Museum of the Rockies

The Museum of the Rockies is a research museum in Bozeman, Montana, housing a major collection of fossil dinosaur bones along with exhibits on geology and regional history. The facility extends across several buildings on the university campus and offers display halls, a planetarium and an outdoor area with historic structures.

The institution began in 1957 at Montana State University as a small regional museum. Through excavations and donations the collection grew over decades, until the establishment entered a formal partnership with the Smithsonian Institution in 2005.

The exhibition on early peoples displays tools, clothing and everyday items from the groups who once lived across these mountains and plains. Visitors see arrowheads, leatherwork and traditional dwellings that give a sense of life before European settlers arrived.

The site sits on university grounds at the southern edge of town and is accessible by car with parking available. Visitors planning to explore the outdoor area should allow time to speak with staff members who answer questions about frontier life.

Scientists discovered remains of soft tissue inside a Tyrannosaurus thighbone that survived for millions of years. This finding is considered unusual and allows fresh insight into the biology of extinct animals.

Location: Montana

Inception: 1957

Official opening: 1957

Website: http://museumoftherockies.org

GPS coordinates: 45.66470,-111.05000

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:28