Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, Montana

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Missoula, Montana · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitGalleries open Tuesday to Sunday; outbuildings May to October

Missoula County's history museum fills 32 acres at the heart of old Fort Missoula with more than 20 historic buildings and over 50,000 artifacts, telling how the fort, the Northern Pacific Railway and the timber industry shaped western Montana.

  • 32-acre historic park
  • More than 20 historic structures
  • Over 50,000 artifacts
  • Founded in 1975
  • Grounds always open and free
  • Kids under 6 free

Historical Museum at Fort Missoula at a glance

Hours
Galleries 11 am to 5 pm, closed Mondays; grounds always open
Admission
Adults $5, seniors $4, students $3, family maximum $15; county residents, members and kids under 6 free
Seasonal events
Forestry Day, Fourth at the Fort, Summer History Camp, Annual Used Book Sale, Holiday Lantern Tours, Missoula Gives for History
Plan for
About 2 hours
Best for
Families and history lovers who want rail history in a wider story
Best ages
Ages 5 and up

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Historical Museum at Fort Missoula? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Missoula.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

Like it so far? See the full book

25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

How Missoula saved its fort and told its county's story

Fort Missoula was established in 1877, and nearly a century later community members set out to save its historic buildings. Their work produced the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula in 1975, created to collect, preserve and interpret the history of Missoula County and western Montana. Today it is the county's history museum, set on about 32 acres at the core of the old fort, and it works as both a museum and a public park.

Railroads are a big part of the story told here. Missoula began in 1866 as a small trading post, and when the Northern Pacific Railway arrived in 1883 it secured the town's place as the most important trading center in the area. The museum's main exhibit follows what came next, including the forest products industry that grew up around Missoula and shaped its culture and work for more than a century.

The fort's own history runs in surprising directions. In 1897 soldiers of the all African American 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps rode from Fort Missoula to St. Louis to test bicycles as army transportation. During the Great Depression the fort became a regional training camp for the Civilian Conservation Corps, and in World War II it served as a Department of Justice detention center that held more than 2,000 Italian and Japanese men.

The museum acknowledges that it stands in the aboriginal territories of the Salish and Kalispel people. Its staff and the Friends of the Historical Museum now care for more than 20 historic buildings and structures and a collection of over 50,000 artifacts, and the museum is raising money to preserve its Willamette through the Save Our Willamette campaign.

Four galleries and a park full of old buildings

Inside, the museum runs four gallery spaces: the Main, Orientation, North and Heath galleries. The permanent exhibit The Road to Today: 150 Years of Missoula's History traces the town from its founding through the Northern Pacific's arrival, the lumber industry and the founding of the University of Montana, then turns to the fort itself. The newest permanent exhibit, Far From Home: The Internee Experience at Fort Missoula, follows ten men held at the fort during World War II. Other exhibits rotate through the year.

Outside, the grounds are always open and always free. More than 20 preserved buildings and structures stand across the park, and the outbuildings open during museum hours from May to October. A mobile guide and walking tour help you find your way, and a digital map project lets you search the collection for objects tied to Missoula businesses through the years.

Don’t miss

  1. The WillametteRail guides to Montana list Fort Missoula's Willamette among the state's railroad sights, and the museum's Save Our Willamette campaign is working to preserve it.
  2. The Road to TodayThis permanent main gallery exhibit shows how the Northern Pacific's 1883 arrival turned Missoula into the region's key trading town.
  3. Forest products historyThe timber industry's century of work and innovation is one of the museum's major themes, both indoors and around the grounds.
  4. Far From Home: The Internee ExperienceThe newest permanent exhibit introduces ten men wrongfully imprisoned at Fort Missoula during World War II, some for weeks and some for years.
  5. The historic outbuildingsMore than 20 preserved structures fill the park, with outbuildings open May through October during museum hours.

Open grounds, summer camp and field trips

The wide park and its old buildings give kids space to move between galleries, and the museum says its rotating exhibits are designed for every age group. More than 4,000 schoolchildren visit each year, field trips are free, and the education department lends out history trunks to classrooms.

In July the museum runs Summer History Camp, and family events such as the Fourth at the Fort celebration and Forestry Day, held the last Saturday in April, are good first visits. Children under 6 get in free.

Plan your visit: tips for Historical Museum at Fort Missoula

  • Missoula County residents get in free, so bring ID if you live locally.
  • Visit May to October if you want to see inside the outbuildings.
  • The museum is closed on major holidays except July 4th.
  • Call 406-728-3476 to set up a guided tour or a research library appointment.

The museum's calendar runs all year. Forestry Day falls on the last Saturday in April, the Fourth at the Fort celebration fills the grounds in July, and the museum even runs a cheese curd booth at the Western Montana Fair in August. In December, Holiday Lantern Tours bring families out to the fort after dark. Proceeds from these events support the Friends of the Historical Museum and help keep field trips and many public programs free.

Missoula County, its staff and the Friends

The museum is Missoula County's history museum, run by a small professional staff with help from volunteers, AmeriCorps members and interns. The Friends of the Historical Museum raise money for free programs and field trips. You can help by becoming a member, sponsoring an event, volunteering, or choosing a specific donation track, including the Save Our Willamette campaign.

Rail stops within a day's drive of Missoula

Across the Idaho line, the Avery Depot is about 89 miles away and the Wallace Depot Museum about 100 miles. Back in Montana, the Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway collection is about 92 miles southeast. Find more in our list of Montana railroad museums.

