Museums in Montana’s Yellowstone Country
Photo courtesy of Museum of the Rockies
Yellowstone Country is steeped rich in history. Each of the region’s communities is unique, and the museums in these towns do an exceptional job of weaving together stories of the land, the people and the past. Whether you visit one museum or tour them all, we guarantee you’ll take home a deeper appreciation for the Old West.
West Yellowstone, Montana
Step back in time to the railroad days. This West Yellowstone museum is housed in the original Union Pacific Depot, which gave travelers access to Yellowstone National Park. From horses and stages to modern airplanes and other forms of transportation, you’ll learn about the heritage and history of getting around in West Yellowstone. The museum, originally designed and constructed for use in the summer, is open Mid-may through mid-October.
Big Sky, Montana
Homesteaded in 1902 by Augustus Franklin Crail, the Crail Ranch was a working ranch for nearly 50 years. The property was purchased by Chet Huntley in the late 1960s as part of the then-planned Big Sky Resort. The structure and land remain to showcase early western life.
Guided and self-guided tours are available Saturdays and Sundays, July through September.
Home to the largest collection of dinosaur fossils in North America, this Smithsonian affiliate draws visitors from around the country. Rotating exhibits combine history, science, art, nature and more. Round out the day with a visit to the Taylor Planetarium, learn about the history of Yellowstone Country, explore the Martin Children’s Discovery Center and, in the summer, tour the Living History Farm.
A physical history of 4,000 years of technology, this museum holds relics of the information age including robotics, artificial intelligence and social networking. "Inch for inch, the best museum in the world,” says Edward O. Wilson, professor emeritus, Harvard. A new exhibit—Hidden No More: 200 + Years of Women in Computing—looks at the mathematical minds of women throughout history. Exhibit opens June 1, 2018.
Built in 1911, this building served as the county jail until 1982. Now home to a western heritage museum, you’ll find relics of American Indian tribes, a model of Fort Ellis, period fashions, guns and other artifacts. (Not to mention jail cells and hanging gallows!) The museum has an extensive research department and handles research requests for a minimal donation.
With over 50,000 objects, photos and books, The Yellowstone Gateway Museum teaches of the early days in Livingston, the first gateway town to Yellowstone National Park. The permanent exhibits feature native culture and expeditions, such as Corps of Discovery with Lewis and Clark. Outdoor exhibits include a one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop and a fleet of transportation vehicles. There are children’s activities throughout the museum, along with photo archives and a research library.
This museum is Northern Pacific’s original Livingston train depot, which gave travelers the first access to Yellowstone National Park. The building itself is beautiful and well worth a stop. Inside you’ll find Livingston history including railroad life and early settlers.
Home to several million items, Yellowstone National Park has one of the largest collections of cultural and natural history in the National Park Service. From obsidian points to the historic vehicle collection, these relics are held in a state-of-the-art storage facility just outside the park. The research center is accessible to researchers by appointment only. Public tours are offered each Wednesday throughout the summer.
Big Timber, Montana
Here you’ll find archaeological and geological treasures from this vast land rich in geology, mining, ranching and the sheep industry. During the summer, visitors enjoy the Lewis and Clark garden, full of the Montana plants recorded by Clark in his journals from 1806. History buffs will love the research library and archives.
Cooke City, Montana
This museum in the small town of Cooke City packs a punch with 11 exhibits detailing the history of this mining town settled by prospectors and investment companies. Learn about the building of the Beartooth Highway, an engineering feat!
Red Lodge, Montana
Built in 1909 by Red Lodge Miners Local No. 1771 and put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, this museum lives in the three-story Labor Temple Building, which was gifted to Carbon County Historical Society by an anonymous donor. Today, you’ll find family rodeo and gun collections, interactive coal and hard rock mine exhibits, plus hands-on children’s activities.
The genealogy and historic research center is open to the public.
