Burt L. Gewalt of the Kalispell, Montana architectural firm Brinkman and Lenon was responsible for the construction documents, carried out between 1960 and 1962.

The visitor center uses common Mission 66 themes such as a broad, gently sloping roof, native stone, and glulam timber construction.

The lower level is the "Fireplace Room" facing northeast, featuring a concrete hearth with a copper hood.

As built, the visitor center used bright paint colors that were toned down to a conservative Park Service brown palette shortly after construction.

Gewalt made detail changes, increasing the size of the chimney and using stone-embedded concrete, a construction method originally developed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The visitor center was cited in the nomination for its unusual design significance and prominence in Glacier National Park.