10 Ways to Explore the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana

Located on the campus of Montana State University, in Bozeman Montana, the Museum of the Rockies (MOR) has one of the largest dinosaur collections in the world, displaying several dinosaur fossils including a life-size sculpture of a Tyrannosaurus rex cast from the fossil bones of a real T-rex.  A Smithsonian Affiliate museum, MOR includes dozens of primary exhibits that feature Yellowstone National Park, American Indians of the Northern Plains, tons of local artifacts (including several early 20th century cars!) and mythical creatures, as well as a whole outdoor living history museum. There are also daily shows in the planetarium and weekly events the whole family will enjoy.

Travel Tips:

• The museum is open from 9am-5pm; see up to date information on hours and admission fees here. Kids ages four and younger are free, and the museum does participate in the Association of Science and Technology Centers’ reciprocity program.
• Plenty of free parking in front of the museum.
• The museum is handicap accessible and most of the exhibits are located on one floor. Restrooms are located on the lower level and main exhibition floor.
• The Museum Store gift shop is located near the entrance.
• The Hager Auditorium and the Taylor Planetarium offer several shows each day- get up to date information on shows and times here.  **additional fees may apply
• No dining facilities on site, although there are vending machines and tables in the lower level, and picnic tables and umbrellas out front. Downtown Bozeman is a quick less than five minute drive and has dozens of restaurants- see this list. We enjoyed a great dinner at Montana Ale House. 
• Plan on three to four hours to fully tour the museum and Living History Farm exhibits; more time for planetarium shows.

10 Ways to Explore MOR:

1. Crank the chain (each inch represents 10 million years in Earth’s history) to turn back time and trace the evolution of the landscape of Glacier National Park from shallow lakes to glaciers in the Siebel Dinosaur Complex
2. Count the number of reef creatures that lived in the Northern Rocky Mountain region 370 million years ago. Siebel Dinosaur Complex
3. Learn the three most important scientific theories of paleontology and touch a mammoth elephant tooth in Dinosaurs under the Big Sky.
4. See both real and replica fossils of half a dozen dinosaurs in Dinosaurs under the Big Sky. 
5. Guess the size of “Montana’s T. Rex”,discovered in 1997 in McCone County, Montana, and play trivia games to learn more about the skills of various triceratops in the Hall of Horns and Teeth exhibit.

6. See the traditional clothing of Native American men and women (and check out how babies were carried and protected until the age of two!) in the Enduring Peoples  exhibit
7. Choose a favorite mode of transportation from the early twentieth century in the Paugh History Hall exhibit. The exhibit includes a touring coach, Columbus buggy, water wagon, sheepherder’s wagon and a Pietenpol Air Camper. 
8. Peek inside a 10’ x 12’ tar paper shack from the late 1800s, covered inside with tar paper to insulate it in the Paugh History Hall  exhibit.
9. Take a guess as to the purpose of various Monatanaian gadgets in the Gadgets and Gizmos exhibit.
10. Read about various myths in the Modern Myths Exhibit.

Bonus: The Living History Museum is the former home of William and Lucy Ann Tinsley. They built their original one room cabin in 1867, and, as their family expanded to eight children, built a larger house in 1887 and lived there until 1920. The house was acquired by the museum in 1986 and moved from Willow Creek Montana to the museum complex and was restored to replicate the footprint and decor of the 1890s. Costumed interpreters work on the farm (open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day) in the kitchen, wood shop, blacksmith shop, and in the gardens. 

Be sure to check out both floors of the main house (and see what’s cooking in the kitchen), ring the dinner bell on the porch, see what’s growing in the garden, peek inside the outhouse, barn, and wood barn; and see a demonstration in the blacksmith shop. 

Looking for other adventures in Montana? Check out our feature of lodging inside Glacier National Park (about five hours from Bozeman). 

Disclosure: We were given a media pass to tour the museum; all opinions expressed are my own.