Three Forks, Montana
This quaint museum features Native American art and artifacts, including Lewis and Clark memorabilia. Learn about area commerce generated from fur traders, railroads, mining and agriculture. (Check out the fascinating barbed wire collection!) The museum is open June through September and by appointment in the off season.
Walk through the past with exhibits such as a general store, a soldier’s uniform and his dogsled, and a replica of a pioneer kitchen complete with a cast iron stove. Take home a piece of history with the museum’s new book, “Moccasins, Mining & Montana’s 34th County: A Centennial Celebration of Stillwater County.”
Makumbusho katika Montana's Yellowstone Country Picha courtesy ya Makumbusho ya Rockies Yellowstone Nchi ni imara tajiri katika historia. Kila moja ya jamii za mkoa ni ya kipekee, na makumbusho katika miji hii kufanya kazi ya kipekee ya kushona pamoja hadithi ya ardhi, watu na zamani. Iwe unatembelea makumbusho moja au ziara yao yote, tunahakikisha wewe kuchukua nyumbani uthamini wa kina kwa ajili ya Magharibi ya Kale. West Yellowstone, Montana Nenda nyuma katika wakati hadi siku za reli. Jumba hilo la makumbusho la West Yellowstone liko katika Jumba la Kwanza la Unyon Pacific, ambalo liliwapa wasafiri fursa ya kufika kwenye Mbuga ya Kitaifa ya Yellowstone. Kutoka farasi na hatua kwa ndege ya kisasa na aina nyingine za usafiri, utajifunza kuhusu urithi na historia ya kupata karibu katika Magharibi Yellowstone. Jumba hilo la makumbusho, ambalo awali lilibuniwa na kujengwa kwa ajili ya matumizi ya majira ya kiangazi, hufunguliwa katikati ya Mei hadi katikati ya Oktoba. Big Sky, Montana, Marekani, ni shamba la wakulima la kwanza la Marekani, lililojengwa na Augustus Franklin Crail mnamo mwaka wa 1902. Chet Huntley aliunda kituo cha kufurahisha cha Big Sky Resort mnamo 1960. Muundo na ardhi zinabaki kuonyesha maisha ya mapema ya magharibi. Ziara zinazoongozwa na zinazoongozwa na mtu mwenyewe zinapatikana Jumamosi na Jumapili, Julai hadi Septemba. Makao ya mkusanyiko mkubwa zaidi wa visukuku vya dinosaur katika Amerika Kaskazini, shirika hili la Smithsonian huvutia wageni kutoka kote nchini. Maonyesho yanayozunguka huchanganya historia, sayansi, sanaa, asili na mengineyo. Kwa siku ya mwisho, tembelea Taylor Planetarium, kujifunza kuhusu historia ya Yellowstone Country, kuchunguza Martin Watoto's Discovery Center na, katika majira ya joto, ziara ya Living History Farm. Jumba la makumbusho la miaka 4,000 la teknolojia, jumba hili la makumbusho lina vitu vya enzi ya habari ikiwa ni pamoja na roboti, akili bandia na mitandao ya kijamii. "Inch kwa inch, jumba bora la makumbusho ulimwenguni", asema Edward O. Wilson, profesa emeritus, Harvard. Maonyesho ya hivi karibuni ya Hidden No More: 200 + Years of Women in Computing yanaonyesha jinsi wanawake walivyofanya kazi katika kompyuta. Maonyesho hayo yanaanza Juni 1, 2018. Jengo hilo lilijengwa mwaka 1911 na lilitumika kama gereza la kaunti hadi mwaka 1982. Sasa nyumbani kwa makumbusho ya urithi wa magharibi, utapata mabaki ya makabila ya Wahindi wa Amerika, mfano wa Fort Ellis, mitindo ya kipindi, bunduki na vitu vingine. (Lakini si lazima tuwe na wasiwasi