Montana Natural History Center

Drop-In Nature Journaling at MNHC
2025-04-30 11:30 - 13:00, 2025-05-28 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Denver) | 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!

Volunteering at Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden
2025-05-04 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-11 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-18 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-25 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-08 09:00 - 11:00, 2025-06-15 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!

miniNaturalist Pre-K Program
2025-05-05 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-12 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-05-19 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!

Native Plant Garden: Birding Extravaganza in the Fort Garden and River
2025-05-06 09:00 - 11:00 | 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.

Exploring Glacial Lake Missoula in the Bitterroot Valley
2025-05-07 08:30 - 16:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, May 7
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Bus to leave the Montana Natural History Center, 120 Hickory Street, Missoula, at 8:30, return at 4:30. Additional pick-up about 9:30 at the Forest Service, 1801 North First Street, Hamilton (please park in far corner of the lot). Bus is limited to 12 passengers.
Cost: $35
REGISTER HERE
Did you know that some of the landscapes you see in the Bitterroot Valley were created when Glacial Lake Missoula covered the valley as far as Lake Como during the Ice Ages? The flood features are subtle but an essential part of the story. These include lake lines, beach deposits, and erratics. The bus trip will also include a stop at the Ravalli County Museum and will also involve a stop at Lake Como.
Deadline for registration is Monday, May 5th.
Bring your own lunch and water. Some water and snacks will be available.
For questions contact Lynne Dickman, (406) 544-1387
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.

Native Plant Garden: Nature Journaling at the Fort Garden
2025-05-13 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, May 13
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula
Cost: $30 MNHC members/$35 non-members
REGISTER HERE.
Are you curious about how to keep a nature journal? Or are you a seasoned nature journalist looking for some new techniques and ideas? The Fort Garden is a treasure trove of interesting plants and animals with plenty of subject matter to add to a journal. Supplies including paper, pencils, colored pencils, watercolor paint, paintbrushes and magnifying loupes will be provided.
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.

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #1
2025-05-13 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-06-10 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.

MNHC CLOSED for the Spring Luncheon
2025-05-14 | Montana Natural History Center
MNHC is CLOSED today while our staff run our Spring Luncheon and lead 4th-grade field trips!

Spring Luncheon 2025: Learning for a Lifetime
2025-05-14 12:30 - 14:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, May 14th
Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Location: Governor’s Room in the Historic Florence Building, Catering by River and Range.
GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!
Learning for a Lifetime!
Join us for the 13th 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. This year, we will also take advantage of our luncheon location in Missoula’s historic downtown and join field experts on short walking tours (optional) to learn more about our region’s geology, hydrology, wildlife biology, and unique history. Attendees can choose from six different “field trips” at the time of ticket purchase.
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 lifelong learning and curiosity through the lens of an artist, writer, scientist, and naturalist.
All ticket holders will also be entered into a raffle for a chance to win one of five copies of Mariah Gladstone’s cookbook Mountains to Oceans: Kids’ Recipes from Native Land.

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, or click here for more information.