Every train museum in Montana

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor view from inside a dark tunnel looking out at a sunny beach and cliffs
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

Fort Missoula's December lantern tours make me think of the darkest part of our book, when the train slips into a tunnel and Rally can't see a thing. Then comes the big bright light and everyone cheers. My kids are learning to read, and that page is the one they ask for twice. I like a museum that brings families out in the dark and sends them home glowing.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)

More for train families

Work or volunteer at Historical Museum at Fort Missoula?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Historical Museum at Fort Missoula: 20 questions answered

Where is the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula?

The museum is at 3400 Captain Rawn Way, Missoula, Montana 59804, in the southwest part of the city. From I-90, head about seven miles south on Reserve Street to reach Fort Missoula. The museum sits on about 32 acres at the core of the old fort, which also functions as a public park.

What are the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula hours?

As of October 2026, the museum's visit page lists gallery hours of 11 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday, closed Mondays, though another part of its site lists Tuesday through Saturday, so call before a Sunday trip. The grounds are always open, and the outbuildings open May to October during museum hours.

How much does it cost to visit the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula?

As of October 2026, admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for students, with a maximum of $15 per family. Missoula County residents, members and children under 6 get in free. Walking the 32-acre grounds is always free, even when the galleries are closed.

Does the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula have railroad exhibits?

Yes, as part of its wider county history. The permanent exhibit The Road to Today covers the Northern Pacific Railway's arrival in Missoula in 1883, which made the town the area's key trading post, and the forest products industry that followed. Rail guides also list the museum's Willamette among Montana's railroad sights.

What is the Willamette at Fort Missoula?

The Willamette is a piece of the museum's collection that Montana rail guides list among the state's railroad attractions. The museum has launched a Save Our Willamette campaign to raise money for its preservation, and you can direct a donation to that effort. Ask staff on your visit for its story and current condition.

When did the railroad come to Missoula?

The Northern Pacific Railway arrived in Missoula in 1883. The museum's main exhibit explains how the railroad cemented Missoula's position as the most important trading post in the area, about 17 years after the town began as a small trading post in 1866. The lumber industry grew alongside it.

When was the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula founded?

The museum was established in 1975, when community members worked to save the historic fort buildings and tell the story of Missoula County. It was created to collect, preserve and interpret the history of Missoula County and western Montana. Fort Missoula itself dates to 1877.

What can you see at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula?

The museum has four indoor galleries with permanent and rotating exhibits, more than 20 historic buildings and structures across a 32-acre park, and over 50,000 artifacts in its collection. Topics include the fort's founding, the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps, the timber industry, the railroad and the World War II internment camp.

How long should you spend at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula?

Plan about two hours to see the galleries and walk part of the grounds. If you want to visit the outbuildings in season, follow the walking tour or attend an event, give it most of an afternoon. The free grounds also make an easy short stop on a busy day.

Is the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula good for kids?

Yes. The museum says its rotating exhibits are designed for every age group, and the open park lets kids move between buildings. More than 4,000 schoolchildren visit every year. Children under 6 get in free, and the July Summer History Camp and the Fourth at the Fort celebration are built for families.

Does the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula offer field trips?

Yes. Field trips are free, and the museum also offers outreach programs and education trunks that teachers can check out. Tours can be scheduled throughout the year. Call 406-728-3476 extension 3, or use the Tour Inquiry form on the museum's education page to tentatively book a date.

Can you get a guided tour of Fort Missoula?

Yes. Guided tours can be arranged by calling the museum at 406-728-3476. For a self-guided visit, the museum offers a walking tour and a mobile guide that covers the grounds and buildings, which also works if you cannot visit in person. Groups should call ahead to schedule.

Are the Fort Missoula grounds free?

Yes. The grounds of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula are always open and always free. You can walk among the historic buildings and structures at any time. Admission applies only to the indoor galleries, and the outbuildings open from May to October during museum hours.

What events does the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula hold?

Annual events include the Member's Social in April, Forestry Day on the last Saturday in April, Missoula Gives for History in May, the Fourth at the Fort celebration and Summer History Camp in July, a cheese curd booth at the Western Montana Fair in August, a used book sale in November and Holiday Lantern Tours in December.

Does Fort Missoula do anything for Christmas?

Yes. The museum holds Holiday Lantern Tours each December, a winter way to see the historic fort grounds. It has also shared a virtual holiday exhibit called Notes From Toyland. Check the museum's Facebook page for the current year's lantern tour dates and registration details.

What was the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps?

The 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps was an all African American unit stationed at Fort Missoula. In 1897 its soldiers rode bicycles all the way from Fort Missoula to St. Louis as a test of how well bicycles would work as army transportation. The museum's main exhibit tells their story.

Can you rent the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula for an event?

Yes. The museum offers rentals, with details on the Rent the Museum page of its website. For dates, spaces and pricing, call the museum office at 406-728-3476 on a weekday between 9 am and 5 pm, when the office is open.

Does the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula have a research library?

Yes. The research library is open by appointment only. Call 406-728-3476 to arrange a visit, ideally on a weekday between 9 am and 5 pm when the office is staffed. The museum also has a digital database that maps collection objects to Missoula businesses through history.

How can I support the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula?

You can become a member, sponsor an event, volunteer, or donate through specific tracks that let you choose where your gift goes, such as the Save Our Willamette campaign. Event proceeds support the Friends of the Historical Museum and help fund free programs and field trips.

What train museums are near Fort Missoula?

The Avery Depot in Idaho is about 89 miles away, the Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway historic collection about 92 miles, and the Wallace Depot Museum in Idaho about 100 miles. The Montana Museum of Railroad History in Great Falls is about 134 miles from Missoula.

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Kelsey Cecil
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