The great majority of wind turbines around the world belong to individuals or corporations who use them to generate electric power or to perform mechanical work. As such, wind turbines are primarily designed to be working devices. However, the large size and height above surroundings of modern industrial wind turbines, combined with their moving rotors, often makes them among the most conspicuous objects in their areas. A few localities have exploited the attention-getting nature of wind turbines by placing them on public display, either with visitor centers on their bases, or with viewing areas farther away. The wind turbines themselves are generally of conventional horizontal-axis, three-bladed design, and generate power to feed electrical grids, but they also serve the unconventional roles of technology demonstration, public relations, and education.
Notable wind turbines on public display
Australia
Blayney Wind Farm, New South Wales has a viewing area and interpretive centre
Wattle Point Wind Farm, South Australia has an information centre
Albany Wind Farm has board walks, viewing towers, interpretive displays and picnic areas on and around the site. It is also traversed by the Bibbulmun Track.
Canada
The OPG 7 commemorative turbine is a Vestas V80-1.8MW wind turbine on the site of the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station The ExPlace Wind Turbine is a Lagerwey Wind model LW 52 wind turbine at Exhibition Place in Toronto
China
Inner Mongolia's Huitengxile Wind Farm has 14 visitor centers to accommodate wind power tourists to the remote region
Hong Kong
Lamma Winds in Hong Kong has a single Nordex N50/800 kW model with a rotor diameter of 50m and a nameplate capacity of 800 kW
New Zealand
Brooklyn, Wellington, New Zealand has a 230 kW wind turbine
United Kingdom
Green Britain Centre, Swaffham, Norfolk - the only wind turbine in the UK that is open for the public to climb. Also doubles as a visitor's centre, cafe and education provider. "Permanently closed" for the third time. Green Park Business Park has an Enercon E-70 2 MW wind turbine adjacent to the M4 motorway, billed as the UK's most visible turbine Renewable Energy Systems has a Vestas V29 225 kW wind turbine visible from the M25 motorway at its headquarters at Beaufort Court, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire Scroby Sands wind farm has a visitor center at Great Yarmouth open during the tourist season (May–October) Scout Moor Wind Farm "has become a real tourist attraction" since its 2008 opening Whitelee Wind Farm near Glasgow has become the first wind energy project in Scotland to join the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA).