List of museums in Montana facts for kids
Welcome to the amazing world of museums in Montana! A museum is a special place where cool objects from the past, art, science, and history are kept safe. These places let you explore and learn about all sorts of interesting things. Montana has many unique museums, especially ones filled with incredible dinosaur discoveries found right here in the state!
Contents
Awesome Museums to Explore in Montana
This list shows you many of the fantastic museums you can visit across Montana. You can click on the small boxes next to the titles to sort the list if you want to see them in a different order.
| Name | Town/City | What You'll Find | Quick Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Computer & Robotics Museum | Bozeman | Computers & Robots | Discover the history of computers, how we communicate, and the world of artificial intelligence and robots. |
| Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts | Helena | Art | See beautiful and modern art made from clay. |
| Bair Family Museum | Martinsdale | Historic Home | Explore the old ranch home of the Charles M. Bair family, filled with antiques, Native American art, and ranching tools. |
| Beaverhead County Museum | Dillon | Local History | Learn about the history of Beaverhead County, with fossils, military items, old clothes, a miniature railroad, and mining tools. |
| Belt Museum | Belt | Local History | Located in an old jail, this museum shows coal mine displays, photos, and art from local artists. |
| Big Horn County Historical Museum | Hardin | Outdoor History | This museum has over 25 historic buildings, old farm equipment, horse-drawn wagons, and antique cars. |
| Blaine County Museum | Chinook | Local History & Dinosaurs | Explore local history, Native American culture, and amazing dinosaurs and fossils. |
| Blaine County Wildlife Museum | Chinook | Nature | See over 200 animals that live or once lived in Montana, from the past and present. |
| Carbon County Historical Society Museum | Red Lodge | Local History | Discover the stories of Native Americans, cowboys, rodeos, mining, ranching, and early settlers. |
| Carter County Museum | Ekalaka | Many Topics & Dinosaurs | Learn about local history, Native Americans, homesteaders, dinosaurs, fossils, and the natural world. |
| Castle Museum | White Sulphur Springs | History | Step inside a fancy 19th-century mansion with old furniture, minerals, textiles, and historic vehicles like carriages. |
| Central Montana Museum | Lewistown | Many Topics & Dinosaurs | Explore local history, Native American culture, mining, military history, and dinosaurs. |
| Cheyenne Indian Museum | Ashland | Native American History | Located at St. Labre Indian Mission, this museum displays items and collectibles from the Plains Tribes. |
| Children's Museum of Montana, Inc | Great Falls | Hands-on Fun | A museum where kids can learn through interactive exhibits and play. |
| Children’s Museum Missoula | Missoula | Hands-on Fun | Fun, interactive exhibits designed just for children. |
| Children's Museum of Bozeman | Bozeman | Hands-on Fun | Another great children's museum with interactive exhibits. |
| C. M. Russell Museum Complex | Great Falls | Art | See the famous artwork of "cowboy artist" Charles Marion Russell and other art about the American Old West. |
| Conrad Mansion Museum | Kalispell | Historic Home | Tour a beautiful 1895 mansion with 26 rooms, original furniture, and stunning Tiffany-style windows. |
| Conrad Transportation and Historical Museum | Conrad | History & Transportation | See a recreated old drug store, general store, homestead shack, and exhibits about how transportation helped the West grow. |
| Copper King Mansion | Butte | Historic Home | Take a guided tour of this grand late Victorian mansion. |
| Crail Ranch Homestead Museum | Big Sky | Homestead History | Housed in original cabins, this museum shows items, photos, and stories from the pioneer homestead era. |
| Custer Battlefield Museum | Garryowen | History | Learn about the Battle of the Little Bighorn, frontier life, military history, and Plains Indian culture. |
| Daly Mansion | Hamilton | Historic Home | Visit the home of 19th-century industrialist Marcus Daly, with beautiful gardens. |
| Daniels County Museum & Pioneer Town | Scobey | Living History | Explore over 30 historic buildings that look like a town from the early 1900s. |
| Fort Benton Museums | Fort Benton | Many Topics | This complex includes a reconstructed 1850s fur trading post, Western art, homesteaders' lives, and local history. |
| Fort Peck Interpretive Center | Fort Peck | Nature & Dinosaurs | Learn about fish and game in the area, the building of the Fort Peck Dam, and see amazing dinosaur exhibits. |
| Frontier Gateway Museum | Glendive | Local History & Dinosaurs | Discover dinosaurs, buffalo, Native Americans, homesteaders, and see old country stores and farm machinery. |
| Gallatin History Museum | Bozeman | Local History | Located in a former jail, this museum shows jail cells, Native American history, old clothing, and guns. |
| Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum | Glendive | Dinosaurs & Fossils | See dinosaurs and fossils from a creationist point of view. |
| Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station | Malta | Dinosaurs & Fossils | Explore dinosaurs and fossils, and even watch paleontologists work in the lab. |
| Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center | West Yellowstone | Nature | See exhibits and live bears and wolves up close. |
| H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum | Havre | Local History & Dinosaurs | Learn about local history, culture, and see dinosaur eggs and fossils. |
| Historical Museum at Fort Missoula | Missoula | Local History | Discover the history of Missoula and the surrounding area. |
| Hockaday Museum of Art | Kalispell | Art | See art inspired by Glacier National Park and changing exhibits from talented artists. |
| Holter Museum of Art | Helena | Art | Enjoy exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. |
