Montana Natural History Center

Nature Writing "Hush Hour(s)"
2025-12-08 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Denver) | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Second Monday of the Month
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free, but please register
REGISTER HERE.
Whatever genre you prefer — poetry, essay, prose, flash, etc. — writing can help us connect with and reflect on our natural surroundings in deeply personal, unexpected, rewarding ways. But finding the time to write can often be challenging. This writing “hush hour(s)” is designed to provide nature writers with a quiet, supportive setting to work on your craft. This isn’t a workshop; this is space to write.
In this group, we’ll spend roughly the first 20 minutes inviting individuals to share what projects you’re working on, questions you might have about your work, suggest resources, any hurdles or writing blocks, and writing successes! Then we’ll write, write, write.
Bring your notebook, journal, or computer. Writing prompts will be available if you’re feeling stuck, or just want to play with words. Your MNHC group leaders are Allison De Jong (Montana Naturalist magazine editor and MNHC Field Notes instructor, and writer) and Beth Conway (Events and Marketing Coordinator, and writer).
Feel free to BYOB and snacks. We’ll have light refreshments available.

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #2
2025-12-08 18:30 - 20:30 | Virtual Zoom Classroom
Date: Monthly, on the second Monday of the month (except January, June, July, and August)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location/Platform: Virtual Zoom Classroom
The only thing better than reading a fascinating natural history book (and there are so many of them!) is getting to discuss it with a wonderful group of like-minded people. We can help you do that! Join one of our free naturalist book clubs, where you can read and discuss a great new book each month, enjoying various perspectives and insights, all from the comfort of your own home. (Cozy pjs are perfectly acceptable attire.) This book club meets September-May and breaks for the summer.
Book List
September: Light Eaters
October: The Serviceberry
November: The Stubborn Light of Things
December: Flight Paths
January: no meeting this month
February: Woman Among Wolves
March: What an Owl Knows
April: Restoring the Kinship Worldview May: Tenacious Beasts
Your hosts will be Sherry Staub and Cas Kendley. Sherry has led the Sacajawea book club for over two years in Bozeman and has extensively read in the nature book genre. Cas started and led a book club as a UM student and is looking forward to starting an advanced degree in forestry at the UM.
You will need a computer that can access the internet and Zoom platform in order to participate.
Interested in joining? There are spaces available! Email Christine at cmorris [at] montananaturalist [dot] org to sign up.
Group is limited to 10 participants.

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #1
2025-12-09 18:30 - 20:30 | Virtual Zoom Classroom
Date: Monthly, on the second Tuesday of the month
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location/Platform: Virtual Zoom Classroom
The only thing better than reading a fascinating natural history book (and there are so many of them!) is getting to discuss it with a wonderful group of like-minded people. We can help you do that! Join one of our free naturalist book clubs, where you can read and discuss a great new book each month, enjoying various perspectives and insights, all from the comfort of your own home. (Cozy pjs are perfectly acceptable attire.)
Your hosts are Master Naturalist Suzanne Hendrich and Deborah Drain.
You will need a computer that can access the internet and Zoom platform in order to participate.
There are some spaces available in this book club. Contact cmorris (at) montananaturalist.org to sign up.
Group is limited to 10 participants.

Missoula's Cultural Heritage and the Clark Fork River - An Ever-Changing Landscape
2025-12-10 18:00 - 19:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Location: The Montana Natural History Center
Cost: $15 MNHC members/$20 non-members
REGISTER HERE!
Historically, the path of the Clark Fork River has both shaped and transformed the appearance of the Missoula Valley. Similarly, the city of Missoula’s diverse cultural heritage has been shaped and transformed by the river as well over the course of the last two centuries. In this presentation, guests will not only gain natural historical knowledge of the Clark Fork River, but also the innate partnership between cultural and natural heritage landscapes. This presentation will primarily examine the heritage of Missoula’s restricted communities between 1860 and 1940.
Light refreshments provided.
ABOUT Sophia Etier: Sophia is a longtime Bitterroot Valley local and public historian, focusing her research on the development of local Montana heritage. Sophia has previously partnered with numerous Montana organizations in hopes of developing authentic community histories including the Montana Historical Society, Daly Mansion, Historic Museum at Fort Missoula, Missoula Historic Preservation Office, and the Missoula Public Library. Sophia also is a lead guide and tour developer for the Unseen Missoula heritage tour program, primarily overseeing the Carnal Enterprises and Screams & Spirits tours. Etier is currently working on the advancement of her research as a doctoral student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Montana.
FAQs
What’s the refund policy?
The course fee (minus a 25% administrative fee) is refundable if a cancellation is made up to 7 days before the event. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. See our full refund/cancellation policy here.
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
Nope! We will have a list of all the attendees.

Gallery Exhibit Opening: The Artistry of Herbariums
2025-12-12 17:00 - 18:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Friday, December 12
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Time: 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE and open to the public
Join us for a new gallery opening at the Montana Natural History Center, featuring work by Missoula photographer Peggy Christian!
In conjunction with the new Naturalist Field Station exhibit featuring the University of Montana Herbarium, this show contains a collection of photographic prints that explore the beauty of botanical forms found in three different herbariums.
From UM’s, 16 of the most popular Montana wildflowers, chosen by the Missoula Native Plant Society, as well as a selection of specimens from Glacier Park’s Belly River herbarium are rendered in cyanotype. This is one of the earliest photographic printing processes and was used by Anna Atkins for her images of her seaweed collection in the first photographically illustrated book in 1843. In addition there is a collection of hand-painted photographs using botanical inks from John Pierce’s herbarium of the Rattlesnake.
Peggy Christian is a Missoula photographer, writer, and book artist who works in a variety of historical alternative printing processes and is an herbarium aficionado.
Light refreshments provided.
