Montana Natural History Center in Missoula

Cool spot to learn about the animals of Montana past and present.

Realistic animals

Super neat exploration and walking tour! Also have summer camps and learning opportunities!

Great museum with lots of information about a large collection of animal specimens, glacial lake Missoula, and ways to engage with nature. There is a replica of SUE’s skull, too!

Very nice wildlife exhibit, the taxidermy is top notch. Friendly staff too!

Great place to discover.

Very knowledgeable and willing to answer questions about the area. A fun place to visit and learn about the local geology and wildlife.

Interesting place and well worth a visit. The exhibits around the last ice age and impact on the local geography is fantastic.

Local animals in taxidermy form. It shows the ecology of Montana and its varied systems. Nature enjoyers would be better off going out on the season or any national park.

This place is wonderful. I was in the area visiting with friends and was invited along to bring a friends kid to a nature class one morning on my trip. The class was literally for small children but I learned a lot about Osprey and butterflies as well as the sign language for wildfire so I feel like thats a win. The content for kids was so fun and informative and I walked out with a copy of the Field Notes book they had near the entrance which has already helped me learn about and identify some of what Ive been photographing on my first ever trip to Montana. The people at the Natural History center are so kind and welcoming and if I had kids this is the exact type of place Id want them to get to visit. It was great to browse as an adult as well.We are all able to be citizen scientists if we choose to do so and as someone that has recently reconnected with our planet after forgetting to stop and smell the flowers every once in a while, I loved that they had a definition of what a Naturalist is prominently displayed. We can all be naturalists if we just choose to slow down and observe whats going on around us and its also very therapeutic. Highly recommended.

Lots of cool bones, taxidermy, fossils, and rocks. They also have a lot of interesting books which theyre selling for super cheap!

Such a great experience for the family. Clean and friendly atmosphere. We would definitely enjoy cooking back.

Great exhibits for what they have. The price is fair too. Just not much in the halls regarding information, except for a big display on human extinction. Dont remember seeing anything about forests, forest fires etc.

Very interesting place. It was fun to learn about the natural history of the local area. Easily enjoyable for both kids and adults.

Lady I spoke to was extremely nice and helpful. The place is really cool and definitely child friendly. Id like to see some of the questions on the board answered

This place is great! And their help is so friendly

Loved it here!! Education made fun and interesting!! Beautiful grounds too!!

Definitely a must-do for missoula! I cant wait to return for the new exhibit!

Awesome place. Low entry fees and amazing learning opportunities.

It was a wonderful experience for childrens and adults alike theres a lot to learn about the different ecosystems in Montana

Amazing place! Lots of history and exhibits rotate for a great experience. Often a theme will last A month, but remnants will remain as all the things are based on local history and nature. A great and informative trip for kids and adults alike. There are many taxidermied animals and little mini exhibits of all kinds. 100% worth a stop.

Great for kids when you have time to kill. Need some more interactive things though.

Although it was after hours when I visited with my family I was impressed with the huge mural outside that I posted a picture of. The grounds outside were kept very nice and we felt like we were more than welcome. We are planning our next trip during business hours.

Great for kids (and adults who love learn)This is on the smaller side...but for a 3 years old was the perfect amount of space. There are a surprising amount of things in the building, you could spend a couple hours reading and looking at all the specimens. But if you have the attention of a toddler that is great too!They had a wonderful kids room in addition to the main exhibits and a cool interactive 3-D globe.Also: so affordable. 2 adults and a toddler $6Staff was super friendly, around if you needed them but not hovering.

Short stop on a road trip. Small, but nice animal and rock displays. Kids loved the changeable animated globe.

We were on our way back to Spokane,WA from Yellowstone with three boys,ages 5 and under, and had made plans to stop in Missoula for the night. The next morning we were looking online for something interesting and inexpensive to do with the boys. The Natural History Center fit the bill. It cost $7 for admission. The animals were beautifully preserved and a few things geared towards kids. We fully enjoyed our visit!

Lots of nice exhibits. Great learning experience for both kids & adults.

It was very interesting. Kind of small but still good. In the very beginning, you cant touch the animals because taxidermy and human hands isnt good. But as you go to the next exhibits, they have a touch and feel which is nice for children. It looks like they had rooms for younger children Also, you can use the microscope to see different things. Towards the end is a video which is very interesting but I think younger children would be bored with it.

Good place to take kids. Not too large to lose their attention, not expensive.

A little small, but has a good atmosphere and cool exhibits.

This place is affordable, but when we left I was confused why this place exists, there are essentially 2 rooms with stuff in it and then the tour is over.

Cute museum with a great walking/biking trail next door.

We learn a lot about nature here. They do a great job of encouraging you to become a naturalist. They have great programs to support homeschoolers.

Lots of animals that are easy for kids to see. Great place.

Really good for kids - they have a playroom that is great and the exhibits are very interesting for kids and adults. The playground is amazing - my favourite one in Missoula. Lots of space for fun and games but is also very safe.

Great museum, awesome camps, cool people, great community. Stands for all the best things about living in such a nature-connected place.

Its a little bit small but here you can learn about the natural environment of Montanna and the tipical animals they have (some of the dissected in a way that look so real). Also you can learn about how the valley of Missoula might be created.

Its a great place to learn about the local environment and wildlife. They have great camps and programs for kids that are fun and educational!

Definitely a hidden gem in Missoula if youre into natural history education. The museum items are cool beyond expectations.

Did some community service here. They have a lot going on and its a great place for adults and children alike.

The lady at the desk was very informative and engaged with my son. It was small, but very nice. I loved that there were touch tables for my 3 yr old to be able to explore.

Fun place to take the kids in the afternoon they have a great kids area with educational toys and books.

Great exhibits of animals and the Missoula floods. Really high quality education classes and field outings.

Great little museum, good for interested adults and kids.

Theres so much to explore and look at, it makes up for its size. Many stuffed animals, skeletons/skulls, antlers and pinned bugs to look at, fur pelts for kids to touch, and even things to look at under microscopes/magnifying glasses. Very well taken care of place and loads to see! I was very impressed and will definitely come back again :)

Great place to explore and discover new things. Really fun programs both for youth and adults.

This place is awesome! You can touch fossils and watch a really cool video on Lake Missoula. This is a great place to take your kids!

Great museum. Lots of information attached to each display, great for kids (and adults). They have special areas where you can touch and see parts of the displays up close. Things like fossils, bones, and furs. They also have a small library which is great. I was only disappointed by one thing. The size of the museum was tiny. I know that if they could get a bigger building, this would be an outstanding museum.

If you love the out doors and want to learn more about local nature and the wildlife of Montana, stop here. Cool displays on bison, birds and plenty of other stuff. Also check out Montana naturalist magazine the summer camps and the evening naturalist program.

A fascinating trove of natural artifacts and learning centers, including rare animals and insects as well as some interesting geology around them. Truly an educational experience, everything is properly explained and expounded, and the museum can be experienced either by a friendly guide or through one of the many youth-oriented workshops taking place in one of the classrooms around the building. Recently renovated and the size of a warehouse, the center is a great resource for seeing nature through an educational perspective and youll learn something new every time you visit.