Montana Natural History Center

miniNaturalist Pre-K Program
2026-03-17 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-03-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-03-31 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-07 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-14 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-21 10:00 - 11:00, 2026-04-28 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Denver) | Montana Natural History Center
The miniNaturalist pre-K program encourages curiosity for the natural world.
Dates: Every Tuesday, September – May
Time: 10:00-11:00 am
Location: Montana Natural History Center, 120 Hickory Street.
The miniNaturalist program encourages curiosity for the natural world through exploration and play. We sing songs, read books, play games, and develop skills with art and science tools. Each program begins with songs, movement, and stories. We then provide materials for learner directed discovery in our garden. We look for bugs and birds, color on rocks, build with branches, experiment with science tools and play with a variety of art materials.
Please bring clothes for outdoor play! We have some snow clothes to borrow.
Best for ages 2-4, though any age is welcome!
Cost: FREE!

Jurassic Park: Fact or Fiction? with Kallie Moore
2026-03-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, March 18
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: $10 MNHC members/$15 non-members
REGISTER HERE
Join UM Paleo Collections Manager and PBS Eons co-host, Kallie Moore for a night of fossil facts and fiction! When the original Jurassic Park movie came out in 1993, it gave the most up-to-date look at dinosaurs and their behaviors. But we’ve learned a lot over the past 30 years. Join us to find out what still holds up, what doesn’t, and how close we are to using ancient DNA to create a real-life Jurassic Park!
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.

Scavengers Photography Club
2026-03-19 18:00 - 20:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Dates: Third Thursday of the Month
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Come find community and inspiration for your nature photography passion at our Scavengers Photography Club! Everyone is welcome – hobbyists, enthusiasts, professionals, and new beginners! Peggy Christian, artist, author, and Master Naturalist, hosts this unique club.
Photo by Peggy Christian
At each session we will share our photos (up to 6 per person) and discuss current projects, interests, successes, and challenges. Some sessions will feature a guest presentation on an aspect of photography.
For March’s meeting, we’ll focus on a daily practice. Having a daily photography practice, no matter how small, can reward the photographer in many ways. Join Peggy Christian as she explores a number of different ways to approach a daily practice, including a 30-360 day project and other variations on the theme.
Note: Please bring your photos to share on a thumb drive to use in our computer.
“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”
― Ansel Adams
Share your perspective and connection to nature through photography!

