| eople who enjoy history, art and learning about | | | | The Yellowstone Art Museum: Also located in |
| how things were prior to now, you probably also | | | | Billings, the Yellowstone Art Museum is an |
| love going to museums. Montana boasts an | | | | important visual arts center for the surrounding |
| impressive number of museums and art galleries, | | | | region. Founded in 1964, it is now a fully |
| 274 to be exact! | | | | accredited Museum. There are over 3,000 painting |
| With so many museums spread out over the | | | | and objects which have exceeded all expectations |
| state, I can easily see why it would be so hard to | | | | of growth and popularity of the museum. |
| figure out which ones to go to and which ones | | | | The Western Heritage Center: This historic building |
| are worth the time. As we know some | | | | is also listed on the National Register of Historic |
| museums, if not put together well, can turn out | | | | Places. Located in Billings as well, it was originally |
| to be pretty boring and uneventful. Here are | | | | the Parmly Billings Library, built in 1901 by Billings |
| some of the Montana museums that are not a | | | | founder as a memorial to his son, Parmly. Within |
| waste of time. | | | | the beautiful main floor old oak galleries are |
| The CM Russell Museum: Established in 1953, the | | | | changing exhibits where the stories of peoples of |
| C.M. Russell Museum in Great Falls, Montana owns | | | | the Yellowstone River Valley unfold. |
| the most complete collection of Charles Russell | | | | Museum of the Rockies: One of the most popular |
| art and personal objects in the world. C.M Russell | | | | museums can be found in Bozeman, Montana. The |
| was an artist of the American West who created | | | | Museum of the Rockies focuses mainly on |
| paintings of cowboys, Indians and landscapes set | | | | dinosaurs and Paleontology, but also houses an |
| in the Western United States. He also created | | | | amazing Planetarium for a new perspective on |
| bronze sculptures. The permanent collection at | | | | Montana's Big Sky. There is also a great exhibit on |
| The C.M. Russell Museum is comprised of over | | | | Lewis & Clark, often thought of as America's |
| 12,000 paintings and objects. | | | | greatest adventure story. Another great feature |
| The Moss Mansion: Located in Billings, this historic | | | | is the living farm which allows kids to see and also |
| house museum captures early turn-of-the-century | | | | experience what life was like over a century ago |
| life of the Preston Boyd Moss family. The mansion | | | | on a Montana homestead. |
| is a red sandstone structure built in 1903 and is | | | | Of course there are many amazing Montana |
| listed on the National Register of Historic Places. | | | | museums that I could cover, but it would be hard |
| Visitors will see original draperies, fixtures, | | | | to cover the many aspects of each museum in |
| furniture, Persian carpets and artifacts during their | | | | just one article. The few that I have listed are |
| guided tour. The Moss Mansion was designed by | | | | some of the more exciting and equally |
| Henry Jane Hardenbergh who also designed the | | | | entertaining museums for both adults and children, |
| original Waldorf-Astoria. | | | | which as we all know, is a very important quality! |