Helena Museums

(Helena, Montana - MT, USA)

While it is fair to say that Helena is only a fairly small city and doesn't contain a lengthy list of museums, those based here are of a good standard.

Located close to the State Law Library of Montana and the rather imposing State Capitol is the Montana Historical Society's very own museum, which actively works to preserve many of the state's oldest historical resources and artifacts. The society itself was founded way back in the 1860s in Virginia City, which makes it one of North America's oldest institutions of its kind. It later moved to Helena in the 1870s, before relocating to the State Capitol Building's basement in the year 1902.

ExplorationWorks is another worthy distraction and came into being in 2007, when it was designed to provide the state capital with a facility that could combine education, imagination and fun. Although this science center is especially appealing to children, there really is something here for all ages.

Montana Historical Society and Museum / Montana's Museum

Address: 225 North Roberts Street, Helena, Montana (MT), 59620, USA
Tel: +1 406 444 2694
Visitors to the Montana Historical Society and Museum will find a wealth of exhibits from yesteryear, including old publications, maps, posters, newspaper clippings, archaeological relics, decorative furnishings and antiquities, fine art, firearms, agricultural objects and remnants from past cattle ranches. In total there are in excess of 50,000 artifacts housed here, more than 6,000 of which are to be found within the Native American Indian collection, including some important pieces from the Blackfeet, Salish and Sioux tribes.
Open hours: Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00, Thursday - 09:00 to 20:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children

ExplorationWorks

Address: 995 Carousel Way, Helena, Montana (MT), 59601, USA
Tel: +1 406 457 1800
This highly interactive museum-type attraction resides on the western side of downtown Helena, close to Carroll College and just down the road from both the Centennial Bausch Park and the Memorial Park. Highlights at ExplorationWorks include an enormous Newton's Cradle toy, a WaterWorks exhibit with pumps, geysers and dams, a 3D maze known as A-Mazing Airways, and the Mindball game, where two players control a ball with their brain. There is also a section dedicated to engineering and robotics, along with various themed workshops, community events and summer camps.
Open hours: Tuesday to Saturday - 10:00 to 17:00
Admission: charge, discounts available for children, seniors and students, children one year old and under are free

Grand Lodge of Montana Museum and Library

Address: 425 North Park Avenue, Helena, Montana (MT), 59624, USA
Tel: +1 406 442 7774
Standing nearby both Hill Park and St. Peter's Church, the Grand Lodge of Montana Museum and Library (AF and AM - Ancient Free and Accepted Masons) occupies a particularly important building on North Park Avenue. The artifacts on display here document the history of Montana's Freemasons, who had their earliest recorded meeting in the state in September 1862, at the top of the Rocky Mountains. Many of the state's past governors and key players have been members of this organization over the years, with photographs of these influential individuals being prominently displayed within this Masonic museum. There are also lots of artifacts on exhibit that relate to the state's history, such as the actual wooden mallet used to position the Capitol's first corner stone. There is even a ground stone from the White House, removed during its remodelling at the hands of the then President Truman.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 16:00
Admission: free