Bozeman, Montana tends to be a very outdoorsy town. People visit for skiing, visiting Yellowstone National Park, snowmobiling, hiking, and more. However, what do you do when the weather bad? Check out one of these museums in Bozeman! Southwest Montana and the region along the Rocky Mountains is so full of history. Whether you live here or you’re visiting, it’s important to learn about it!
The Museums on this list can be seen in just a few hours, or you can make a day out of them. It all depends on how much time you have and how interested you are in the topics.
The next time you visit Bozeman, add one of these Museums to your itinerary:
Museum of the Rockies
If you only visit one of the museums in Bozeman, it should be the Museum of the Rockies! This museum starts off with a look into the dinosaur age near the Rocky Mountains and then progresses through history. I love this kind of museum because everything in it was nearly right where we were standing at some point in time.
We were able to see which dinosaurs were most prevalent near the area and where clusters of fossils were found.
Then, we continued walking into the newer-age section. Here, we saw different types of cars from the past several hundres years. We saw replicas of covered wagons, the first automobiles, and even a replica of a one-pump gas station where the back of the building was a family’s house.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a “Museum of the Rockies” with out Native American history. We learned about the different tribes that were/are in the area, where they settled, what they did with their days, how they used parts of bison to make their everyday tools and clothes, and more.
This museum takes anywhere from one to three hours to get through, depending on how much time you spend in each section.
–> Looking for other things to do in Montana? Here’s a list of unique experiences to try while you’re here! <–
Gallatin History Museum
The best part of the Gallatin History Museum is that this building used to be the Gallatin County Jail! The jail got moved in 1982 and the building was converted into a Museum.
While the Museum of the Rockies was about the entire region of the US near the Rocky Mountains, Gallatin History Museum is much more focused on Gallatin County. In my eyes, this is what makes this museum special.
If you visit their website, you’ll also find self-guided walking tours around Bozeman. They have one for a historic neighborhood, Bozeman’s Downtown, and the Sunset Hills Cemetary.
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American Computer and Robotics Museum
If you’re into the history of technology, then this might be one of the best Museums in Bozeman for you! The American Computer and Robotics Museum looks into over 4,000 years of technology. You’ll see the evolution into personal computers and you’ll even get a glimpse of what’s to come in the future using Aritificial Intelligence and more.
This museum will let you walk around a view the exhibits by yourself, but they also have an option of a guided tour for small groups.
Montana Science Center
If you are traveling with little ones, Montana Science Center is a great option for kids! They have several exhibits about the Earth’s layers, animals, fossils, space, and more. They even have a few interactive activies so kids can simulate being an architect, discovering different laws of physics, and understanding space.
I don’t want to say you can’t come here if you don’t have kids, but this museum is definitely geared toward a younger crowd.
Not only do they have the exhibits open to visit, but this museum also offers “Open Lab” times. This is where kids can come and participate in a number of projects including 3D printing and breaking open electronics. Here’s their calendar for more details.
Like I mentioned above, most people travel to Bozeman to get outdoors and see some amazing sites – and you definitely should! However, if you’re looking for more of a laid-back afternoon indoors, one of these museums would be perfect for that.
