Fort Simpson (July 21/06) - Apparently the Pope's chair on display in the Visitor Information Centre in Fort Simpson doesn't look like something a religious icon would sit on.

Yet that chair is the display that draws the most attention from tourists who stop at the centre, said Allyson Skinner, the facility's manager.

Christiane Kerr, from Oakville, Ont., looks at one of the displays in the Visitor Information Centre in Fort Simpson. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Many tourists don't realize the Pope visited Fort Simpson and most don't believe he sat in the chair, Skinner said. To help convince the skeptical she opened a book to a picture of the Pope on the chair and included it in the display.

The Visitor Information Centre is often the first, and main source of information on the village and the surrounding area for curious travellers. On average 20-40 people a day come through the centre, but the number varies depending on events, tour buses and the number of paddlers heading to or from Nahanni, said Skinner.

"It's pretty crazy when there's a bus tour in here," she said.

From July 10-13 the centre had 30-40 people per day, which is on the higher end of the scale, she said. The large crowds start at the end of June and last until the beginning of August.

When visitors arrive at the centre they often have lots of questions.

The most common thing asked is, what is there to do in Fort Simpson?

People also ask about the history of the village including when the fort was established and when the Hudson's Bay Co. arrived.

They also look at the stuffed animals in the centre and ask what they are and if they are local. The red fox and the arctic fox confuse people because they are both clearly foxes but look different, said Beth Jumbo, the assistant manager.

Some of the stranger questions include whether you can drive to Inuvik or the Nahanni National Park Reserve, Skinner said.

Just as there are trends in many areas like fashion and interior decorating, there are also trends at the centre.

This year birch bark baskets are really big, said Skinner. The poster showing Virginia Falls is also popular this year, though in 2005 few people seemed to care about it.

While tourists come into look at the displays, they also watch movies. The centre has more than 40 videos covering areas of local interest.

Many people come in and specifically ask to watch the video on Albert Faille.

Faille's cabin is one of the sites that people see during the historical walking tour offered every day at 4 p.m.

"Getting to meet new people ... from all over the world," is the best part of the job according to Skinner.

The centre receives many visitors from Germany, Switzerland and the U.S. but also sees tourists from Australia, New Zealand, France and Japan.