April 2020
CANCELLED – Wildflower Art Lecture with the Native Plant Society
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. DATE: Thursday, April 9 TIME: 7:00 p.m. LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center The Clark Fork Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society is hosting a Wildflower Art lecture at the Montana Natural History Center! Stephanie Frostad, Kristi Hager, Kendahl Jan Jub, Rosella Mosteller, and Nancy Seiler will present their wildflower art in an illustrated program and tell us stories about their art and the flowers. This lecture will get you ready for spring flower viewing…
Find out more »CANCELED – Saturday Kids’ Activity: Explore the Watershed
Due to concerns about COVID-19, Saturday Kids' Activities are canceled until further notice. Stay healthy, friends! Come by and explore our Clark Fork river watershed with a fun interactive floor model. Move people, trees, buildings, and animals around on the map as you learn about the many interrelated parts of our watershed. You can see where the Clark Fork begins, which mountains drain water into our local rivers and learn about human impacts. Create your own beautiful map of the…
Find out more »CANCELED – Saturday Kids’ Activity: Explore the Watershed
Due to concerns about COVID-19, Saturday Kids' Activities are canceled until further notice. Stay healthy, friends! Come by and explore our Clark Fork river watershed with a fun interactive floor model. Move people, trees, buildings, and animals around on the map as you learn about the many interrelated parts of our watershed. You can see where the Clark Fork begins, which mountains drain water into our local rivers and learn about human impacts. Create your own beautiful map of the…
Find out more »Sip and Sketch: LIVE Hawk Gesture Drawing
DATE: Wednesday, April 29 TIME: 7:00-9:00 p.m. LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center Grinnell, a beautiful red-tailed hawk, will be our special live model for this Sip and Sketch evening. She will be accompanied by her handler and falconer Everett Headley. We will get started with an introduction to gesture drawing with our resident artist and naturalist Jenah Mead. Gesture drawing captures poses, movement, and shape with quick sketches. After a bit of practice Grinnell will arrive to model for additional sketches…
Find out more »May 2020
Stories in Stones: Rock Identification and Geology Primer 4-Part Class
DATES: Wednesdays May 6, 13, 20, 27 TIME: 12:00-1:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch if you like. LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center Take a learning lunch break! Geologist Bruce Baty provides lectures and hands-on activities to illustrate geologic principals during this fascinating series. You will practice recognizing different types of igneous rocks through study and sorting, get a primer on common mineral composition, discover how rock changes through metamorphism, and find out how landscape features are the key to understanding the past. The…
Find out more »Nature Photography 4-Part Course
DATES: May 7, 14, 21, 28 TIME: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. LOCATIONS: Meet at the Montana Natural History Center for the first 3 classes. Meet at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography for the last class on the 23, 216 N. Higgins Ave. We will travel to field sites in the MNHC bus. Learn nature photography techniques from the masters and take your skills to the next level in this 4-part, 16 hour course. You will travel to beautiful locations including…
Find out more »Saturday Kids’ Activity: Insect Investigations
Spring brings insect investigations! Learn about insect body plans and lifestyles. Models, puppets, and - best of all - collecting materials will be available for use. Find out how to identify an insect and where you might find one. Then borrow some bug catchers and try your luck in our Nature Adventure Garden. Use a field guide outside or bring what you find back in for an identification before letting it go. Drop in anytime between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.…
Find out more »Stories in Stones: Rock Identification and Geology Primer 4-Part Class
DATES: Wednesdays May 6, 13, 20, 27 TIME: 12:00-1:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch if you like. LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center Take a learning lunch break! Geologist Bruce Baty provides lectures and hands-on activities to illustrate geologic principals during this fascinating series. You will practice recognizing different types of igneous rocks through study and sorting, get a primer on common mineral composition, discover how rock changes through metamorphism, and find out how landscape features are the key to understanding the past. The…
Find out more »Nature Photography 4-Part Course
DATES: May 7, 14, 21, 28 TIME: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. LOCATIONS: Meet at the Montana Natural History Center for the first 3 classes. Meet at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography for the last class on the 23, 216 N. Higgins Ave. We will travel to field sites in the MNHC bus. Learn nature photography techniques from the masters and take your skills to the next level in this 4-part, 16 hour course. You will travel to beautiful locations including…
Find out more »Stories in Stones: Rock Identification and Geology Primer 4-Part Class
DATES: Wednesdays May 6, 13, 20, 27 TIME: 12:00-1:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch if you like. LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center Take a learning lunch break! Geologist Bruce Baty provides lectures and hands-on activities to illustrate geologic principals during this fascinating series. You will practice recognizing different types of igneous rocks through study and sorting, get a primer on common mineral composition, discover how rock changes through metamorphism, and find out how landscape features are the key to understanding the past. The…
