State Welcome Center

Those maps are valuable. Ever try to rely on cell service in south Arkansas? Same for the bathrooms. Or just a place to safely pull over. Or walk a dog.

Before the internet a lot of tourist information came from the state and local boards of tourism. While you could actually write these offices and have them send you pamphlets on an area, the visitor center was a key stop when you arrived at a new state so you didn't miss anything.

I believe they are an investment in tourism. I have read before that they actually have a high ROI because they encourage people that are passing through to stay longer or spend money on local attractions that they may have otherwise missed.

People use them to rest. It is safer to have a designated place for drivers to rest than to have a sleepy driver on the interstate. Also, people need toilets.

I spent a particularly long time in one in Vermont. It was at the eclipse and there was a lovely volunteer couple running it and they had coffee and snacks, information, maps, a bathroom, picnic tables, and first aid kit, etc.

when I went to one, the info they provided was very helpful.

in New England they're typically both rest areas and visitor information centers, so they're solving a dual purpose. They're also rarely if ever government funded, and are rarely if ever not well used.