The Western Heritage Center, in order to promote an appreciation of history and culture, tells the stories of the Northern High Plains, centered on the Yellowstone River Valley.
2822 Montana Avenue
Billings, Montana 59101
Phone (406) 256-6809
Fax (406) 256-6850
ADMISSION:
Adults - $3.00
Students and Seniors - $2.00 (Students with I.D.; Seniors = 55 and up)
Children under 12 - FREE (Children = 12 and under)
WHC Members - FREE
2007 marks Billings’ 125th anniversary. The Western Heritage Center now has a fun, new, upbeat exhibition, “We’re Making History: Billings’ First 125 Years.” The exhibit will be open through the Fall of 2008.
The all-new exhibit looks at Billings through its historic characters, a railroad depot, artifacts from national and regional collections, local radio and television broadcasts, a kids’ play area, oversized maps, and an anniversary time capsule.
Visitors can revisit community events that shaped Billings, including the arrival of the first train, the impact of sugar beet farming, the joys of the Midland Empire Fair and Western Days Parades and other news-making events.
The unique story of Billings is shared in a fun way - each visitor will get a genuine sense of what it’s been like to live in Billings and the Yellowstone Valley and be surprised by the stories, artifacts and activities in the exhibit.
Billings Cultural Partners Find out about the upcoming events of 19 of Billings' community organizations!
Click here for information on the 2008 BIKE, WALK, BUS Week and to download the Architectural Treasure Hunt worksheet!
Yellowstone Public Radio is airing four of our special 125th Anniversary presentations! To go to the YPR website and access the audio streams of these presentations, Click here!
Click here to see our great line-up for our High Noon Speaker Series! You're invited to attend our FREE speaker series on the third Thursday of each month.
The Western Heritage Center is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution!
Crow Tribe Language Online Interactive Program
Tell Us How We're Doing!
Welcome to the Western Heritage Center’s website!
We’re glad you’re here! Our mission is “to tell the stories of the peoples of the Yellowstone River Valley and the Northern Plains.” Our mission recognizes that there are many diverse groups who have lived in our region: Native Americans; French fur trappers and traders; European, Russian, Asian and African immigrants and settlers; U.S. military men and many others.
Each person, family or group brought with them their own culture, own stories and own perspectives. The job of the Western Heritage Center is to collect those stories and perspectives, preserve them for future generations and share them with you today. Our hope is that by learning about the experiences of others, we’ll broaden our minds and be able to place our own experiences within a richer, deeper historical context.
We do this in a number of ways:
• Our historic building houses changing museum exhibits as well as displays our permanent collections of western artist J. K. Ralston and his original studio cabin.
• Special projects, such as the American Indian Tribal Histories Project, identify specific groups from whom stories are gathered and shared. Their unique perspectives about historical events and cultural traditions are critical to a truly broad understanding of our region.
• Our archives include more than 16,000 artifacts, including thousands of historic photographs, newspapers, personal correspondence, clothing, textiles and original paintings. We use these items to mount exhibits and deepen our knowledge of the people who’ve lived here.
• Our education programs are perhaps our greatest example of sharing. We welcome thousands of school children to the museum and conduct exhibit tours. We share our resources with area school teachers to help them supplement their personal understanding and share with their students. We have free monthly presentations on a variety of historical topics. We participate in community events, adding our traveling exhibits and speakers. We host many events and allow participants to enjoy the historic architecture of our building.
Our volunteers are an integral part of the Western Heritage Center. They help us in every aspect of what we do. We welcome you as a museum visitor, an archives explorer, an audience member of our special presentations and as, if you wish, a volunteer">where you can experience the vital history of our region by helping others.
We’re glad you’re here!
Julie Dial
Western Heritage Center Executive Director |
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