Ravalli County Museum facts for kids

The Ravalli County Museum is in Hamilton, Montana. It's run by the Bitter Root Valley Historical Society. Their job is to find, save, and share the history of the Bitter Root Valley. This includes the stories of people who lived in Ravalli County, Montana, and the United States. The Museum is open all year. It focuses on three main things: local history, nature, and art.

Awesome Exhibits to Explore

The Ravalli County Museum has 9 exhibit rooms. Five of these rooms have exhibits that are always there for you to see.

Lewis & Clark Meet the Salish

This exhibit tells the story of the famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. It shows their meeting with the Salish people in the Bitterroot Valley in 1805. This happened just before they crossed the big Continental Divide. You'll see cool murals and copies of pages from their journals. There are also real Native American tools and items. You can learn about local plants and animals. Plus, see copies of the gear used on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Rodeo Hall of Fame

Step into the "National Senior Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame." This area has rodeo items from famous people who are in the Hall of Fame. It shares the exciting story of rodeo. You'll also learn about the life of an American cowboy.

A Walk Through the Bitter Root

This exhibit has two rooms. It features amazing paintings by local artist Suzette DelRae. These paintings show how places like Darby, Conner, Sula, and Hamilton looked in the 1900s. You can also see old farming tools and maps. There are even small scenes (dioramas) showing how pioneers lived in the valley long ago.

Bertie Lord, Pioneer Photographer

Discover the world of Bertie Lord, an early photographer. This exhibit shows items from his collection. His family gave them to the Museum. You'll see old photo equipment and pictures from the late 1800s to early 1900s. It really shows how much Bertie Lord loved photography.

Amazing Montana Wildlife

The Natural History Exhibit has a collection of animals from Western Montana. You can see a white wolf, a hawk, an eagle, and an elk. There are also many different kinds of fly fishing ties from the 1920s. Plus, old photos of fishing trips from the late 1800s.

Trapper and Miner Life

This exhibit uses items from the 1800s and 1900s. It shows what life was like for a miner or trapper. Imagine living in the Bitterroot Mountains back then! The exhibit looks like the inside of a one-room log cabin. It has a stove, a bed, animal furs, and mining tools. You can even see a chair made by Father Antonio Ravalli himself.

Changing Exhibits

The Museum also has rotating exhibits. These change throughout the year. Three small galleries and the main gallery feature these new displays. The "Old Courtroom" often has large exhibits that are interesting to the community. The Museum also hosts traveling exhibits and talks about local topics.

Museum's Story

In 1955, the Bitter Root Valley Historical Society started a small museum. It was in an old train depot in Hamilton, Montana. When the depot was torn down, the museum's items were stored in barns and basements.

Later, in 1974, local leaders planned to tear down the Ravalli County Courthouse. This building was designed in 1900 by A.J. Gibson. But the Historical Society worked hard to save it! They convinced everyone to turn it into the new Museum. The Ravalli County Museum opened its doors soon after. Now, it holds many historical collections. These include items from the Bitterroot Valley’s American Indian heritage. It also has things from early settlers. The building even has an old Cold War-era bomb shelter. It's now used as a work area.

What the Museum Collects

Most of the items in the Museum were given as gifts. Many pioneer families helped build the collection. Henry Grant, for example, collected and donated many different objects. Some other items you see are borrowed from people who own them.

The permanent collection has American Indian items. These are from local tribes like the Salish, Crow, Nez Perce, and Kootenai. There are also old farming tools and science tools. You can see things from when people first settled the valley. The Museum also has military uniforms and accessories. These range from the American Civil War time to Operation Desert Storm. A large part of the collection includes Victorian Era household items. There are also old clothes, portraits, paintings, and many other articles.

Museum Archives

The Ravalli County Museum also keeps a collection of old documents. These are called archives. They are available for people who are studying history. You can find local documents and old newspapers. Some of these newspapers are very rare and date back to the 1880s! There's also a card catalog with obituaries and other topics. These are also in a searchable computer database. You can find original documents, a survey of Hamilton's buildings, and local books.

Fun Annual Events

The Museum hosts several exciting events each year!

McIntosh Apple Day Festival

This festival started in 1979. It's held every October. It celebrates the "Apple Boom" that happened from 1907 to 1911. Museum staff and volunteers make and sell delicious apple pies, apple butter, and other apple dishes. Up to 175 vendors from the Bitterroot Valley and other parts of Montana and Idaho set up booths. They fill the streets around the Museum.

Bitter Root Day

Bitter Root Day is a festival about Salish culture. It happens every June. This event helps protect Montana's state flower, the Bitter Root. You can buy plants and seeds of the flower. They even give you instructions on how to plant them!

Art & Treasures Appraisal Event

At this event, local people bring their own old items and collectibles. A local expert helps them find out how much they are worth. All the money raised from this event helps support the Museum and its important work.

Cowboy Music & Poetry

In June, the Annual Afternoon of Cowboy Music & Poetry takes place. It's held on the Museum's lawn. Guests sit on hay bales. They listen to cowboy poets and musicians. They share stories of cowboy life through their poems and songs.

Photograph Montana Contest

Since 1992, the Museum has held an annual 'Photograph Montana' contest. This helps raise money to save the Ernst Peterson photograph collection. Professional and amateur photographers can enter their photos of Montana. There's a small fee for each picture. The photos are judged, and winners get ribbons and prizes. This happens at a special ceremony. All the photos are shown in an exhibit. You can see them in the Old Courtroom Gallery on the third floor of the Museum.