
Member Day Trip: Yellowstone Heritage & Research Center
July 30 @ 7:00 am - 8:00 pm MDT

Member Day Trip to Yellowstone Heritage & Research Center
Wednesday, July 30
7 a.m.–8 p.m.
Buffalo Bill Center of the West members are invited to enjoy a special day in Yellowstone National Park including a behind-the-scenes tour of the Park’s museum and archival collections at the Yellowstone Heritage & Research Center in Gardiner, Montana and dinner in the historic Yellowstone Lake Hotel Dining Room.
Corey Anco, Willis McDonald, IV Curator of Natural Science for the Draper Natural History Museum and Curatorial Assistant Amy Phillips join us on the motor coach to provide commentary and insights as we travel through the park.
Cost for this trip is $200 per member and space is limited. Please use the form below to register.
Registration includes:
- comfortable transportation
- rare access to Yellowstone National Park
- 3 meals, including dinner at Lake Hotel
- snacks, soft drinks, water
For more information: e-mail [email protected] or call 307-578-4008.
About Yellowstone Heritage & Research Center

As described by yellowstoneforever.org, Yellowstone’s Heritage and Research Center (HRC) houses historical documents, objects, and written records that document the history and science of the park. With over 6 million items, HRC has one of the largest collections in the National Park Service, housed within an archive, a library, and numerous museum collections. Only a handful of parks have their own facility, and Yellowstone is the only national park that is an affiliate of the National Archives.
About Yellowstone Lake Hotel Dining Room
From Xanterra’s website “The Lake Yellowstone Hotel stands majestically on the shore of Yellowstone Lake. The classic white columns accent the yellow exterior, a vision that stands apart from the surrounding forest and meadows. The Lake Yellowstone Hotel Dining Room menu is creative and upscale. Our commitment to sustainable cuisine (local and/or organic) is no more prevalent than at this casually elegant restaurant.”
About Corey Anco
Corey Anco was promoted to Willis McDonald IV Curator of Natural Science for the Draper Natural History Museum in November 2022, after having served as Interim Curator since January of 2022. He joined the staff in August of 2017 as an Assistant Curator. Before coming to the Draper, Corey pursued opportunities with the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative. Fieldwork experience ranges from tallgrass prairies of the Midwest and tundra of the Alaska Peninsula, to immersion in Neotropical rainforests in Belize and the concrete jungle of New York City fostering a comprehensive exposure to wildlife responses following habitat disturbance. Anco also has extensive experience in teaching ecology and communicating science to youth groups, high school, and undergraduate students with the Wildlife Conservation Society. He is a Certified Interpretive Guide through the National Association for Interpretation.
Academically, Anco earned a Bachelor of Science from Lewis University, Master of Environmental Management from Duke University, and Master of Science in Biology from Fordham University. He also holds certifications in geospatial analysis and chemical immobilization of wildlife. While attending Fordham University, Anco studied the phylogeography (geographic distribution of genetic lineages) of African leopards (Panthera pardus) using mtDNA he recovered from leopard skulls in the American Museum of Natural History collections. This research provided a much needed and updated reference benchmark of genetic diversity of the African leopard.
Anco’s approach to the long-term preservation of wildlife interweaves themes of ecosystem rewilding, partnership building, and responsible land stewardship. His interest in joining the Draper Natural History Museum stems from his experience in working with museums and their collections to inspire and promote understanding, appreciation, and conservation of wildlife and wildlands. When he’s not in the museum, Anco can be found in the kitchen cooking up a storm, splitting wood, planning a hike in the GYE, or beside a fire with a guitar.
About Amy Phillips

Amy Phillips joined the Draper Natural History Museum from the Meeteetse Museums where she served as Director of Education and Programs. While at the Meeteetse Museums, Phillips served as co-Principal Investigator on the “Bison of the Bighorn Basin” Project. The project sought to learn about bison morphology and ecology in the geographic Bighorn Basin by conducting cranial measurements and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis.
Phillips is currently pursuing her Master’s of Science in Cultural Resource Management, Archaeology from St. Cloud State University. She hopes to explore human and wildlife interactions through her coursework and research. Her bachelor’s degree comes from the University of Wyoming in Anthropology.