kuhusu magereza na mitego ya kunyongwa!) Makumbusho ina idara kubwa ya utafiti na hushughulikia maombi ya utafiti kwa mchango mdogo. Kwa zaidi ya vitu 50,000, picha na vitabu, Jumba la Makumbusho la Yellowstone Gateway linafundisha juu ya siku za mapema za Livingston, mji wa kwanza wa lango la Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Yellowstone. Maonyesho ya kudumu yanaonyesha utamaduni wa wenyeji na safari, kama vile Kikosi cha Ugunduzi pamoja na Lewis na Clark. Maonyesho ya nje yanatia ndani shule yenye chumba kimoja, duka la fundi wa chuma, na magari ya usafiri. Kuna shughuli za watoto katika makumbusho yote, pamoja na kumbukumbu za picha na maktaba ya utafiti. Jumba hili la makumbusho ni kituo cha awali cha gari-moshi cha Livingston cha Pasifiki Kaskazini, ambacho kiliwapa wasafiri upatikanaji wa kwanza wa Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Yellowstone. Jengo hilo lenyewe ni zuri na linafaa kukaguliwa. Ndani utapata historia ya Livingston ikiwa ni pamoja na maisha ya reli na wahamiaji wa mapema. Hifadhi ya Kitaifa ya Yellowstone, ambayo ina vitu milioni kadhaa, ina moja ya makusanyo makubwa zaidi ya historia ya kitamaduni na asili katika Huduma ya Hifadhi ya Kitaifa. Kutoka kwa vitu vya obsidian hadi mkusanyiko wa magari ya kihistoria, vitu hivi vya kale vimehifadhiwa katika kituo cha kuhifadhi cha hali ya juu nje ya mbuga. Kituo cha utafiti ni kupatikana kwa watafiti kwa miadi tu. Ziara za umma hutolewa kila Jumatano wakati wote wa majira ya joto. Big Timber, Montana Hapa utapata hazina za akiolojia na kijiolojia kutoka nchi hii kubwa tajiri katika jiolojia, madini, ufugaji na sekta ya kondoo. Katika majira ya joto, wageni hufurahia bustani ya Lewis na Clark, iliyojaa mimea ya Montana iliyoandikwa na Clark katika majarida yake ya 1806. Wapenzi wa historia watafurahia maktaba na hifadhi za habari za utafiti. Jiji la Cooke, Montana, Marekani, lina makumbusho ya makumbusho ya watu wa makazi ya watu wa makazi ya watu wa makumbusho. Jifunze kuhusu ujenzi wa Barabara Kuu ya Beartooth, kazi kubwa ya uhandisi! Red Lodge, Montana, Marekani, ilijengwa mwaka 1909 na Red Lodge Miners. Jumba la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu la kumbukumbu ya kumbukumbu ya kumbukumbu ya kumbukumbu ya kumbukumbu ya kumbukumbu. Leo, utapata familia rodeo na mkusanyiko wa bunduki, maonyesho ya mawe ya mawe na mawe magumu, pamoja na shughuli za mikono kwa watoto. Kituo cha utafiti wa ukoo na kihistoria kimefunguliwa kwa umma. Three Forks, Montana Jumba hili la makumbusho lenye kupendeza lina sanaa na vitu vya kale vya Wenyeji wa Asili wa Amerika, kutia ndani vitu vya kukumbukwa vya Lewis na Clark. Jifunze kuhusu biashara ya eneo inayotokana na wafanyabiashara wa manyoya, reli, uchimbaji madini na kilimo. (Tazama mkusanyiko wenye kuvutia wa waya wenye miiba!) Makumbusho ni wazi Juni hadi Septemba na kwa miadi katika msimu wa nje. Tembea kupitia wakati uliopita na maonyesho kama vile duka la jumla, sare ya askari na dogsled yake, na replica ya jikoni ya waanzilishi kamili na jiko la chuma cha kutengenezea. "Kutoka kwa kitabu cha ""Moccasins, Mining & Montana's 34th County: A Centennial Celebration of Stillwater County"""