NPF Grant Will Improve How Visitor Statistics Are Gathered
Minute Man National Historical Park is proud to have received a 2026 Innovation Grant from the National Park Foundation (NPF). The Visitor Analytics Consortium project, which will also include Point Reyes National Seashore, Big Cypress National Preserve, and National Mall & Memorial Parks, will be led by a research team from Penn State University. The project will combine fieldwork with in-depth data analysis to provide a revised visitor statistics calculation process, customized management dashboards, and regional-level predictive visitor flows.
Why is this important? Visitor statistics are a key statistic that demonstrates the volume of visitors to Minute Man National Historical Park, and better accuracy, along with additional data points, can assist park management in decision-making for resource distribution, planning for long-term maintenance needs, and visitor safety.
Each of the parks that are part of this project are National Park units that do not have traditional entrance gates. This project will lead to new approaches for visitor statistics which will provide critical information to park managers to better understand not just the number of visitors visiting the parks, but also how they access the parks. By working within a consortium framework, the goal is for this effort to be replicated across the National Park System. The Friends of Minute Man National Park were critical to the success of the grant application and the award of this 3-year project. Thank you, Friends!
Written by Simone Monteleone, Superintendent of Minute Man National Historical Park.
Learn more about the National Park Foundation Innovation Grant here: National Park Foundation Awards More Than $10 Million to Spark Innovation Across the National Park System