Find out more »Nature Photography 4-Part Course
DATES: May 7, 14, 21, 28 TIME: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. LOCATIONS: Meet at the Montana Natural History Center for the first 3 classes. Meet at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography for the last class on the 23, 216 N. Higgins Ave. We will travel to field sites in the MNHC bus. Learn nature photography techniques from the masters and take your skills to the next level in this 4-part, 16 hour course. You will travel to beautiful locations including…
Find out more »Saturday Kids’ Activity: Insect Investigations
Spring brings insect investigations! Learn about insect body plans and lifestyles. Models, puppets, and - best of all - collecting materials will be available for use. Find out how to identify an insect and where you might find one. Then borrow some bug catchers and try your luck in our Nature Adventure Garden. Use a field guide outside or bring what you find back in for an identification before letting it go. Drop in anytime between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.…
Find out more »Stories in Stones: Rock Identification and Geology Primer 4-Part Class
DATES: Wednesdays May 6, 13, 20, 27 TIME: 12:00-1:30 p.m. Bring a sack lunch if you like. LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center Take a learning lunch break! Geologist Bruce Baty provides lectures and hands-on activities to illustrate geologic principals during this fascinating series. You will practice recognizing different types of igneous rocks through study and sorting, get a primer on common mineral composition, discover how rock changes through metamorphism, and find out how landscape features are the key to understanding the past. The…
Find out more »Nature Photography 4-Part Course
DATES: May 7, 14, 21, 28 TIME: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. LOCATIONS: Meet at the Montana Natural History Center for the first 3 classes. Meet at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography for the last class on the 23, 216 N. Higgins Ave. We will travel to field sites in the MNHC bus. Learn nature photography techniques from the masters and take your skills to the next level in this 4-part, 16 hour course. You will travel to beautiful locations including…
Find out more »miniNaturalist Pre-K Program
MiniNaturalists is cancelled on Thursday, October 17 due to jury duty. Come see us again next week! The miniNaturalist Pre-K Program engages young children in the exploration of the natural world through fun, hands-on activities and games. Emphasis is on observation, sensory skills, and imagination to cultivate a positive connection with nature at an age when children are just beginning to investigate the world around them. Each month features a new theme: January: Animals in Winter February: Diggin’ Dinos and Fossils March: Wild…
Find out more »June 2020
Plants in the Park with Peter Lesica
June 6 10:00-4:00 Meet at the Montana Natural History Center Greenough Park along Rattlesnake Creek is one of Missoula’s crown jewels. Spend the day with botanist Peter Lesica learning the flowers, trees and shrubs and their ecology found in this accessible riparian area. Greenough has a lovely variety of plants to behold in late spring; some of them rare in Montana. We will start at the Montana Natural History Center and then travel to the park on the MNHC bus. This class…
Find out more »Summer Master Naturalist Course
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. June 8-12, 2020 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. This is a five-day intensive course held in June each year. Class meets from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Christine Morris, Community Programs Coordinator at the…
Find out more »Summer Master Naturalist Course
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. June 8-12, 2020 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. This is a five-day intensive course held in June each year. Class meets from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Christine Morris, Community Programs Coordinator at the…
Find out more »Summer Master Naturalist Course
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. June 8-12, 2020 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. This is a five-day intensive course held in June each year. Class meets from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Christine Morris, Community Programs Coordinator at the…
Find out more »Summer Master Naturalist Course
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. June 8-12, 2020 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. This is a five-day intensive course held in June each year. Class meets from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Christine Morris, Community Programs Coordinator at the…
Find out more »Summer Master Naturalist Course
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. June 8-12, 2020 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. This is a five-day intensive course held in June each year. Class meets from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Christine Morris, Community Programs Coordinator at the…
Find out more »Naturalist Field Day: Tour the Bison Range with a Naturalist
LOCATION: MEET AT MNHC Date: Saturday, June 27 TIME: 10:00 a.m. Get an intimate and personalized tour of the National Bison Range with retired ranger Pat Jamieson. Bring your camera because you are sure to see a variety of charismatic fauna, from bison to antelope to songbirds to raptors! On previous tours the group has spotted black bears and even a badger. You never know who will pop up, and Pat knows the best places to look. Blooming bitterroots line…
Find out more »July 2020
Closed for 4th of July
MNHC will be closed on July 4th. Have a wonderful holiday!
