Montana Natural History Center

Native Plant Garden: Birding Extravaganza in the Fort Garden and River
2025-05-06 09:00 - 11:00 (America/Denver) | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, May 6
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula
Cost: $30 MNHC members/$35 non-members
REGISTER HERE.
The migratory birds have returned to Montana! It’s breeding season and the garden and the adjacent river habitat have a wonderful symphony of sounds. One can easily hear and see 30 species of birds here, including a nesting osprey and house wrens, gray catbirds and warblers. We will bird in the garden then walk down to the river to see waterfowl, raptors and woodpeckers.
DIG IN! For more information on programs happening at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, click here!
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.

miniNaturalist Pre-K Program
2025-05-05 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-04-28 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-04-21 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-04-14 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-04-07 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-03-31 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-03-24 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-03-17 10:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
The miniNaturalist pre-K program encourages curiosity for the natural world.
Dates: Every Monday, 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!

Volunteering at Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden
2025-05-04 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Dates: Sundays, starting April 27-July 13
(There is no volunteering on the dates June 1, June 22, and July 6th)
Time: 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Location: Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden
The beautiful Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula could use volunteers to weed, transplant plants out of the walkways and prune shrubs. Volunteering is available every Sunday morning from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and you can pop in and out any time during that period. We will supply the gloves and tools but if you have your own feel free to bring them. In addition to working, you can learn about the plants, birds and ecology of the garden from Elena Ulev, the Garden Manager.
DIG IN! For more information on programs happening at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, click here!

Drop-In Nature Journaling at MNHC
2025-04-30 11:30 - 13:00, 2025-03-26 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 in the new year? We’re excited to offer monthly drop-in nature journaling / phenology wheel / nature writing sessions this year. 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!

Open AIR Artist Presentation: Amanda Baker
2025-04-29 16:00 - 18:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, April 29th
Time: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: FREE, but registration is appreciated.
MNHC is excited to host Open Air Artist Amanda Baker! Amanda will be in residence at MNHC starting in early April until early May.
Amanda Baker (b.1994) is a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. She received an MFA in printmaking from Pratt Institute in 2024, and a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2016. Her work investigates 19th-century naturalist illustration through a contemporary print-based lens. Amanda has been a former artist in residence at COPE NYC, has curated and shown work in numerous group exhibitions, and was a 2023 Pratt Graduate Student Engagement Fund recipient. She also participates in various NYC-based bird and wildlife conservation advocacy groups and teaches community printmaking workshops.
ARTIST PRESENTATION
Join Amanda at MNHC for a presentation on Tuesday, April 29th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. This presentation is followed by refreshments and is a chance to mingle and meet the artist. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is appreciated. Click here for registration details.

Native Plant Garden: Wildflowers
2025-04-29 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, April 29
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula
Cost: $30 MNHC members/$35 non-members
REGISTER HERE.
The early season wildflowers are starting to bloom in the garden with happy pops of purple, yellow and white. We will focus on how to identify them using the patterns method of identification. This type of identification is fast, fun, and easy and can help you to recognize flower species on any continent.
DIG IN! For more information on programs happening at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, click here!
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.

Volunteering at Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden
2025-04-27 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Dates: Sundays, starting April 27-July 13
(There is no volunteering on the dates June 1, June 22, and July 6th)
Time: 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
Location: Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden
Note: Free, all ages welcomed, no dogs please
The beautiful Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula could use volunteers to weed, transplant plants out of the walkways and prune shrubs. Volunteering is available Sunday mornings from 9:00-11:00 a.m. and you can pop in and out any time during that period. We will supply the gloves and tools but if you have your own feel free to bring them. In addition to working, you can learn about the plants, birds and ecology of the garden from Elena Ulev, the Garden Manager.
Volunteer days begin April 27th and will be most Sundays until July 13. After July 13th, volunteering will start back up again in the fall, depending on conditions. Stay tuned for updates.
APRIL 27th is Volunteer Kick Off! A new growing season has begun and there are lots of ways to help out in the beautiful and tranquil Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula. We will meet at the garden to see what projects need to be done for the next several months from pruning shrubs to transplanting plants and weeding.
DIG IN! For more information on programs happening at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, click here!