Field Trips Aren’t Just for Kids and Campers!
There is no substitute for hands-on experiences that encourage us to learn more about ourselves, our community, and our environment. And just like our campers, MNHC Spring Luncheon guests have the opportunity to learn, discover, and to take a Field Trip as we explore downtown Missoula like you’ve never seen it before! These short excursions will have you walking away with new curiosities and knowledge about our historic hub’s culture and landscape.
Field Trips 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. There’s a little something for everyone and every interest (please choose only ONE option). Sign-ups are first-come first-serve, so don’t wait to reserve your preferred option.
Field Trips will follow lunch. Each tour is 30-40 minutes long and requires roughly 10 minutes of walking outside (come rain or shine), with the exception of the Wild Wanders option. This field trip remains at the Florence Building.
MNHC is guided by our values that promote learning, growing, and encouraging people to discover new experiences and different environments in our natural world! We hope you will enjoy your Field Trip and never stop learning; never stop exploring our remarkable Montana.
About the Field Trips
1. Birding Under the Beartracks
MNHC Teaching Naturalist Ryan Mahar takes you under the Beartracks Bridge on a guided birding tour. Spring offers unique opportunities to see and hear some of Montana’s most charismatic avifauna, right in the heart of town. The bridge is a great vantage point to spot cliff swallows, yellow warblers, osprey, great blue herons, bald eagles, and common goldeneyes, just to name a few. No experience is required, and all are encouraged to come! Ryan will also offer a few tips on birding by ear for beginning birders.
2. A Geologic Sense of Place
Take a walk with us through Missoula’s ancient past, as we discuss and look at the geologic and biological history written all over its landscape. It is easy to forget that Missoula currently resides at the bottom of what was once an enormous ancient lakebed of one of the most influential geologic features of North America: Glacial Lake Missoula. This lake was so massive that when it finally drained it scarred the majority of three western states, rewriting the ecology and topography of our region. Understanding and remembering these calamities of our not-so-distant past are the crucial key to understanding the context for the beloved natural landscape we enjoy around us today. Led by MNHC Teaching Naturalist Kevin Niehaus.
3. Whoopsie Boop! Arnica Showcase with Wild Wanders
Join Sydney Morical and Cathryn Raan of Wild Wanders to learn about the nitty gritty on Montana’s favorite pain reliever, arnica. We’ll learn how to identify arnica, first aid applications, chronic use cases, and how we craft the most potent medicine. This “field trip” takes place at Governor’s Room in the Florence Building and is a good option for guests with limited mobility or who would prefer to stay inside.
4. What Built This City: Geology
Bruce Baty, geologist and educator, will lead you on this fascinating downtown tour to visit select iconic buildings, learning about both their geologic and cultural history. Bruce will identify the various rocks used in their construction and the stories they tell about Montana’s geology. Gain a fun, fresh perspective on Missoula’s downtown buildings!
5. Carnal Enterprises with Unseen Missoula
While most in Missoula are familiar with the name Mary Gleim or the brief history of Front Street’s “red light district,” many of the district’s stories remain untold, including Gleim’s and her businesses. From 1889-1917, West Front and Main Streets became home to a vibrant “restricted” community of working women, Chinese laborers, African American soldiers, and immigrants who built the environment we as Missoulians have come to love today. This field trip discusses the district through the historical lenses of sex, race, class, and occupation in order to create a broader social understanding against the backdrop of the remaining built environment. Led by Sophia Etier of Unseen Missoula.
6. Clark Fork’s Lost Islands and Hidden Histories
The Clark Fork River is the lifeblood of the landscape and conduit to cultural connection in our region. Comparing what we see today to historical maps and photos, we will rewind the river’s path and discover hidden treasures along the way. Learn about lost islands and a regenerating aquifer, beavers and bull trout and much more. Led by MNHC Naturalist and Community Programs Coordinator Christine Morris.

Scavengers Photography Club
2025-05-15 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.
Photo by Bret Tate
May 15th session welcomes photographer Bret Tate who will explain how to improve our vacation pictures by sharing tips from his own travels. The presentation will include tips on everything from equipment to subjects and composition as well as time for questions. Whether you use a camera or a phone, your family travel pictures will improve after hearing Bret’s presentation.
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!

Birding for Beginners! in Greenough Park
2025-05-20 08:15 - 10:15 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, May 20
Time: 8:15-10:15 a.m.
Location: Meet at Greenough Park picnic shelter parking lot (the second one you come to on Monroe St.)
REGISTER HERE!
Become attuned to the bird life all around you. Through birding tips and bird stories – some wild, some comical, some incredible – you will enter the feathered world of song and drama.
Birdwatching is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the U.S. It can be done anywhere – your backyard, local parks, across the country, or exotic locales. And identifying birds is a challenging and satisfying pastime – or, in the case of instructor Pat Jamieson, an overwhelming passion. With all the variety of birds, where do you begin? Join naturalist, birder, and retired National Bison Range ranger Pat Jamieson for a two-hour walk in Greenough Park, where we will learn how to use field guides, binoculars, and phone apps to identify birds. Best of all, we’ll be out ENJOYING birds! Once you learn to identify birds, you can become part of a growing number of citizen scientists who support conservation of our feathered friends.
Instructor: Pat Jamieson is a retired National Bison Range ranger. While there she taught people of all ages about the flora and fauna of the Bison Range. Pat continues to work with UM, MNHC, and other groups to lead bird programs and tours.
What to Bring:

Clothes appropriate for changing weather conditions – layers, sun or shine, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
Water and snacks
Binoculars (optional, we have some to borrow)
Bird field guide (optional, we have some to borrow)
There are a few free apps from Cornell University that help with birding (Merlin) and with contributing to citizen science (eBird). You can download those on your phone. Pat will demonstrate how to use these if folks want to follow along (optional)

Cost:
$35/$30 MNHC members. Some scholarships are available. Please call 406.327.0405 to inquire.
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.

Mount Jumbo Wildflower Walk
2025-05-20 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, May 20
Time: 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Location: Meet at the Mount Jumbo Lincoln Hills Trailhead
Cost: $40 for MNHC members, $45 for non-members
Taking a field trip from our regular programming at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden. This Tuesday we’ll be exploring Mount Jumbo!
REGISTER HERE.
Mount Jumbo is one of the best places in Missoula to see wildflowers this time of year. We will slowly hike up to the saddle of Mount Jumbo and see up to 25 species of wildflowers, from arrowleaf balsamroot to kittentails and death camas. We will discuss their roles in the landscape for pollinators and other animals and conclude the walk at a unique cushion plant community. The walk is a total of 1 mile.
Please come prepared for some light hiking.
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.