Find out more »August 2020
PaddleHead Baseball Community Night
Conservation & Environment - Missoula PaddleHeads vs Rocky Mountain Vibes Wednesday, August 12th @ 7:00pm MDT Ogren Park Allegiance Field , Missoula , MT Purchase Deadline: Aug 10th @ 11:59pm MDT Join Montana Natural History Center at the ballpark on Wednesday, August 12th as your Missoula PaddleHeads take on the Rocky Mountain Vibes. This season, every Wednesday home game highlights a different theme encompassing local non-profits. On this night we will be celebrating Conservation and the Environment in the Missoula Community. When purchasing your tickets…
Find out more »Master Astronomer Train-the-Trainer Workshop
REGISTER HERE DATES: August 21-23 TIME: Friday: 6:00 p.m.- 10:00 p.m., Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Sunday: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center The Montana Natural History is pleased to offer a weekend workshop for individuals interested in engaging in astronomy outreach and dark sky advocacy. This workshop will be based on materials from the Master Astronomer Program created by the National Park Service in collaboration with Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah. The workshop consists of hands-on, experiential…
Find out more »September 2020
Closed for Labor Day
MNHC will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 7. Have a wonderful weekend!
Find out more »Treading Lightly Lecture Series: The Language of the Wild: Studies in Animal Communication
From time immemorial, humans have found ways to explore, learn from, and connect with the natural world. We do this in a variety of ways, some of which leave more footprints than others. This year, our lecture series explores how we can study and observe the natural world while doing our best to minimize our impact. Join us as biologists, philosophers, conservationists, and more share their work and their views on how to learn from nature while treading lightly. Our…
Find out more »October 2020
Treading Lightly Lecture Series: Living Museums: Learning in Missoula’s Urban Forests
From time immemorial, humans have found ways to explore, learn from, and connect with the natural world. We do this in a variety of ways, some of which leave more footprints than others. This year, our lecture series explores how we can study and observe the natural world while doing our best to minimize our impact. Join us as biologists, philosophers, conservationists, and more share their work and their views on how to learn from nature while treading lightly. Our…
Find out more »Douglas-fir: The Story of the West’s Most Remarkable Tree
DATE: October 8 TIME: 7:00 pm LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center Join the Montana Natural History Center and the Clark Fork Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society for Douglas-fir: The Story of the West's Most Remarkable Tree with Steve Arno and Carl Fiedler. This lecture will be presented by renowned and legendary foresters Arno and Fiedler who have written a new book on the subject. Westerners familiar with their forests may think they know the Douglas fir--but how well do…
Find out more »Annual Banquet & Auction
Save the date for our biggest fundraiser of the year! More details coming soon.
Find out more »Treading Lightly Lecture Series: Treading Lightly in the Anthropocene
From time immemorial, humans have found ways to explore, learn from, and connect with the natural world. We do this in a variety of ways, some of which leave more footprints than others. This year, our lecture series explores how we can study and observe the natural world while doing our best to minimize our impact. Join us as biologists, philosophers, conservationists, and more share their work and their views on how to learn from nature while treading lightly. Our…
Find out more »November 2020
Treading Lightly Lecture Series: Live Community Storytelling: Notes from the Field
From time immemorial, humans have found ways to explore, learn from, and connect with the natural world. We do this in a variety of ways, some of which leave more footprints than others. This year, our lecture series explores how we can study and observe the natural world while doing our best to minimize our impact. Join us as biologists, philosophers, conservationists, and more share their work and their views on how to learn from nature while treading lightly. Our…
Find out more »December 2020
CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS
The Montana Natural History Center will be closed on Thursday, December 24th, Friday, December 25th, and Saturday, December 26th so that our staff can spend time with their families! Happy Holidays!
Find out more »CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS
The Montana Natural History Center will be closed on Thursday, December 31st and Friday January 1st so that our staff can spend time with their families! Happy Holidays!
Find out more »May 2021
1st Annual Nature Journaling Conference at the Montana Natural History Center
DATES: May 21-23 2021 TIMES: Friday, 4:30-7:00 p.m., Saturday, 9:00- 4:30 p.m. & 7:00 -9:00 p.m., Sunday, 9:00- noon LOCATION: Montana Natural History Center Registration is required. Registration opens at 9:00 a.m. on January 1st. Follow this LINK to register. Learn from four experienced instructors: Hannah Hinchman, Nancy Seiler, Claire Emery and Jenah Mead. Throughout the weekend they will teach a variety of nature journaling tips and techniques- event-mapping, drawing native plants and more- to enhance your joy of nature…
Find out more »