Stories on the Landscape: National Association of Interpretation Workshop
2025-04-23 - 2025-04-26 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: April 23-26 (You can register for a one-day event, or join us for the full workshop.)
Location: Holiday Inn Downtown Missoula + Field Trips
Cost: Day price: $175. Week price: $350 for members, $425 for non-members
Price includes all food, experiences, materials, transportation, swag, a t-shirt
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Discover, Explore, and Connect at the NAI Heartland Region Workshop in Missoula!
Join us for an unforgettable experience at the NAI Heartland Region Workshop, April 23-26, 2025, in the heart of Missoula! Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, educator, or simply love exploring Montana’s rich landscapes and stories, this event is packed with engaging activities, expert-led sessions, immersive field trips, and dynamic keynote speakers designed for all.
You don’t have to be an interpreter to enjoy this workshop—you just have to love nature, history, and adventure! Teachers, scientists, artists, or anyone who loves exploring Montana are invited to this unique event to experience fascinating field days, thought-provoking discussions, and meaningful connections.
Why Stories on the Landscape?: Our region’s landscape is rich in stories that provide context for the way the world looks today. The mountains, waterways, ecosystems, habitats, flora, and fauna we see around us are all shaped by these stories. These elements of the landscape, in turn, influence humans: where we live, how we travel and recreate, and the history of our settlements. Just as learning our family history can inform our sense of self, learning the stories of our region can provide the foundation for understanding our landscape, its plant and animal communities, and our place within it.
Why Attend?

Inspiring Keynotes: Hear from Mariah Gladstone, founder of IndigiKitchen, on Indigenous foodways and landscape interpretation, and Kallie Moore, paleontologist and PBS Eons co-host, as she uncovers Missoula’s prehistoric past.
Hands-On Learning: Engage in expert-led concurrent sessions on Thursday and Saturday, covering interpretation, storytelling, and conservation topics. Plus, browse exhibits from over a dozen organizations providing tools and services for educators and outdoor professionals.
Immersive Field Trips: Friday’s trips include exploring Indigenous food traditions, visiting ranching heritage sites, uncovering Missoula’s unseen history, and experiencing the Bison Range and conservation work on the Flathead Reservation.

Special Film & Discussion Night – Wednesday
Kick off the workshop with a screening of Life in the Land: The Seeley-Swan Region, a powerful film about rural Montana communities collaborating on conservation and land management. Filmmaker Lara Tomov will lead a discussion on ethical storytelling and working with communities to honor their message.
Evening Adventures in Missoula – Thursday Night
From a pub crawl and mural scavenger hunt to a Sip & Sketch rooftop session and a screening of the 1955 Western classic Timberjack, there’s something for everyone! Plus, your registration includes a ticket to the International Wildlife Film Festival, featuring stunning nature films at the historic Roxy Theater.
Forestry Day at Fort Missoula – Saturday
Experience the 28th Annual Forestry Day at Historic Fort Missoula, where you’ll see expert competitors take on axe throwing, log rolling, pole climbing, and more! Enjoy antique logging equipment demonstrations, a beer garden, food trucks, and a live steam-powered sawmill in action—all included with your registration.
Closing Banquet & Celebration – Friday Night
Wrap up the week with a lively banquet featuring an auction, local craft brews, and live music—a true Montana send-off!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
For those who want to volunteer, you can get $50 off their registration price.
For those out coming from outside of Missoula, you can book a stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown Missoula. Government employees even get a room discount!
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Registration Instructions
While MNHC is hosting this amazing workshop, the leading organization behind the event is the National Association of Interpretation. As such, we ask interested participants and our members to register through their platform. We’ve included instructions for how to do so. If there are any questions upon registering, please reach out to workshop chair Jennifer Robinson at jrobinson@montananaturalist.org.
1. You must create an account through the National Association of Interpretation in order to register for the workshop. To create an account, click here. Fill in the required fields.
2. Once you have a user name and password, make sure you are logged in and navigate to the registration page of this workshop, which is hosted online by the National Association of Interpretation. You know you are logged in if you are not prompted to log in once you are at the registration page.
3. Scroll down the page, and select whether you would like to register for the full workshop (Wednesday – Saturday), or just a single day. Make your selection.

Full registration for NAI members is $350.
If you are not a member, registering for the workshop includes a discounted membership. The $425 fee includes a 1 year membership to NAI plus full workshop registration.
A single day registration for an NAI member is $130.
A single day registration for a non-member is $175.