Online Field Notes Writing Workshop, 6-Part Class - Spring 2026
2026-03-24 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual Zoom Classroom
Location: Virtual Classroom on Zoom
Dates: Tuesdays, March 24, 31, and April 7, 14, 21, & 28
Time: 10:00-11:30 a.m.
Explore various forms of nature writing, then research and write your own Field Note during this online, workshop-based six-part class!
Instructors:
Allison De Jong, writer, naturalist, and editor of Montana Naturalist magazine and Field Notes on Montana Public Radio
Drew Lefebvre, naturalist, writer, and owner of Turnstone Nature Education
REGISTER HERE
In this six-part class, you’ll work with Field Notes editor Allison De Jong, naturalist Drew Lefebvre, and your fellow participants to research, write, and workshop your very own Field Note. We’ll read and discuss a variety of nature writing; brainstorm ideas; practice writing prompts; discuss tone, style, and research methods; and provide feedback for each other’s Field Notes. And you’ll have the opportunity to record your Field Note with Montana Public Radio sometime later this year, if interested. Many of the Field Notes aired since 2021 were written in previous workshops! (You can read and listen to them here.)
This class will be a delightful combination of natural history and creativity. You’ll get to explore a natural history topic of your choice, practice different writing techniques, get and give feedback on your and others’ writing in a small, supportive workshop setting, and finish the class with a lovely natural history essay that’s ready to be shared with the Montana Public Radio listening area (if you wish!).
Cost: $235 MNHC members, $255 non-members. You can add your MNHC membership to your order when you check out.
Optional class material: While all of the Field Notes we read in class are available online, you may want to purchase our Field Notes from the Montana Natural History Center book, a collection of 134 Field Notes as well as original artwork from dozens of naturalists from the program’s first 25 years. We promise it makes for excellent reading! You can purchase the book online here, or purchase in person at MNHC.
REGISTER FOR THE FIELD NOTES WORKSHOP HERE.
What participants are saying about this workshop:
“The course was very engaging. The encouragement, group support, community formed, and great instruction was profoundly rewarding. The reading and writing prompts were inspiring. There was a great integration of emotion, creativity, naturalist’s knowledge, scientific knowledge and shared experiences.”
~Cynthia Swidler, Spring 2020
“I loved this class. Learning to write field notes was way different than what I expected. Allison and Drew both really brought to life the importance of sharing personal experience and scientific information in story form. I learned so much about the writing process, how to refine pieces for reading aloud, and how to give a voice to the voiceless. I have much more confidence about writing field notes now, and many ideas!!”
~Marnie Craig, Spring 2020
“A complete and successful experience! Involving, stimulating. Great to experience the writing and expression abilities of the other writers. I was often amazed how the leaders and the other writers could analyze, dissect, and interpret our reading assignments and any topic of discussion. I loved the class. A learning and writing experience for sure, thank you!”
~Terry Habeger, Spring 2020
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. This class was extremely grounding in a period of big transition in my life, and it really bolstered my self-confidence to sit with a group of strangers every week and feel seen and heard. Knowing that I have the capacity to sit down and write words that make people feel excited to go outside is an incredible gift, and I am very grateful for this class for it.”
~Zola Kell, Fall 2021
“I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the classroom community. Would recommend taking this class for anyone interested in creative science/nature writing, either for fun or as a career.”
~Kayla Heinze, Spring 2023
“It was all so rewarding! I loved crafting a piece that felt digestible to get me back into a writing routine. I loved our 10-minute writes. The [workshopping] session was really helpful as well as the detailed suggestions and feedback from both Allison and Drew. I loved the poetry and writing pieces we read and discussed in class. It was a great class!”
~Victoria Yee, Fall 2024
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.

Drop-In Nature Journaling
2026-03-25 11:30 - 13:00, 2026-04-29 11:30 - 13:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Last Wednesday of the Month
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free with admission/membership!
Fellow naturalists! Are you looking for community, accountability, inspiration, and more? We’re excited to offer monthly drop-in nature journaling / phenology wheel / nature writing sessions September-May. Bring your nature journals, phenology wheels, pens, pencils, and paints, and have fun crafting your observations in community. We’ll have some supplies available (colored pencils, micron pens, watercolor pencils, etc.), as well as field guides and specimens, and we’ll provide a fun journal prompt, too! For those working on phenology wheels – whether daily, monthly, or seasonal – this is a great time to work on your wheel template for the next month or catch up on your daily or monthly observations.
Scheduled over the lunch hour, this is a perfect mid-day break; please feel free to bring lunch or snacks.
This program is FREE with admission/membership!
Come join us for fun, creativity, and naturalist exploration!
2025-2026 dates:
September 24th, 2025
October 29th, 2025
November 26th, 2025
NO SESSION in DECEMBER
January 28th, 2026
February 25th, 2026
March 25th, 2026
April 29th, 2026
May 27th, 2026
We’ll be back in September!

Naturalist Trivia Night with co-host Montana Native Plant Society!
2026-03-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Thursday, March 26
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free and open to the public, but please register
Show off your skills or come to learn something new—trivia nights are fun for any background level. Join a team when you arrive or bring a crew to compete in Naturalist Trivia Night. For March’s trivia night we are joined by co-hosts from the Montana Native Plant Society. The first few rounds will focus on native plants and we’ll finish off with rounds on spring migration in the Rocky Mountains and more!
MNHC teaching naturalist Ryan Mahar is running the show. We’re excited to bring you another fun trivia night!
This is a FREE event, but registration is required so we don’t overcrowd the space!
REGISTER HERE!
BYOB and snacks.
How does Naturalist Trivia work?
Come with a team or join up with new friends when you arrive. MNHC staff will help you find a table. There are usually 4 rounds of questions each frequently on a common theme such as “Montana cats” or “poisonous plants.” Some rounds are verbal, others are visual, or auditory (such as “guess that bird call”!).
After each round the answers are divulged and each team’s score is displayed.
Two hours later there will be a winner!