Important Shrubs for a Native Plant Garden
2025-05-27 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, May 27
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Hickory Street Garden (120 Hickory Street)
Cost: $30 MNHC members/$35 non-members
REGISTER HERE.
Did you know that MNHC maintains two native plant gardens? One is located at Fort Missoula and the other is located on the east end of the MNHC building on Hickory Street.
Join us at the Hickory Street Garden for a tour of native shrubs by Elena Ulev. We will focus on species that are garden superstars, how to grow them, where to get them and how insects and birds use these fantastic plants. We will also discuss traditional cultural uses.
DIG IN! For more information on garden programs happening at MNHC, 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.

Summer 2025 Master Naturalist Certification Course
2025-06-02 09:00 - 16:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Summer (June) 2025 Master Naturalist Certification Course
MONDAY, June 2, to FRIDAY, June 6, 2025.
Our certification courses consist of at least 40 hours of instruction in a mix of lectures, in-class labs, and outdoor field trips. We’ll cover a wide breadth of topics with the goal of giving you an essential foundation of skill and knowledge on which you can build. Our summer session will focus on flower plants, birds, and insects.
REGISTER HERE!
This is a five-day intensive course held in the summer each year. Class meets from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.
This class is compressed into a short window of time so we will delve deeply into three subjects. Our focus will be on learning the core skills of identification of: 1) flowers, shrubs and trees, 2) birds, and 3) insects. Instruction will also include time on local geology, mammals, fire ecology, and riparian ecology.
Instructors:
Christine Morris, Community Programs Coordinator and naturalist. Christine teaches the spring and fall Montana Master Naturalist courses, the Certified Interpretive Guide course, and coordinates adult programs and lectures.
Guest instructors may include Elena Ulev, naturalist, and Geoff Farinholt, BLM.
We’ll take full advantage of the summer season and spend most of our time afield. We will spend time in the cottonwood galleries of the river’s floodplain and venture to the conifer forest in Pattee Canyon. Get a handle on plant identification by recognizing patterns in form, catch and identify butterflies along the Clark Fork River, and recognize birds by song and sight.
“The course has helped me to be more curious, observant, and connected with my surroundings. I’ve met people who share this passion, their experiences, and curiosity with whom I can wander and wonder.”– 2023 Program participant
Master Naturalist Certification Requirements:

The main project for this class is keeping a detailed naturalist handbook with species list. To get the most out of your experience, you should expect to spend a little time in the afternoon reviewing and organizing your daily notes, and tracking your observations.
Full attendance.
Complete the culminating exercise.

Please Note:
This is a university-level class. A significant amount of information is covered in 5 days. It is fun!—but also work to be proud of and take seriously.
Sample June Itinerary: Monday (flowering plants at Pattee Canyon), Tuesday (birds at Lee Metcalf), Wednesday (conifers and ecology at Lolo pass), Thursday (Insects at Greenough Park), Friday (Final exercise).
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

Cost: $425 for members; $450 for non-members
We are able to offer some scholarships. Please contact us at 406.327.0405 for details.
2 University of Montana credits available, pending approval. This course is listed at UM ENST 391. A $155 fee is required to the School of Extended and Lifelong Learning to take the class for credit. Payment and information will be collected at the first class.
Full payment due upon registration. The course fee (minus a $100 administrative fee) is refundable ONLY if a cancellation is made 30 days before the first day of class. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. Exceptions will be made for air quality due to wildfires. Read our full cancellation/refund policy.

Shinrin-Yoku in the Fort Garden
2025-06-03 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, June 3
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula
Cost: $30 MNHC members/$35 non-members
REGISTER HERE.
Shinrin-Yoku is also known as “Forest Bathing” and is a mindfulness practice developed by the Japanese. It helps to relieve stress and connect us to nature. We will use all of our senses and explore techniques to find things in nature that bring us peace and happiness.
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.

First Friday: Interactive Drawing and Illustration Session with Jason C. Poole
2025-06-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: Free!
Come and join paleontologist and artist Jason Poole for a live drawing and illustration session, where he’ll share tips and tricks for drawing dinosaurs, fossils, and other wild creatures. First Friday guests are invited to participate and practice new learned skills and enjoy an exhibit featuring Jason’s artwork. Jason is also signing copies of his education and coloring book, Dinosaurs Behaving Badly.
Curious artists, illustrators, and wildlife enthusiasts of all ages are welcome!
Drinks and light refreshments provided.
About Jason C. Poole: Jason has worn many hats, Adjunct Professor of Paleontology, Scientific Illustrator, art teacher, and Paleontology field instructor. Jason has excavated dinosaurs on three continents, including Africa, South and North America. Paralititan, Dreadnoughtus and Suuwassea are three dinosaurs worked on by Poole, all were new to science when discovered and two of which are supermassive titanosaurs. Poole is also a Paleontological Artist who has published in National Geographic and whose art work appears in many museum and private collections.
Jason resides in Missoula Montana and can often be found sketching in the studio and the great outdoors.