4. What comes with registration? Full registration includes all meals, experiences, gifts, transportation, supplies, and materials from Wednesday – Saturday. Single day registration includes all meals, experiences, gifts, transportation, supplies, and materials for the day you register for.
5. Fill out the fields for dietary restrictions (if applicable for you), emergency contact, and check the buttons for events you plan to attend if you are a full workshop recipient. If you are only registering for a single day, check the correct buttons for the day you are registering.
6. Look to the bottom right of the screen. Click on the blue button to save your responses. If you do not save your responses and try to navigate to the next screen, your responses will be reset and you will have to fill out the fields again.
7. After saving your responses, scroll down again. There is an optional donation section. Under that, you may select an off-site field trip experience if your registration includes Friday, April 25th. Full registration includes a field trip on Friday. If you sign up for a single day and that day is Friday, please ensure to select your field trip choice.
8. Choose your meal option for the field trip day if applicable.
9. Scroll back up the page and click on the blue button to continue your registration and submit payment.

Earth Day Garden Tour
2025-04-22 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, April 22
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula
Cost: $10 suggested donation
REGISTER HERE.
Celebrate Earth Day with a tour of the Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula with Garden Manager and Montana Master Naturalist, Elena Ulev. We’ll check out what’s popped up after our long winter, listen for migratory birds that have just arrived and discuss numerous upcoming classes and opportunities for volunteering in the garden. Cookies and drinks provided.
DIG IN! For more information on programs happening at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, click here!

Scavengers Photography Club
2025-04-17 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-03-20 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.
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.
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!

Resilient Recreation - Partners & Public Lands Seminar Series
2025-04-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Resilient Recreation: Exploring a Community Driven Approach to Recreation Management
Date: Wednesday, April 16
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free! But please register
FREE REGISTRATION HERE!
PARTNERS & PUBLIC LANDS SEMINAR SERIES: Conversations with BLM Missoula Field Office
Featuring BLM speakers and Marley Held-Wilson and Clancy Jandreau of the Blackfoot Challenge
Whether you’re floating the Blackfoot River, finding a place to hunt on opening weekend of hunting season, or taking the family camping – recreation is a benefit we all enjoy. BLM is working with our fellow land management agencies and Blackfoot Challenge to understand public land uses and how best to respond to impacts from recreation. Come learn how you can be part of a community driven approach to recreation stewardship, and the work Blackfoot Challenge is doing to understand the community’s vision for public lands!
The Missoula Field Office, Bureau of Land Management is excited to announce the “Partners & Public Lands” seminar series! Hosted by the Montana Natural History Center, staff from BLM will be teaming up with our partners to share some of our common treatment activities and deep dive into the “why” behind these land restoration actions. In this 4-part series, we’ll share about forest management, riparian treatments, recreation management, and BLM’s new co-stewardship partnership with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes.
February 12 – Counting Bunny Poop – How Forest Thinning Treatments Impact Wildlife Habitat; with special guests from The Nature Conservancy and University of Montana
March 19 – Busy Beavers – Using Low Tech Stream Restoration Techniques to Restore Riparian Areas; with special guests from Trout Unlimited and others TBA
April 16 – Recreation Resiliency – Exploring a Community-Driven Approach to Recreation Stewardship; featuring Blackfoot Challenge
May 21 – Tribal Reconnections – Sharing BLM & CSKT’s Tribal Co-stewardship Partnership and what this means for land management; featuring partners from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe

Printmaking Workshop with Open AIR Artist Amanda Baker
2025-04-16 13:00 - 16:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, April 16th
Time: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: FREE, but a suggested donation is appreciated! Registration required.
MNHC is excited to host Open Air Artist Amanda Baker! Amanda will be in residence at MNHC starting in early April until early May.
Amanda Baker (b.1994) is a Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist and educator. She received an MFA in printmaking from Pratt Institute in 2024, and a BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2016. Her work investigates 19th-century naturalist illustration through a contemporary print-based lens. Amanda has been a former artist in residence at COPE NYC, has curated and shown work in numerous group exhibitions, and was a 2023 Pratt Graduate Student Engagement Fund recipient. She also participates in various NYC-based bird and wildlife conservation advocacy groups and teaches community printmaking workshops.
WORKSHOP
Amanda is hosting a printmaking workshop at MNHC on April 16th. This workshop brings naturalist illustration and printmaking traditions into a contemporary context. Participants of all experience levels will draw an animal or specimen from the museum’s collection and translate that drawing into a linoleum block print.
Participants will be guided through drawing specimens from the museum’s collection, carving images into easy-carve linoleum blocks, applying ink, and pressing their images onto heavyweight printmaking paper.
Audience: This workshop is suitable for all ages 12+. Please bring your grown-up if you are under 16.
What to bring: Everything you need will be provided!
Cost: The workshop is free, but a suggested donation is appreciated!
Registration: Registration is required and will close 24 hours before the workshop begins. Click here to register.
ARTIST PRESENTATION
You can also join Amanda at MNHC for a presentation on Tuesday, April 29th from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. This evening is followed by refreshments and is a chance to mingle and meet the artist. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is appreciated. Click here for registration details.