Naturalist Field Day: Snow Geese Migration at Freezout Lake
2026-03-28 07:00 - 18:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Location: Meet at the Montana Natural History Center, where we will get on the bus to drive to Freezout Lake.
Cost: $100 MNHC members/$110 non-members
REGISTER HERE
Registration closes March 14.
Birds by the hundreds of thousands and humans by the handful congregate at Freezout Lake to celebrate early spring. It’s a wildlife viewing spectacle that for a few days rivals any natural wonder in the world. Tundra swans, snow geese, and 200 other migrating species start in mid-March as they head to northern destinations for feeding and breeding. The snow geese usually reach Freezout in late March, where they rest up from a nearly 1,000-mile flight from California. Spend an inspiring day watching thousands of migrating snow geese, and other birds, at Freezout Lake.
Your leaders and drivers will be MNHC teaching naturalist Ryan Mahar, naturalist Kelly Dix, and potentially guides from Freezout FWP depending on their availability.
Cost: $100 MNHC members, $110 non-members. You can add your MNHC membership to your order when you check out.

Details:
Activity Level: some walking on uneven ground (less than 1 mile), off and on the bus, limited bathrooms, lunch on the bus, potentially cold and windy weather, long time sitting on the bus (6-7 hours)

Bus leaves from the MNHC parking lot at 7:00 a.m. (120 Hickory St. near McCormick Park) and will return about 6:00 p.m.
Mid-morning we’ll arrive at Freezout Lake for an orientation and spend time observing and learning about as many migrating birds as we can!
Participants should bring lunch they can eat on the bus, binoculars, and spotting scopes if they have them, plenty of warm clothes/layers, nature journaling supplies, and camera.
MNHC will provide additional binoculars, field guides, and spotting scopes.

FAQ
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.

Saturday Kids' Activity: Beavers
2026-03-28 11:00 - 13:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Saturday, March 28
Time: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free with membership/cost of admission
Join us for exciting and educational Saturdays filled with delightful activities designed to captivate young minds and inspire a love for nature!
Our drop-in Saturday programs feature activities, art, science experiments, and more. Stop in anytime between 11:00 a.m and 1:00 p.m. for the fun! Kids might look for Osprey with binoculars, dissect owl pellets, or walk a model of the solar system. Every month features a new topic. The whole family can be involved, as the exploration and activities are suitable for a wide age range.
On Saturday, March 28th, we’ll explore all things busy beavers!
Saturday Kids’ Activities are great for kids ages pre-k through elementary school.

Sip & Felt with Claudia Paillao
2026-03-31 19:00 - 21:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: MNHC
Cost: $45 MNHC members/$50 non-members.
Add your MNHC membership to your order when you check out!
REGISTER HERE
One of our most popular artists is back with a spring Sip & Felt class! Spend an evening with Claudia Paillao of Patagonian Hands and craft a small, beautiful Montana bird from wool – a perfect decoration for your home or a unique gift for someone you love. Claudia will instruct you on how to use a special barbed needle and local wool in the needle felting process. Needle felting is the process of using a barbed needle to activate the fibers in the wool, causing them to compress as you rapidly poke the wool. First you’ll create the shape of the bird, then finish your piece by layering on colored wool. Claudia will show you how to add just the right details to make your wool creation look like the real thing! Join us for an evening of creating, relaxing, and enjoying a beverage (or two). No experience is necessary!
Note: The bird pictured is an example. The actual species is TBA.
Included:

Barbed needle you get to keep for future projects
Wool
Handmade creation you bring home
Beverages – wine, beer, cocoa, tea, or fizzy water

Instructor: Claudia Paillao is the owner of Patagonian Hands. She is from Coyhaique, Patagonia, Chile, and has been living in Missoula, Montana, with her husband Karl since July 2012. She used to be a school teacher in Chile and has become a self-taught fiber artist and jewelry artisan since she moved to the northern hemisphere. Claudia creates animals, mostly birds, using only sheep wool that she gets in Hall, MT, and some from her family in Chile. She doesn’t use any glues or stitches to keep sculptures together, but the compression she gets through barbed needles that push the fibers every time she pokes the wool. This process is known as needle felting.
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.

