5-day Arts + Culture Getaway: A Western Montana Museum Tour

Day 1: Bitterroot Valley

Start your Western Montana arts and culture tour in the stunning Bitterroot Valley. Visit the historic Daly Mansion in Hamilton, once the home of copper king Marcus Daly. This grand 24,000-square-foot estate features 25 bedrooms and is fully furnished with period pieces and artwork. Don't miss a stroll through the beautifully maintained mansion grounds at the Margaret Daly Memorial Arboretum. Today, the mansion serves as a hub for local arts and entertainment.

Also in Hamilton, explore the Ravalli County Museum & Historical Society, which houses unique and rare historical collections focused on American Indian heritage and the history of the Bitterroot Valley. Exhibits include Indigenous Pottery of the Southwest, Lewis & Clark, Life in the West, and a model car gallery.

Continue north on U.S. Highway 93 to Stevensville—Montana's First Best Place—where you can take a guided tour of the Historic St. Mary's Mission. This well-preserved site represents Montana's first pioneer settlement.

At the northern end of the valley in Lolo, visit Travelers' Rest State Park Visitor Center and Museum, where you can walk in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark. This historic crossroads was a campsite and trail junction for American Indians, including the Salish, Pend d'Oreille, and Nez Perce tribes, as well as the Corps of Discovery. Nearby, at the Holt Heritage Museum, you can explore the Old West through an interpretive area, authentic teepees, horse-drawn wagons, and an old-town street scene.

End your day in Missoula, Western Montana's arts and culture hub. Stay at the Residence Inn by Marriott Missoula Downtown, which has a rich history as the former Missoula Mercantile.

Day 2: Missoula

Dive into Missoula’s vibrant arts scene by visiting the Missoula Art Museum, where you can explore the Contemporary American Indian Art Collection and rotating exhibits of contemporary art relevant to the community, state, and region.

Next, head to the University of Montana campus to visit the Montana Museum of Art & Culture, which houses one of the oldest and most prominent fine art collections in the Rocky Mountain Northwest, featuring both historic and contemporary works.

At the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, learn about Missoula’s origins on 32 walkable acres, showcasing over 20 preserved structures. Highlights include a rare teepee burner, exhibits on fort history, a WWII alien detention center, the 25th Infantry Bicycle Corps, and Glacial Lake Missoula. Don’t miss the fully restored urban streetcar in the Trolley Barn. Also at Fort Missoula, the Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History offers in-depth exhibits on war history, from the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror.

For an insight into the life of a wildland firefighter, visit the Smokejumper Visitor Center, where a 45-minute tour takes you through the working facility, including a reconstructed fire lookout tower.

At the Museum of Mountain Flying, located on the Missoula Airport grounds, delve into the history of aviation in the northern Rockies, with vintage aircraft, memorabilia, and artifacts on display.

Test your wildlife knowledge at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Visitor Center, where interactive exhibits allow you to hear an elk bugle, handle antlers, watch conservation films, and view world-record elk mounts. There’s also a walking trail on the picturesque Grant Creek grounds.

Wrap up the day with dinner in downtown Missoula, where you’ll find a wide array of breweries, distilleries, and dining options to suit every palate.

Day 3: Flathead Reservation

Travel north from Missoula into the Flathead Indian Reservation, home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Against the backdrop of the majestic Mission Mountains, take a self-guided tour of the St. Ignatius Mission, where the walls and ceiling are adorned with 58 original paintings by Brother Joseph Carignano. Explore the on-site museum and gift shop, as well as the historic log home, which served as the original residence for the Sisters.

In Charlo, across from the scenic Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge, visit the Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana, which celebrates the history and culture of the region’s Tribal Nations with artifacts, historical photographs, traditional beadwork, weaponry, mounted wildlife, and an American Indian camp. Enjoy a short nature trail walk with spectacular views.

For more insight into the rich history and culture of the Salish, Pend d'Oreille, and Kootenai tribes, stop by the Three Chiefs Cultural Center in Pablo.

Continue north to Polson, located at the southern end of Flathead Lake—the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. Explore the Miracle of America Museum, an eclectic treasure trove of American history that draws visitors from around the globe. The museum’s vast collection includes vintage planes and helicopters, old farm equipment, frontier homes, an Area 51 exhibit, and much more.

If time allows, take a stroll along the Polson Interpretive Trail, which connects the town’s Salish, Sacajawea, and Riverside parks. The trail features interpretive signs in Kootenai, Salish, and English, depicting tribal and city history.

Your final museum stop of the day is the Polson Flathead Lake Museum, home to the Flathead Lake Monster, Nessie, where you can also learn about early homesteader life in the region.

From Polson, drive up the west side of Flathead Lake, enjoying breathtaking views along the way, and arrive in Kalispell, where you’ll spend the night at the historic Kalispell Grand Hotel.

Day 4: Kalispell + Whitefish

Begin your day with a Historic Walking Tour of downtown Kalispell, exploring the town’s railroad heritage and historic architecture. Be sure to check out the downtown boutiques, coffee shops, and eateries.

Your first stop is Kalispell’s Hockaday Museum of Art, housed in a historic Carnegie Library. The museum showcases the works of significant Montana artists and features a Glacier National Park gallery dedicated to the artists inspired by the Crown of the Continent.

Next, visit the Northwest Montana History Museum, located in Kalispell’s original Central School building. Here, you’ll find engaging exhibits and unique artifacts that tell the story of the Flathead Valley, the Indigenous peoples, the vanished town of Demersville, and pioneer Frank Bird Linderman.

End your time in Kalispell with a tour of the architecturally stunning Conrad Mansion Museum and gardens, the home of Charles E. Conrad, Kalispell’s founder and a key figure in the settlement of the Northwest.

From Kalispell, drive about 30 minutes north to Whitefish, a quintessential mountain resort town in Western Montana. Take a Whitefish Historical Walking Tour, exploring the history and architecture of Central Avenue and downtown Whitefish. Tours are offered by the Stumptown Historical Society and Whitefish Museum, which houses fascinating railroad history and artifacts.

Then, drive to Essex, about an hour east of Whitefish, and stay at the Izaak Walton Inn, where you can enjoy a truly unique lodging experience in a classic caboose or a luxury railcar with views of Glacier National Park.

Day 5: State Highway 2 + Blackfeet Reservation

From Essex, take a scenic 30-minute drive along U.S. Highway 2, skirting the eastern border of Glacier National Park, and keep an eye out for the Blackfeet National Bison Reserve. Stop at the historic Glacier Park Lodge in East Glacier Park on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The lodge’s stunning architecture is a sight to behold, and it’s situated directly across from the 1913 train depot, where Amtrak’s historic Empire Builder makes its stop. If time permits, play a round of golf on Montana’s oldest grass greens course. Note that red bus tours of the park depart daily from the lodge, and Sun Tours offer an excellent way to explore the area’s history.

From East Glacier Park, head to Browning and visit the Museum of the Plains Indian, where you’ll find arts and crafts from the Northern Plains Tribes, along with exhibits of tribal clothing, weapons, and everyday household items. Also in Browning, stop by the Blackfeet Heritage Center & Art Gallery to view dioramas depicting Blackfeet culture.