CANCELED - Nature Writing "Hush Hour(s)"
2025-04-14 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
*Due to illness, April 14th’s Nature Writing “Hush Hour(s)” is canceled. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you at the next session!
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 #1
2025-04-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-03-11 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.

Montana Conversations: Connecting to Land Through an Indigenous Lens with Lailani Upham
2025-04-07 17:45 - 20:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Monday, April 7th
Time: 5:45 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Missoula Public Library, Cooper Room B on the 4th floor
Cost: FREE and open to the public, but please register! $10 suggested donation*
In participation with Humanities Montana, the Montana Natural History Center is excited to host the Montana Conversations program “Connecting to Land Through an Indigenous Lens” with Lailani Upham.
REGISTER HERE.
Indigenous stories offer a unique way to understand the power of the natural world and our human connections to it. Through discussion about indigenous peoples’ ways of life, value systems, tribal languages, and stories created long before Montana was established in 1889, participants learn about a personal, soulful relationship to our natural world. Participants also better understand how these elements sustain our identity through history and in modern times. How can our tribal stories and ways of knowing elevate others in their understanding of identity? Participants walk away with a fresh look at who they are and appreciation for the landscape from time immemorial. Audience members ponder responsibility and stewardship to the earth through a tribal lens and discuss ways to act for future generations and our natural world relations.
Event features a screening of the film Life in the Land: Amskapi Piikani, produced by produced by Lara Tomov with Stories for Action, and co-produced by Lailani Upham of Iron Shield Creative.
Amskapi Piikani [People of the Blackfeet Nation] have interacted with every element of this landscape, across much of what is today known as Montana, since time immemorial. This area of Northwest Montana, home to the Blackfeet Nation, stands the mountains which Piikani refer to as the “backbone of the world”. Hear unique perspectives from Amskapi Piikani as they carry on the holistic approaches and reciprocal relationships that have always been a part of their culture and traditions, in ways that empower their community as they move into the future.
About Lailani Upham: Lailani Upham is an Amskapi Pikuni (Blackfeet Nation) tribal member, and a descendent from the Aaniiih, Nakoda, and Dakota tribes. She is journalist, educator and business developer in indigenous stories and culture.
Please note that this program is NOT at MNHC! We’ll be gathering at the Missoula Public Library, in Cooper Room B on the 4th floor.

*Update 4.3.2025: Today, it was announced that Humanities Montana has lost their federal funding. We are very sorry to share this news, which means important programs like Montana Conversations are no longer supported by their grants and resources. MNHC was able to offer this program for free to the public, because of our partnership with Humanities Montana. And because of the generosity of our community members, we are still able to offer this event. In order to subsidize the costs of this program, we are asking for a suggested $10 donation. Thank you!

First Friday: Lives and Lessons of Zoo Animals
2025-04-04 17:00 - 19:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: April 4, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Join us for a First Friday event with artist and student Nicole Emlen, as she shares her photography series Lives and Lessons of Zoo Animals. Nicole will provide a brief introduction about her project and about the future of her work. Come meet the artist, and enjoy an inspiring night at MNHC!
Light snacks and beverages provided.
From “Lives and Lessons of Zoo Animals” series by Nicole Emlen
About Nicole Emlen:
I am a graduating senior at the University of Montana studying Biology. Biology has always been part of my story. I see beauty and diversity in every life form—from grizzly bears to wood frogs, crane flies, and glacier lilies. I have been privileged to grow up surrounded by science, and I’m in the process of cultivating my own relationship with it. For me, science and biology are intertwined with art and self-expression.
Photography helps me capture some of the beauty that exists in the world and share what I see with others. Beauty is all around us, whether we notice it or not, and photographs give us a chance to study nature with a perspective we couldn’t get in real time. I hope to curate curiosity with my photographs and inspire people to ask questions, rather than dismissing something because it’s gross or scary or cute.
I aspire to work with animals, either at a zoo, sanctuary, or educational non-profit. It is unfortunate that so many animals are in captivity, and while many are there for good reasons, it means they won’t live like they could in the wild. My goal is to make the life of every individual I work with better in some way and share their stories with the world. There is so much we can learn from other forms of life, and I strive to listen when they
speak.