Master Naturalist Club
2026-04-08 14:00 - 16:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Monthly, on the second Wednesday of the month
Time: 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Location: Various – contact club host
Share outdoor explorations and learning experiences with other curious naturalists at our monthly Master Naturalist Club! We will connect with experts and hone our skills, meeting at field locations around Missoula.
April Topic: Introduction to Oding: Looking for dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) in Western Montana
Suzanne Hendrich, Master Naturalist, has led dragonfly field trips for MOLLI and is in the midst of a multiyear survey of Odonata in this region. She will share keys to identifying Odonata, key features of their life cycle, habitat and ecology, and good local spots for oding adventures.
Club hosts: Master Naturalists Sarah Elsasser, Bill Buseman, and Elizabeth Johns
Interested in joining? There are spaces available! Email Christine at cmorris@montananaturalist.org to sign up.

State of the Bear + Turkey Talk!
2026-04-08 18:00 - 20:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, April 8th
Time: 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free, and open to the public
Join Hellgate Hunters and Anglers, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 2 Wildlife Manager Liz Bradley for an update about our area’s bear and turkey populations. This presentation and audience conversation will explore current harvest structure, trends, and management thoughts for these species.
Light refreshments provided.

Saturday Kids' Activity: Ospreys!
2026-04-11 11:00 - 13:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Saturday, April 11
Time: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free with membership/cost of admission
Join us for exciting and educational Saturdays filled with delightful activities designed to captivate young minds and inspire a love for nature!
Our drop-in Saturday programs feature activities, art, science experiments, and more. Stop in anytime between 11:00 a.m and 1:00 p.m. for the fun! Kids might look for Osprey with binoculars, dissect owl pellets, or walk a model of the solar system. Every month features a new topic. The whole family can be involved, as the exploration and activities are suitable for a wide age range.
On Saturday, April 11th, we’ll explore the incredible osprey!
Saturday Kids’ Activities are great for kids ages pre-k through elementary school.

Nature Writing "Hush Hour(s)"
2026-04-13 18:00 - 20:00 | 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 10-20 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
2026-04-13 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
2026-04-14 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.

After the Fire: Ecological Wonders in Burned Areas
2026-04-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, April 15
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: $10 MNHC members/$15 non-members
Please join MNHC and Jane Kapler Smith for a fascinating look into post-fire landscapes and the wonders you can find there.
REGISTER HERE.
Every square foot of dry land in our region has probably burned in the past thousand years. This heritage of fire has shaped every ecosystem in our wildlands; it has given us much of the diversity in wild landscapes that delights us; and, over many millennia, it has shaped our native species themselves.
So why not get into a burned area this summer and look for some of the botanical treasures that show up only in the first decade or two after fire? This lecture/demonstration can help you get ready for your summer explorations. Jane will suggest some recent burns to visit, describe how to recognize differences in fire severity within a burn, and show how plants can survive a fire and even have their best, most productive years in the decades that follow.
Light refreshments provided.
About the instructor: Jane Kapler Smith has an M.S. in Forest Ecology from Colorado State University and a B.A. in English and Theatre from Alverno College, Milwaukee. She worked in fire control and management in Glacier National Park during the 1970s. In the 1980s, she completed research on fire effects in quaking aspen stands in northern Colorado. From 1992-2015, she worked at the Fire Science Laboratory in Missoula, MT, developing literature reviews on fire effects (https://www.feis-crs.org/feis/) and an educational curriculum on wildland fire (https://www.frames.gov/fireworks/home). She has been VERY happily retired for 10 years.
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.
Register here:

Scavengers Photography Club
2026-04-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Dates: Third Thursday of the Month
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free, and open to the public
Come find community and inspiration for your nature photography passion at our Scavengers Photography Club! Everyone is welcome – hobbyists, enthusiasts, professionals, and new beginners! Peggy Christian, artist, author, and Master Naturalist, hosts this unique club.
At each session we will share our photos (up to 6 per person) and discuss current projects, interests, successes, and challenges. Some sessions will feature a guest presentation on an aspect of photography.
Photo by Kathy Eyster
For April, we’ll focus on Photography From One Spot. A way to challenge your skills and spark inspiration is to set limits on where you can shoot pictures. During the meeting we will see how many different pictures we can make from inside a hula hoop circle. Be sure to bring a camera with you; phones are fine.
Note: Please bring your photos to share on a thumb drive to use in our computer.
“A great photograph is one that fully expresses what one feels, in the deepest sense, about what is being photographed.”
― Ansel Adams
Share your perspective and connection to nature through photography!

Drawing Butterflies: An Introduction to Watercolor Illustration with Rich Adams
2026-04-18 10:00 - 12:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Saturday, April 18
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: $40 MNHC members/$45 non-members
REGISTER HERE
Registration closes April 11
Join artist Rich Adams for an engaging introduction to watercolor illustration! In this workshop, you’ll explore the fundamentals of natural science illustration and discover the essential tools and techniques used to capture the natural world. Whether you are a total beginner or looking to refine your existing watercolor skills, this class offers an engaging, supportive environment to grow as a naturalist artist. And you’ll get to focus on one of the most delightful insects to illustrate: butterflies! Rich will guide you through the process of sketching, illustration, and watercolor, and you’ll go home with a beautiful work of art.
We provide all the essential supplies needed to complete the course. For those who want to build their own professional kit, we’ve also partnered with Frame of Mind to curate a special supplies list! Just bring a pencil, an eraser, and your enthusiasm—let’s dive into this amazing world together and sharpen your illustration skills.
Instructor: Rich Adams has been an illustrator since the early 1990’s, having bounced through the corporate world before landing back in art full time around 2005. Rich’s artwork is really a reflection of his love for the natural world. If his work can connect with other people’s experiences and love of the natural world, he feels like it has served its function.
Provided Materials (You are welcome to bring your own! Do you have a favorite pen or watercolor kit? Bring it!)

watercolor paper
pens
pencils
erasers
brushes
watercolors
reference illustrations

For those who would like to own their materials here are some options for purchase at Frame of Mind:
Frame of Mind’s Drawing Butterflies “Basic” Kit:
Pentel Quicker Clicker 0.5mm Mechanical Pencil
Staedtler Lumograph HB wooden pencil
Pentel Clic Stick Eraser
Frame of Mind’s Drawing Butterflies “Essential” Kit:
Pentel Quicker Clicker 0.5mm Mechanical Pencils (2)
0.5mm 2H mechanical pencil lead
Staedtler Lumograph HB wooden pencil
Pentel Clic Stick Eraser
Tombow Mono Zero Round eraser
Kneaded Eraser (small)
Sakura Micron Pens in 01, 03, 05
Winsor & Newton Sketchers’ Pocket Set
Princeton Heritage Round #2 paintbrush
$59.09 (this is kit discount of 20%)
FAQ
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.

