ICF might offer members an in-person preview of the new headquarters this fall, but that depends on the virus’ progression, Smith said.
“It is gorgeous and we can hardly wait for people to come see it,” she said. “We’ll try to get them out as soon as we possibly can.”
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Ghana Gurung, left, country director of WWF Nepal, part of the conservation organization World Wide Fund for Nature, signs an agreement with International Crane Foundation President and CEO Richard Beilfuss on Monday at ICF headquarters in Baraboo. Beilfuss said the document seeks to increase ICF’s collaboration with WWF Nepal and the Lumbini Crane Sanctuary in Nepal, where the Baraboo organization has worked to restore and manage wetlands.
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Ghana Gurung, left, country director of WWF Nepal, and International Crane Foundation President and CEO Richard Beilfuss discuss an agreement Monday at ICF headquarters in Baraboo. The document seeks to increase ICF’s collaboration with WWF Nepal and the Lumbini Crane Sanctuary in Nepal, where the Baraboo organization has worked to restore and manage wetlands used by cranes.
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Venerable Metteyya Sakyaputta, a Buddhist monk from Nepal, discusses his work on the Green Lumbini Initiative on Monday at the International Crane Foundation headquarters in Baraboo. ICF has worked with conservationists like Sakaputta in Nepal since the early 1990s.
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From left, Buddhist monk Venerable Metteyya Sakyaputta, WWF Nepal country director Ghana Gurung and International Crane Foundation Chief Operating Officer Kim Smith listen during a presentation Monday at ICF headquarters in Baraboo.
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Hannah Jones, crane conservation outreach intern for the Baraboo-based International Crane Foundation, hands a sticker to Sydney Slama, 1, of Sauk City, carried by Tessa Slama, Saturday afternoon at Treinen Farm in Lodi. The Baraboo-based ICF is partnering with Treinen Farm this season for its crane-themed corn maze, bringing volunteers and staff to the farm from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays for five weekends -- which started Saturday -- to offer educational activities and information on cranes.
BIG BIRD AT LODI MAZE

Two-year-old Logan Brink, DeForest, approaches Hope, the International Crane Foundation's mascot, with his mother, Ashlee Brink, Saturday afternoon at Treinen Farm in Lodi. The Baraboo-based ICF is partnering with Treinen Farm this season for its crane-themed corn maze, bringing volunteers and staff to the farm from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays for five weekends -- which started Saturday -- to offer educational activities and information on cranes.
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Macie Slama, 3, of Sauk City, approaches Hope, the International Crane Foundation's mascot, with her mother, Tessa, and 1-year-old Sydney Slama Saturday afternoon at Treinen Farm in Lodi. The Baraboo-based ICF is partnering with Treinen Farm this season for its crane-themed corn maze, bringing volunteers and staff to the farm from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays for five weekends -- which started Saturday -- to offer educational activities and information on cranes.
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20

International Crane Foundation Party for the Planet, April 20
Follow Susan Endres on Twitter @EndresSusan or call her at 745-3506.