NINEPIPES MUSEUM OF EARLY MONTANA

NINEPIPES MUSEUM OF EARLY MONTANA: The museum is located halfway between Missoula and Kalispell on Highway 93, near the National Bison Range and the Owl Research Institute. It is bordered by the Ninepipes National Wildlife Refuge, a nationally recognized bird watching area with Fish and Wildlife land on all sides. Housed in a log and concrete structure built to museum specifications and standards, the museum includes both long term and temporary exhibits that provide the viewer with articles representing the life of early people in the area. The Ninepipes Museum of Early Montana reflects the spirit of the Flathead Indian Reservation and early Montana settlers with its impressive collection of artifacts, Native American beadwork, western art, photographs, and life-size dioramas of an early trading post, the St. Ignatius Mission Church, as well as an Indian camp and wildlife of the area. Collections of hunting artifacts, western horse tack and outfitting equipment also bring to life the stories of life in early Montana. The Ninepipes Museum nature trails is a short walk on a gravel trail through manicured grounds. The views of the Mission Mountains is quite magnificent. With ample benches and a duck filled pond the Ninepipes Nature Trail allows a break from the traffic and noise of US Highway 93. The museum displays contain hundreds of Western Plains Indian items that depict the past life of all the Tribes of Montana and surrounding states. These items are not reproductions, but true artifacts. Because the Flathead Reservation was opened to homesteaders, the displays also represent the life of cowboys and early settlers, the fur trade and the "Black-robe" missionaries. The Ninepipes Museum’s mission is to make this history available to the schools throughout the area and students from other states and countries through tours. We host educational outreach programs to the area’s schools and clubs. Don't hesitate to call to arrange a tour.