MNHC Spring Luncheon
2026-04-21 12:30 - 14:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, April 21st, 2026
Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Location: Missoula Fairgrounds, Home Arts Building – Catering by River and Range
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS HERE!
Join us for the 14th Annual Montana Natural History Center Spring Luncheon to support our summer camp scholarship funds! Gather with friends for a good purpose and enjoy a lovely, fresh lunch in a beautiful setting. Taking advantage of our luncheon location, guests will have the opportunity to join experts on a tour (optional) of the nearby Rocky Mountain Gardens to learn more about Montana’s native plants and unique ecosystem. See tour details below.
In addition, all guests are also entered into a raffle for a chance to win a gift bag provided by Meadowsweet Herbs!
All proceeds go directly to our camp scholarship funds. When you purchase tickets for this event, you are donating to make a real and tangible difference in a child’s life.
The Montana Natural History Center is committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to hear meadowlarks warbling, breathe in the vanilla fragrance of sun-warmed ponderosa pine bark, and fall in love with Montana’s wild places. Our compassionate, fun, and experienced Seasonal Naturalists help guide summer campers through Missoula’s natural spaces and encourage curiosity through the lens of an artist, writer, scientist, and naturalist. Your attendance at our luncheon means we can help break down financial barriers to ensure our camps are exceptional and accessible for all families in our community.

Sponsorship Opportunities
Are you a business interested in being a sponsor for MNHC’s Spring Luncheon? Please contact our Development Director, Kellen Beck, at kbeck@montananaturalist.org.

Tours of The Rocky Mountain Gardens
Following our lunch, guests are invited to break into small groups and join botanists in a walk through The Rocky Mountain Gardens (optional). A HUGE thank you to the Missoula County Department of Ecology & Extension for volunteering their time and expertise to share the gardens with our spring luncheon guests!

Garden Tours are optional and are offered as an added way for MNHC to show our gratitude for your attendance at our Spring Luncheon and support of our scholarship program. Sign-ups are first-come first-serve, so don’t wait to reserve your preferred option.
If you would like to opt out of a tour, please choose the option: Opt Out of Garden Tours
Tours will follow lunch. Each tour is ~30 minutes long and requires roughly 10 minutes of walking outside (come rain or shine), with the exception of the INDOORS: NATIVE PLANTS and SPRING BLOOMS. This option remains at the Home Arts Building.

MNHC is guided by our values that promote learning, growing, and encouraging communities to discover new experiences and different environments in our natural world! We hope you will enjoy your garden tour and that it grows your connections and curiosity with our remarkable Montana!
Choose from the following tour options. (Garden tours are listed as “free” because they are included in your ticket price)
ROCKY MOUNTAIN GARDEN TOUR
The Rocky Mountain Garden tours are similar in experience, but staggered to keep group sizes small and allow Q&A’s.
This guided tour introduces you to The Rocky Mountain Gardens that showcase the diversity of plants and gardening styles suitable for Missoula’s climate. With a focus on soil health and wildlife habitat, the gardens demonstrate practices that can be transferred to gardens, farms, and other landscapes.
-RM Garden with Steffany Rogge (TOUR 1) – starts at 1:55 PM
-RM Garden with Bryce Christiaens (TOUR 2) – starts at 2:00 PM
FRUITING TREES with Sandy Perrin
Join Sandy Perrin on a tour focused on fruiting trees in the garden that thrive in Montana’s unique climate. Learn more about care, and their important role in attracting pollinators and wildlife habitat in our region.
SPRING BULBS and BLOSSOMS with Molly Anton
Crocus and alliums and glacier lilies, OH MY! The earth is starting to wake and April is a great time to learn more about caring for spring bulbs. Come learn more about these early blossoms.
NATIVE PLANTS and POLLINATORS with Marirose Kuhlman
This garden tour focuses on the special relationship plants share with their pollinators. With a focus on native plants, this walk will leave you amazed at the abundance of native pollinator diversity, and how they interact with their plant partners!
INDOORS: NATIVE PLANTS and SPRING BLOOMS with Alexandra Brown
(Remains indoors at Home Arts Building)
Find out more about native plants and garden programs happening at The Rocky Mountain Gardens, including the upcoming Phlox Fest, celebrating Missoula phlox (Phlox missoulensis), a species of concern that has only been found within Missoula County.