Nature Writing "Hush Hour(s)"
2025-06-09 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 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.

Dig Your Own Native Shrub Sale
2025-06-10 09:00 - 11:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Tuesday, June 10
Time: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Location: Native Plant Garden at Fort Missoula
Cost: $30 MNHC members/$35 non-members
REGISTER HERE.
This class includes instruction for successful transplanting, and as many chokecherry, snowberry, golden currant seedlings as you like! Bring a bucket or several large plastic bags for your new plants!
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.

Scavengers Photography Club
2025-06-12 18:00 - 20:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
This event typically occurs on the third Thursday of the month. June 12 is a special time.
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 Neil Chaput de Saintonge
On June 12th, we’ll be joined by photographer, teacher and Rocky Mountain School of Photography founder Neil Chaput de Saintonge to talk about photographing birds. He will cover everything from recommended gear to exposure and focus. Included will be Neil’s top 10 tips for photographing stationary birds and flying birds. Join us and learn how to improve your bird pictures.
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!

Native Plant Garden Tour
2025-06-14 10:00 - 16:00 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Saturday, June 14
Time: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
(Tour ends between 2:00-4:00 p.m., depending on time spent at each garden)
Location: This tour begins at Rocky Mountain Gardens (at the Missoula Fairgrounds) and ends at the Montana Natural History Center (120 Hickory Street)
Cost: FREE, but please register
Join MNHC and Missoula County Department of Ecology & Extension for a wonderful afternoon exploring Missoula’s native plant gardens!
REGISTER HERE!
Native plant gardens promote pollinators, birds, and biodiversity, all while reducing the need for water. On this tour, you’ll visit five different native gardens in Missoula to help inspire you to create your own native plant garden. Learn about what species to use in your garden, where you can find native plants, and best care practices to help your garden thrive! The tour starts at 10:00 AM at the Rocky Mountain Gardens (at the Missoula Fairground). This is a self-driven tour, so you can move through the gardens at your leisure (more information will be provided for registrants). The day ends at MNHC’s Nature Adventure Garden at our Hickory Street location around 2:00-4:00 p.m. where we’ll toast our day with a cool drink!
This tour is available FREE to participants, thanks to a grant from the Montana Native Plant Society and the Missoula Conservation District.
DIG IN! For more information on programs happening at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Garden, click here!
FAQs
Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
Nope! We will have a list of all the attendees.

Sea of Grass: Reading and Signing with David Hage and Josephine Marcotty
2025-06-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Montana Natural History Center
Date: Wednesday, June 18
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Location: Montana Natural History Center
Cost: FREE
In partnership with Fact & Fiction Books, please join us for a reading and book signing with authors of Sea of Grass: The Conquest, Ruin, and Redemption of Nature on the American Prairie, Dave Hage and Josephine Marcotty. The evening also includes conversation with writer, Richard Manning.
Sea of Grass is a vivid portrait of the American prairie, which rivals the rainforest in its biological diversity and, with little notice, is disappearing even faster.
“This book describes—in loving, living prose—one of the world’s greatest and most important landscapes. And it does so while there’s still time to save some serious part of it.”—Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
About the Authors:
Dave Hage oversaw environmental and health reporting at the Minneapolis Star Tribune for a dozen years, editing projects that won a Pulitzer Prize and an Edward R. Murrow Award, among other honors. His previous books include No Retreat, No Surrender: Labor’s War at Hormel, and Reforming Welfare by Rewarding Work. A Minneapolis native, he lives in St. Paul with his wife.
Josephine Marcotty is an award-winning environmental journalist who has spent her life in the Midwest. She was a reporter for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she covered complex, science-based topics. Sea of Grass is a natural expansion of her reporting on the vanishing prairie and the consequences of intensive agriculture. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband.
About the Author in Conversation:
Author of ten books including: If It Sounds Good, It Is Good, Rewilding the West, and Against the Grain. Richard Manning was featured in Best American Science and Nature Writing, 2010 and Best American Travel Writing of 2017. He has worked as a consultant on agriculture, poverty and the environment. He is a freelance magazine writer and a contributing editor for Harper’s magazine. He has essays and articles published in The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and Audubon. He is the winner of various science, environmental and investigative journalism awards. He studied at Stanford University, University of Michigan and University of Montana. He is a musician and mountain trail runner. Richard lives in Montana with his wife Tracy Stone-Manning, president of the Wilderness Society.
