Museum Tours
The Montana Historical Society Museum features both long-term and temporary
exhibits. Currently, the education program offers a variety of docent-led,
age-appropriate tours of the Montana Homeland exhibit, Neither Empty nor
Unknown: Montana at the Time of Lewis and Clark exhibit, and the Mackay
Gallery of Charles M. Russell Art. Pre-visit and post-visit lesson for some
tours are also available on-line for teachers to complete with their
students before and after their visits to the Museum. Group tours of the Museum - whether docent-led or self-guided - are offered free of charge to school groups and other youth organizations. For adult groups and bus tours, the cost is $5.00 per person.
To schedule a tour call 406-444-4789 or email dmitchell@mt.gov.
Tour Options:
Montana Homeland exhibit
A Week in 1903 (Grades K-3) - Discover what a week in the life of Elizabeth and Robert Harris of Helena was like. A reading from 11-year-old Elizabeth Harris' diary is accompanied by hands-on artifacts. This tour is a great experience for classes studying the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
From Tenderfoot to Trapper: Mountain Men and the Fur Trade (Grades 2-3) - Rendezvous with Montana history and learn about the life of a fur trapper and how trading was done. Investigate hands-on objects and animal hides, listen to a tall tale. Pre-visit Lesson; Post-visit Lesson.
Guided Research (Grades 9-12) - The Guided Research tour is a carefully crafted set of questions that provides students with an opportunity to take an in-depth look at Montana's history. This tour promotes group work, along with the idea of students "teaching" and learning from each other. It is a program that engages students, teachers, and chaperones alike.
A Journey Through Time: Montana Homeland (Adult) - An introduction to how people throughout Montana history have lived and worked in communities in our Montana Homeland exhibit. The tour is interactive and utilizes hands-on, reproduction artifacts. Visitors are also introduced to historical patterns and to how a museum works.
Neither Empty nor Unknown: Montana at the Time of Lewis and Clark exhibit
Montana at the Time of Lewis and Clark (all ages) - This exhibit will show
Montana c.1805 through replica landforms, art and illustration, Indian
artifacts, Native-made reproductions, taxidermy and plant specimens. It will
also illustrate the rich, diverse and abundant plant and animal species
found in Montana's environment at that time and will provide participatory
activities throughout the exhibit that both children and adults will enjoy.Ethnobotany Tour and activity (grades 6-8) - Although we think of wild game (mainly the buffalo) as the main source of Montana Indians primary sustenance, we often overlook the role played by plants. This guided tour will provide students with an understanding of how Montana's First People used their natural
environment to provide for their everyday needs.
Mackay Gallery of Charles M. Russell Art.
Russell's Rascals (Grades 2-3) - Uncover stories about cowboys, Indians, and animals in Charlie Russell's art, as well as how paintings can express emotions and communicate sensory messages. Family Guide to the MacKay Gallery of C.M. Russell Art.
Russell Round-up (Grades 4-7) - Interact with the art of Charles M. Russell,
Montana's Cowboys Artist, and discover how he used his cowboy experiences as
a basis for the stories in his paintings. Students learn art-analysis skills
and episodes from Montana history as depicted by Russell. Includes gallery
activity. Family Guide to the Mackay Gallery of C.M. Russell Art. Russell's West (Grades 8-12) - Survey the art of Charles M. Russell and see how he captured the romantic myth of the West in the stories and historical events, real and mythical, he portrayed on canvas. Includes gallery activity.
Montana's Cowboy Artist: C.M. Russell (Adult) - Charles M. Russell captured the romantic myth of the West in the stories of his paintings. Visitors will see how Russell captured historical events, real and mythical, on canvas.
How to Schedule a Tour of the Museum
Please contact us at least two weeks in advance. For tours planned during legislative sessions or the month of May, it is advisable to make arrangements a month in advance as these time slots fill early.To book a tour, please call (406) 444-4789 or email dmitchell@mt.gov. To facilitate the process please provide the following information:
- Preferred Tour Date
- Preferred Tour Times
- Size and grade level/age of your group
- Special needs or considerations
- Which tours you would like
Once we have scheduled your tour, we will mail you a reservation confirmation form, and if applicable, an invoice for your admission fee. Payment can either be made in advance or at the time of your visit.
Would You Prefer to Tour the Museum on Your Own?
Students and youth groups are welcome to tour the Society without a guide. We require that you provide one adult chaperone for every five students, and that the chaperone remains with the students at all times while visiting the buildings.To help ensure an enjoyable visit and avoid any potential conflicts or disappointments, we suggest that you call us at (406) 444-4789 or email dmitchell@mt.gov to inform us of your proposed arrival dates and times, and the number of students in your group. We also recommend that teachers provide students with in-gallery assignments or activities to be make sure that they receive the most benefit from their visits.
