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Museum of the Rockies
The Museum of the Rockies, in Bozeman, MT, is another potential stop for your Montana visit, and is great for all ages! Do you have kids obsessed with dinosaurs? How about stars in the night sky? Then this is a must stop during your visit! It features a living history farm, and a planetarium running shows every hour on the hour, and an awesome dinosaur exhibit!
From Labor Day through September 4th, the Museum is open from 8am-6pm, from September 5th to around labor day, it is open from 9am-5pm. Don't worry if you can't spend a whole day here, though, admission is actually good for two days.
As with many other museums, one of the great things about The Museum of the Rockies is there is a rotating exhibit, so there is often something new to see. This has kept me coming back, really to see the rotating exhibit. But of course I have to check out the dinosaur exhibits every time - always in awe of the size of these popular creatures (thanks in part to the Jurassic Park movies).
Speaking of Jurassic Park, total side-bar here. Did you know that Dr. Alan Grant, the paleontologist sought out in the original Jurassic Park is based partly on Jack Horner, one of the most prominent paleontologists. I mention this because Horner, born and raised in Montana and long-time Bozeman, MT resident, was a consultant on many of the films. Grant was found at a dig site in Montana's badlands in the movie, likely referring to the dig sites in which Horner did much of his work.
Which brings me back to the Museum of the Rockies, and it's most popular exhbit in which Horner played a large role in...
Siebel Dinosaur Complex
The very popular Siebel Dinosaur Complex is probably the heart of the Museum of the Rockies. It boasts some of the largest collections of Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops fossils in it's Hall of Horns and Teeth. In the center of it all is the 40' (from nose to tail) fossilized skeleton of a T. Rex (Montana's T. rex - one of the most complete T. Rex skeletons to be discovered).
Granted I left the picture fairly large for a website, I can't do justice with a picture just how massive the near complete fossilized skeleton is. The teeth alone are just awesome! As are the teeth in the T. Rex skulls more at eye-level that you can get a closer look at.
There are numerous Triceratops skulls in the hall as well, showing the difference of the horns and crest and Triceratops age and also some of the evolution. Of course there are some full skeletons (with many modeled pieces) of the Triceratops as well.
The Hall of Teeth and Horns is one of my favorite dinosaur complex areas, but there's much more. The Hall of Giants includes the most complete Allosaurus discovered (who the museum has named "Big Al"), along with a few other dinosaur models, including a cousin of the popular Velociraptor.
There's also the Hall of Growth and Behavior, with fossilized eggs and baby dinosaurs; a dinosaur viewing laboratory, where you can observe dinosaur fossils being removed from the rock; and more things dinosaur!
The Taylor Planetarium
The Museum of the Rockies also features a planetarium. A giant theater with a dome-shaped projection screen to simulate looking at the night sky (the seats don't just face forward, but are pretty much reclined back so you can look up at the dome "ceiling" and some amazing astronomical views of the night sky.
There are numerous shows throughout each day that each run for about 30 minutes, with a show starting every hour from 10 am - 5pm (with the doors closing promptly on the hour). You'll learn something in any of the shows, from information on neutron stars, supernovas, galaxies, and more!
On the weekends there's a show geared more toward younger audiences. Currently "One World One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure," the show features Big Bird and Elmo and teaches youngsters about some of the more prominent features like our Sun and Moon, the Big Dipper, and the North Star.
Martin Children's Discovery Center
The Children's Discovery Center is an interactive hands-on section of the Museum of the Rockies best suited for infants through 8 years old, focused on some of the features of Yellowstone Park. There are geysers that kids can "create" themselves, and simulated park activities, like fishing off of the bridge, or setting up camp, just to name a few. Overall a great way for your youngsters to learn about what Yellowstone has to offer!
Changing Exhibit at Museum of the Rockies
This is one of the cool things about the museum. There's an ever-changing exhibit that has something new every few months, so if you're a repeat visitor, then you can still see something new every once in a while, sometimes even live animals in naturalistic habitats!
Now through early September of 2017, there are live crocodiles! Don't worry, of course it's family friendly and safe. I also went a couple of years ago when there were different types of frogs there.
Last I was at the Museum of the Rockies, the changing exhibit was "The Villas of Oplontis Near Pompeii." It displayed a number of small statues, some coins found in a strong-box, some pottery, and other miscellaneous remnants.
Living History Farm
The Living History Farm is a homestead where you can watch period interpreters run the home, from cooking over a wood-burning stove, tending to the gardens, and even watch a blacksmith forging some iron!
The Living History Farm is currently included at no extra charge to the regular admission to the museum.
Regional History Hall and Welcome to Yellowstone
Both the Regional History Hall and Welcome to Yellowstone areas show off some of the history and artifacts of the Montana region, including fur trade items, tools of gold seekers, and some Native American culture.
Programs and Events at Museum of the Rockies
The Museum of the Rockies hosts a number of events, with a variety of age-group ranges.
There are programs that run daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or on certain days of the month (like Tours for Tots and after school programs). There are also summer camps for students who are about to enter 1st grad through 8th grade.
In 2017 some of the camps included Museum Detective Agency Camp, Disgusting Science, and Stargazers.
Something for Adults Only
There are also some events at the Museum of the Rockies geared for some of the "older" visitors, but I'm just talking 21 and over here. These look like a lot of fun and I'm going to have to go check some out myself when possible.
There's a monthly "Hops & History" event during the summer, where you can go to the Living History Farm and listen to a talk on the region's brewing history, prohibition, or even the current Montana brewing industry while tasting beers from local breweries!
Or how about "Brews & the Big Sky?" Running the last Tuesday of every month (winter series), it offers some local history followed by samples from a Montana brewery.
You can also wonder through the exhibits, but you have to finish your brew first as food and drinks aren't allowed in the exhibits. Speaking of food, there will also be a local food truck available at the event so you can grab dinner too!
The Museum of the Rockies should be on your "to-do" list if stopping in the Bozeman area. My family loves to go there, especially the younger ones, and I try to make it back often as well.
Ready to visit? Head to: Museum of the Rockies, 600 W Kagy Blvd, Bozeman, MT 59717.
If you want to find out more about the museum, including additional directions or more details of the programs running, you can go to their website: https://museumoftherockies.org/.