| Huntley Project Museum | Osborn | Agriculture | Learn about farming, ranching, and homesteading in the early 1900s. |
| Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center | Great Falls | History | Explore the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as they journeyed through Montana. |
| Livingston Depot Center | Livingston | Railroad History | Housed in a historic 1902 train station, this museum displays railroad items, photos, and art. |
| Mai Wah Museum | Butte | Ethnic History | Learn about the history of Asian-Americans in the Butte area. |
| Makoshika State Park | Glendive | Paleontology | Montana's largest state park has real dinosaur fossils, and the visitor center explains the geology and prehistoric past. |
| Malmstrom AFB Museum | Great Falls | Aviation | Discover the history of Malmstrom Air Force Base and see historic military aircraft. |
| MBMG Mineral Museum | Butte | Geology | See amazing rocks and minerals from Montana and around the world, including meteorites. |
| McCone County Museum | Circle | Local History & Dinosaurs | Explore local history, see mounted birds and animals, and even eight cement dinosaurs! |
| Miracle of America Museum | Polson | History | A huge collection of pioneer and Native American items, old household goods, toys, guns, and military vehicles. |
| Missoula Art Museum | Missoula | Art | See art from the American West, especially by modern Montana artists. |
| Montana Historical Society Museum | Helena | Many Topics | Also called Montana's Museum, it has fine art, history, archaeology, and Native American items from Montana. |
| Montana Museum of Art & Culture | Missoula | Art & Culture | Located at the University of Montana, this museum has a large collection of art, including famous American and modern artists. |
| Montana Natural History Center | Missoula | Nature | Learn about the plants, animals, and natural history of Western Montana. |
| Moss Mansion | Billings | Historic Home | Tour a beautiful early 20th-century mansion. |
| Museum of the Plains Indian | Browning | Native American Culture | Learn about the history, arts, and culture of the Northern Plains Tribal peoples like the Blackfeet and Crow. |
| Museum of the Rockies | Bozeman | Many Topics & Dinosaurs | A fantastic museum with dinosaurs and fossils, natural history, Native American items, and a living history 1900s house. |
| Ninepipes Museum | Charlo | Native American & History | Discover the history and culture of the Flathead Reservation and early Montana. |
| Old Trail Museum | Choteau | History & Dinosaurs | See fossils, dinosaurs, Native American items, grizzly bears, and local history. |
| Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art | Great Falls | Art | Focuses on modern art from artists in Montana, the western U.S., and Canada. |
| Phillips County Museum | Malta | Local History & Dinosaurs | Learn about dinosaurs, Native Americans, cowboys, pioneers, and outlaws. |
| Piccadilly Transportation Memorabilia Museum | Butte | Transportation | See highway and subway signs, license plates, vintage cars, and old advertising art from around the world. |
| Range Riders Museum | Miles City | Local History | Explore eastern Montana history, including Native Americans, pioneers, and soldiers like General George Armstrong Custer. |
| Ravalli County Museum | Hamilton | Many Topics | Local history, art, Native American collections, and displays about the Rocky Mountain Laboratory. |
| Rudyard Museum | Rudyard | Many Topics & Dinosaurs | This museum has local history, a dinosaur museum with paleontology finds, and old automobiles. |
| SpectrUM Discovery Area | Missoula | Science | Enjoy hands-on science activities and experiments. |
| St. Ignatius Mission | St. Ignatius | History | Visit a historic late 19th-century church on the Flathead Indian Reservation, with mission and Native American items. |
| Tippet Rise Art Center | Fishtail | Art | A unique sculpture park and ranch that also hosts musical performances. |
| Tobacco Valley Historical Village | Eureka | Outdoor History | Walk through a village with a school, church, log cabin, and general store from the 1880s to 1920s. |
| Two Medicine Dinosaur Center | Bynum | Paleontology | See baby dinosaur bones, the world's largest accurate dinosaur reconstruction (a Seismosaurus halli), and join hands-on dinosaur research programs. |
| Ursuline Center Heritage Museum | Great Falls | Religious History | Learn about the Ursuline Sisters, their lives, and how they helped shape Montana's history, with Native American items and antique furnishings. |
| Valley County Pioneer Museum | Glasgow | Local History & Dinosaurs | Features an Assiniboine collection, natural history, railroad displays, and exhibits about the Fort Peck Dam and Lewis and Clark. |
| WaterWorks Art Museum | Miles City | Art | See art from regional and national modern artists. |
| Western Heritage Center | Billings | History | Explore local history and culture of the area. |
| Wise Wonders Science & Discovery Museum | Billings | Science | Enjoy interactive exhibits and programs for all ages. |
| World Museum of Mining | Butte | Mining History | Discover mining tools, equipment, photos, and a recreated 1890s mining town. |
| Yellowstone Art Museum | Billings | Art | See contemporary art in a vibrant setting. |
| Yellowstone County Museum | Billings | Local History | Learn about the local history, natural history, and culture of the Yellowstone Valley. |
| Yellowstone Gateway Museum | Livingston | Local History | Explore native cultures, early expeditions like Lewis and Clark, railroads, and see a one-room schoolhouse and historic vehicles. |
| Yellowstone Historic Center | West Yellowstone | Local History | Located in a historic train depot, this museum covers transportation, explorers, and the history of America's first national park. |
| Yesterday's Playthings | Deer Lodge | Toys | See collections of dolls, teddy bears, and model trains. |
Dinosaur Museums: Meet Montana's Ancient Giants!