Mount Jumbo Wildflower Walk with Marilyn Marler
2026-04-23 16:00 - 17:30 | Mount Jumbo
Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026
Time: 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Location: Meet at the Mount Jumbo Saddle Trailhead at the end of Lincoln Hills Drive.
Cost: $35 MNHC members/$40 non-members.
Add your MNHC membership to your order when you check out!
REGISTER HERE!
Take time to smell (and identify) the flowers with botanist Marilyn Marler!
Enjoy a slow paced evening walk to enjoy the early spring bloom on Mount Jumbo’s saddle. We’ll admire and learn the names of at least 10 wildflowers, including shooting stars, larkspur, prairie smoke and arrowleaf balsamroot. We’ll walk up to 1 mile maximum, on an established trail. Bring a notepad and your camera if you like!
Instructor: Marilyn Marler is a botanist and the Executive Director of the Montana Natural History Center. Before joining the staff at MNHC she spent 26 as a land steward at the University of Montana, where she also taught general botany and plant identification. She thinks spring is the best season because of wildflowers.
Activity Level: Moderate. Uphill walking on uneven trail. 1.5 hours standing and walking. No bathrooms. Be comfortable walking up and down inclines.
What to Bring:

Clothes and layers for changing Montana weather conditions
Good walking shoes or boots
Water/snacks
Notebook, pen, camera optional

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.

Saturday Kids' Activity: Slimy Creatures
2026-04-25 11:00 - 13:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free with membership/cost of admission
Join us for exciting and educational Saturdays filled with delightful activities designed to captivate young minds and inspire a love for nature!
Our drop-in Saturday programs feature activities, art, science experiments, and more. Stop in anytime between 11:00 a.m and 1:00 p.m. for the fun! Kids might look for Osprey with binoculars, dissect owl pellets, or walk a model of the solar system. Every month features a new topic. The whole family can be involved, as the exploration and activities are suitable for a wide age range.
On Saturday, April 25th, we’ll explore slimy creatures!
Saturday Kids’ Activities are great for kids ages pre-k through elementary school.

Spring Garden Tour
2026-04-28 09:00 - 11:00 | Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, 404 H Road, Missoula, MT, 59804, United States
Date: Tuesday, April 28
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula
Cost: $10 suggested donation
REGISTER HERE!
Celebrate Spring with a tour of the Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula, led by Garden Manager and Montana Master Naturalist, Elena Ulev. We’ll check out what’s popped up after our long winter, see what’s blooming, look and listen for migratory birds that have just arrived and discuss upcoming classes and opportunities for volunteering in the garden.
Homemade cookies and drinks provided.
DIG IN! For more information on programs happening at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, click here!

Birding by Ear with Ryan Mahar
2026-05-02 08:00 - 10:00 | Greenough Park, 1001 Monroe Street, Missoula, 59802
Date: Saturday, May 2
Time: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Location: Meet at Greenough Park, pavilion/playground parking lot.
Cost: $35 MNHC members/$40 non-members
REGISTER HERE!
Join MNHC naturalist and bird enthusiast Ryan Mahar for an immersive two-hour field session designed to help you identify birds by sound. Held in scenic Greenough Park, this class focuses on the art of active listening. You will learn techniques to distinguish subtle differences in bird songs and develop your auditory memory. Discover the specific voice of each bird, why they sing and/or call, and how to emotionally connect to the sounds.
While this session is specifically tailored for beginning birders, enthusiasts of all skill levels are welcome to come sharpen their ears and enjoy spring’s morning chorus.
What you’ll learn:

How to recognize common local species by their unique vocalizations.
Strategies for improving auditory recall in the field.

Instructor: Ryan Mahar is a Teaching Naturalist with MNHC and amateur birder from New England. He took his first birding class in undergrad and fell in love! He holds a master’s degree from the University of Montana in Ecology and Evolution, and received his Montana Master Naturalist certification in 2024.
What to Bring:

Clothes/layers appropriate for changing Montana weather conditions
Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
Good walking footwear- boots or shoes
Bug spray
Water
Snacks

Activity Level:
Easy. Standing and walking for 2 hours. Bathrooms are at the trailhead. We may walk up to 2 miles.
FAQ
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.