"Booming" to Lee Metcalf NWR with Birder/Author Sneed Collard
2025-03-29 09:00 - 13:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Saturday, March 29
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Meet at MNHC to bus or carpool with MNHC staff at 9:00 a.m. or at Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge at 10:00 a.m.
Cost: $50 for MNHC members, $55 for non-members (some scholarships available – call 406.327.0405 for more information)
REGISTER HERE
Enjoy an early spring birding trip to one of western Montana’s premier birding locations with veteran birder Sneed Collard, author of the new book Birding for Boomers—and Everyone Else Brave Enough to Embrace the World’s Most Rewarding and Frustrating Activity. The trip will focus on waterfowl, raptors, and early spring migrants as well as our resident year-round species, and is appropriate for birders of all ages and abilities. Along the way, Sneed will share a flock of birding tips for beginning birders and those with special challenges.
Sneed’s Birding for Boomers was recently recognized as a 2024 Honor Book by the Montana Book Award!
Instructor: Sneed B. Collard III is the author of more than one hundred books for children and adults including Birding for Boomers; Warblers & Woodpeckers: A Father-Son Big Year of Birding; and his recent picture book Border Crossings, which won the prestigious Orbis Pictus Award for the best nonfiction children’s book of 2023.
What to Bring:

Clothes/layers appropriate for changing Montana weather conditions. In spring, anything can happen!
Walking shoes or boots
Water/snacks
Binoculars (optional, we have some to borrow)
Writing implement and journal (optional)
Whatever you need to be comfortable walking, standing, and being outside in the elements for two hours

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.

Naturalist Trivia Night!
2025-03-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: March 27, 2025
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
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. MNHC teaching naturalist Ryan Mahar is running the show. March’s theme is beetles!! 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 (guess that bird call!).
After each round the answers are divulged and a score for each team is displayed.
Two hours later there will be a winner!

Online Field Notes Writing Workshop, 6-Part Class - Spring 2025
2025-03-18 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual Zoom Classroom
Location: Virtual Classroom on Zoom
Dates: Tuesdays, March 18, 25, and April 1, 8, 15, 22
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!).
Course fee includes a copy of our beautiful 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’ll read and discuss several of these Field Notes in class, and the rest of the book is yours to enjoy at your leisure.
Cost: $225 MNHC members, $245 non-members. You can add your MNHC membership to your order when you check out.
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.
*The cost of the Field Notes book is non-refundable (if you cancel after you’ve received the book).
*If you are unable to pick up the book from the Montana Natural History Center, we will ship it to you for an additional fee. (Choose the Field Notes Book Shipping add-on when you check out.)

Busy Beavers - Partners & Public Lands Seminar Series
2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Busy Beavers: Using Low-tech Stream Restoration Techniques to Restore Riparian Areas
Date: Wednesday, March 12
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free! But please register.
FREE REGISTRATION HERE!
PARTNERS & PUBLIC LANDS SEMINAR SERIES: Conversations with BLM Missoula Field Office
Featuring Speakers Claire Romanko (BLM), Tess Scanlon (Trout Unlimited), and more TBA
Beavers are having a moment. Scientists and land managers alike have caught the beaver fever. As you’ll hear from BLM and partners with Trout Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, and Clark Fork Coalition, there are many merits to using low-tech process-based restoration techniques for stream restoration to help restore stream function and hold back the snowpack for greater drought resiliency.
We’ll share the science behind these treatments, and some of our recent project success stories.
Enjoy a complimentary beer with the lecture!
The Missoula Field Office, Bureau of Land Management is excited to announce the “Partners & Public Lands” seminar series! Hosted by the Montana Natural History Center, staff from BLM will be teaming up with our partners to share some of our common treatment activities and deep dive into the “why” behind these land restoration actions. In this 4-part series, we’ll share about forest management, riparian treatments, recreation management, and BLM’s new co-stewardship partnership with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes.
February 12 – Counting Bunny Poop – How Forest Thinning Treatments Impact Wildlife Habitat; with special guests from The Nature Conservancy and University of Montana
March 12 – Busy Beavers – Using Low Tech Stream Restoration Techniques to Restore Riparian Areas; with special guests from Trout Unlimited and others TBA
April 16 – Recreation Resiliency – Exploring a Community-Driven Approach to Recreation Stewardship; featuring Blackfoot Challenge
May 21 – Tribal Reconnections – Sharing BLM & CSKT’s Tribal Co-stewardship Partnership and what this means for land management; featuring partners from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe
