Montana’s new museum brings 10,000 years of history under one roof, wrapping up the final stretch of America’s 250^th anniversary celebrations

HELENA, Mont., Oct. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As the crisp air and golden leaves arrive in Montana this fall, travelers are invited to slow down and explore the state’s rich history at the newly renovated Montana Heritage Center and at other notable museums that feature everything from dinosaur bones to train cars. 

The Montana Heritage Center is a 165,000-square-foot facility next to the State Capitol in Helena that opened its doors in December 2025 after more than two decades of planning and design. Its three galleries include: the Homeland Gallery, which traces more than 10,000 years of Montana history, from ancient landscapes to today’s modern communities; the Russell Gallery, which displays masterworks by Western artist Charles M. Russell, who spent time working as a cowboy near Lewistown and eventually Great Falls; and the Changing Gallery, which showcases a rotating selection of art and artifacts from the Montana Historical Society’s collections. Visitors experience different time periods in Montana as they walk through the museum and its various galleries.

With the nation’s 250^th anniversary commemorations in their final months, the Montana Heritage Center’s new space and expanded galleries provide the perfect place to learn about the state’s story, from Indigenous nations to the fur trade, homesteaders and art history.

“From Helena to Ekalaka, Montana’s history is on full display this fall,” said Marta Bertoglio, director at the Montana Department of Commerce. “Whether you’re walking through the new Montana Heritage Center or standing next to a dinosaur skeleton at a small-town museum, we encourage everyone to get outside and explore our state’s incredible history.”

“Montana is home to countless stories,” said Molly Kruckenberg, director of the Montana Historical Society. “We hope visitors of all backgrounds will enjoy their time at the Montana Heritage Center and leave inspired to explore the state, whether that means walking the streets of Butte after seeing our mineshaft or visiting a homestead in Terry. The Heritage Center is just the beginning of the journey.”

To continue a history tour through Montana, head north from Helena toward Great Falls and stop at The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center for an expansive overview of Lewis and Clark’s epic journey across the country. From there, head east toward Havre and check out the unexpected Havre Beneath the Streets tour, which re-creates the time in Havre’s history when a fire destroyed most of the town and business owners moved underground to carry on their business until the town could be rebuilt. Then, get a dose of dinosaurs at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta, a stop along the Montana Dinosaur Trail that celebrates the state’s enormous contributions to fossil findings around the world. Make it a loop by circling down to Glendive for the Frontier Gateway Museum.

Get to know more museums and the variety of history across Montana at these additional destinations:

• Museum of the Rockies: In Montana’s Yellowstone Country, Bozeman’s Siebel Dinosaur Complex houses one of the world’s largest Tyrannosaurus rex collections and is open daily.
• C.M. Russell Museum: Central Montana celebrates the life and work of Montana’s iconic cowboy artist, Charlie M. Russell, with a museum dedicated to his work that’s open daily through Sept. 30, then Thursday through Monday for the winter season.
• The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula: Western Montana’s Glacier Country’s 32-acre historic site is open year-round, tracing western Montana’s military, timber and rail history.
• Carter County Museum: Located in Ekalaka, Montana’s first county museum — celebrating its 90^th anniversary this year — is open daily through Oct. 31 and is a stop on the Montana Dinosaur Trail.
• The Livingston Depot Center: Built by the Northern Pacific Railway, the museum is a historic railway depot turned cultural museum and community event venue in downtown Livingston. It’s open seasonally from May to September.

Before heading out, travelers should check individual museum websites for current hours and admission, as several sites shift to reduced seasonal schedules after Labor Day.

Learn more about Montana’s history and heritage travel opportunities by going to visitmt.com. 

About the Montana Department of Commerce
The Montana Department of Commerce promotes Montana as a place to travel and do business. For more information and to plan your Montana trip, go to visitmt.com.

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SOURCE Montana Department of Commerce