Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp

During World War II, over 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated without due process of law. Although little remains of the barbed-wire fences and tar-papered barracks, the Minidoka concentration camp once held over 13,000 Japanese Americans in the Idaho desert.

Minidoka preserves their legacy and teaches the importance of civil liberties.

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Duration:
30 minutes, 1 second

Watch the official park film for Minidoka National Historic Site, narrated by actor and activist George Takei. Learn about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, the experiences of survivors and their descendants, and the site's relevance to the complicated issues Americans face today.

The site's one-story visitor center, built from a converted warehouse.
Visiting Minidoka National Historic Site

Visitor Center is closed for the season. Expected to reopen for the summer season from Memorial Day to Labor Day 2025.

Wooden and stone memorial that curves along a sidewalk.
Bainbridge Island Memorial

Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, a site on Bainbridge Island, WA, established to honor those who were removed.

Junior ranger booklets and badges on a table with a ranger hat and a green NPS tablecloth.
Become a Junior Ranger

Complete activities to earn a junior ranger badge or patch!

A yellow school bus is parked in front of the Minidoka Visitor Center.
Field Trips

Bring your class or organization to experience the site in person, or arrange a virtual program with a park ranger.

Last updated: September 28, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

1428 Hunt Road
Jerome, ID 83338

Phone:

208-825-4169

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