Montana is famous for its amazing dinosaur discoveries! Many museums here have special exhibits just for paleontology (the study of fossils). Some are even part of the official Montana Dinosaur Trail, which means they have unique displays, real skeletons, or replicas of dinosaurs found in Montana.
| Name | Town/City | On Dinosaur Trail? | What You'll See |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blaine County Museum | Chinook | Yes | A dozen exhibits from the Judith River Formation, including Hadrosaur, Gorgosaurus, and Ankylosaurus fossils. Also, giant marine reptiles like Mosasaur and Plesiosaur, and a "Look, Touch, and Wonder" room where you can hold fossils! |
| Carter County Museum | Ekalaka | Yes | See one of the world's five skeletons of Anatotitan copei, complete skulls of the three-horned Triceratops horridus, and a tiny tyrannosaur called Nanotyrannus lancesis. All found nearby! |
| Fort Peck Field Station of Paleontology | Fort Peck | Yes | This is a working station where scientists research, prepare, and make molds of fossils. It's associated with the University of Montana Paleontology Department. |
| Fort Peck Interpretive Center | Fort Peck | Yes | The main attraction is "Peck's Rex," one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons ever found! See a life-size replica and a full-size skeleton cast. |
| Garfield County Museum | Jordan | Yes | See Cretaceous fossils from the Hell Creek Formation, including a Tyrannosaurus rex skull, a full-size Triceratops replica, and a Pachycephalosaur skull. |
| Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Field Station | Malta | Yes | This museum has fossils and a preparation lab. See a Brachylophosaurus mummy dinosaur, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "best preserved" dinosaur! |
| H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum | Havre | Yes | Displays include dinosaur eggs and embryos from the Judith River Formation, believed to be from a Lambeosaurus (a "duck bill" dinosaur). |
| Makoshika State Park | Glendive | Yes | Montana's largest state park has real dinosaur fossils, including Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. The visitor center has a "touchy-feely" table where you can hold fossils! |
| Museum of the Rockies | Bozeman | Yes | This museum has "one of the largest collections of dinosaur fossils in the world"! See the world's largest Tyrannosaurus rex skull and one of the first identified female dinosaurs. It's the official place for Montana's fossil collections. |
| Old Trail Museum | Choteau | Yes | See finds from the Two Medicine Formation, including a Maiasaura skull, Einosaurus skull, and even baby Maiasaura skeletons. You can touch some bones and see a preparation lab. |
| Phillips County Museum | Malta | Yes | This museum's paleontology section includes fossils from the nearby Judith River Formation. See "Elvis," a 33-foot long skeleton of a Brachylophosaurus, and a complete Tyrannosaurus rex skull. |
| Rudyard Depot Museum | Rudyard | Yes | Displays include the "Oldest Sorehead," a Gryposaurus found nearby, and a duckbill dinosaur and egg nest display. |
| Two Medicine Dinosaur Center | Bynum | Yes | See baby dinosaur bones and the world's largest, scientifically accurate dinosaur reconstruction: Seismosaurus halli. They also offer public, hands-on dinosaur research programs! |
| Upper Musselshell Museum | Harlowton | Yes | The main exhibit is "Ava," a full-size Avaceratops skeleton replica from the Judith River Formation. Also see Hadrosaur bones and other ancient sea creature fossils. |
Montana's Regions: Where to Find the Fun
The museums above are located in different parts of Montana. Here's a quick look at the regions:
- North central: Includes cities like Great Falls.
- Northeast: This area covers counties like Blaine, Daniels, and Valley.
- Northwest: Features prominent communities like Missoula and Whitefish.
- South central: Home to cities like Bozeman.
- Southeast: Includes major communities like Billings.
- Southwest: Prominent cities here are Helena and Butte.
See also
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of museums in Montana Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.