In The Area | American Prairie Reserve

There are many things to see and do in north central and northeastern Montana – experiences that will inform and enrich your trip to American Prairie Reserve. From its world-renowned dinosaur fossil discoveries to the rich history of its homesteading era, this area provides many learning opportunities. While there is an ample amount of tourism information on the web, our list is not exhaustive. Many of the links below also provide access to community calendars and local events.

Communities

Museums

Malta:

Phillips County Museum*: Interprets the area’s rich natural and historical heritage; Dinosaurs, Indians, cowboys, pioneers and outlaws all left their mark on the area.
Great Plains Dinosaur Museum*: Special and permanent exhibits of the area’s dinosaur and marine fossils.
*Note: The Phillips County Museum and Great Plains Dinosaur Museum are located in the same complex. The complex also offers the historic H. G. Robinson House & Gardens (owned by Phillips County Museum) and a recently constructed Milk River Bird Sanctuary located behind the museums and house. All are worth a visit.

Glasgow:

Valley County Pioneer Museum: From Dinosaur Bones to Moon Walk,” features the county’s history and includes the country’s largest Assiniboine collection.

Havre

H. Earl Clack Museum: Exhibits, dioramas and collections highlighting region’s history, including collection of 75 million-year-old dinosaur eggs and embryo.
Wahkpa Chu’gn Archaeological Site: A 2,000-year old buffalo jump.

Chinook

Blaine County Wildlife Museum: Through stunning dioramas, depicts Montana’s wildlife species in their natural habitat.
Blaine County Museum: Exhibits tell the story of the Nez Perce Indians, the Pioneer Days of the Cowboy, the hardships of the homestead era, and follow Blaine County through two world wars.
Bear Paw Battlefield: Commemorates the final battle of the Nez Perce War of 1877.

Great Falls

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park: One of the largest prehistoric bison kill sites in the United States. Includes great interpretive center.
C.M. Russell Museum: Artist Charles M. Russell captured the landscapes, the spirit, and the culture of the West during the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center: Be inspired and awed by the hardships and challenges faced by the Corps of Discovery

Fort Benton

The “Birthplace of Montana” is home to many major attractions highlighting regional history. To learn more about any of the Fort Benton museums listed below, please visit: http://www.fortbenton.com/museums/

Historic Old Fort Benton – Experience the fur and buffalo robe trade of the 1850′s.
The Museum of the Northern Great Plains – Documents the last one hundred years of life on the vast Montana plains.
The State of Montana’s Museum of Agriculture – Impressive collection of farm life displays and agricultural machinery.
The Hornaday/Smithsonian Buffalo & Western Art Gallery – Home to world famous Buffalo display and a small but impressive collection of western art by 19th Century artists.
Homestead Village – Offers a chance to explore the typical 1900′s rural community. • The Museum of the Upper Missouri – Explore the history and legends of the Upper Missouri River and its head of navigation, Fort Benton.
Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center – Highlights the natural and cultural history of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Boating information for those floating the Wild and Scenic Upper Missouri River is available.

Fort Peck

Fort Peck Interpretive Center and Museum: Features large aquariums showcasing native and game species of Fort Peck Lake and the Missouri River, a life size, fleshed-out model of Peck’s Rex, the Tyrannosaurus Rex discovered nearby and the construction history of Fort Peck Dam.
Fort Peck State Fish Hatchery: Facility rears a wide variety of warm and cool water fish including walleye, northern pike, chinook salmon, and pallid sturgeon.

Wildlife Refuges

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge: Preserves and enhances resting, feeding, and breeding habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge: Native prairies, forested coulees, river bottoms, and badlands comprise the country’s second largest wildlife refuge.

Themed Tours

Below we’ve suggested a few theme-based tours.

American Bison:

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park (Ulm)
C.M. Russell Museum (Great Falls)
Hornaday/Smithsonian Buffalo and Western Art Gallery at the Museum of the Northern Great Plains (Fort Benton)
Wahkpa Chu’gn Archaeological Site (Havre)
Blaine County Wildlife Museum (Chinook)

Wildlife:

Blaine County Wildlife Museum (Chinook)
Fort Peck Interpretive Center and Museum (Fort Peck)

Dinosaurs:

H. Earl Clack Museum (Havre)
Great Plains Dinosaur Museum and Phillips County Museum (Malta)
Fort Peck Interpretive Center and Museum (Fort Peck)

Lewis & Clark Expedition:

Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center (Great Falls)
Museums of Fort Benton

Homesteading Era & 20th Century Human History:

Museum of the Northern Great Plains (Fort Benton)
Fort Peck Interpretive Center and Museum (Fort Peck)
Philips County Museum (Malta)

Native American History:

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center and C.M. Russell Museum (all in or near Great Falls)
Fort in Fort Benton
Phillips County Museum (Malta)
Blaine County Museum and Bear Paw Battlefield (Chinook)
Valley County Pioneer Museum (Glasgow)

Other Resources

For more information, please contact us: mail@americanprairie.org