Museums & Interpretive Centers
Spokane - Minneapolis
(SPO-MSP)
Group, Fly-Drive, Motorhome
21 Days
The region is proud of its pioneering heritage and, en route, offers some of the most unique and worthwhile museums and American cultural attractions in the country.
View Museums & Interpretive Centers in a larger map
Day 1 – Arrive Spokane
Arrival and overnight in Spokane.
Day 2 – Spokane to Missoula via Wallace
Wallace features The Wallace District Mining Museum, the Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum – as well as the fascinating Oasis Bordello Museum. Missoula is home to several quality museums. The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula has 12 historic structures including a one-room schoolhouse and a Forest Service lookout. Overnight Missoula.
Day 3 – Missoula to Boise via Caldwell
The Warhawk Air Museum in Caldwell has a unique collection of World War II memorabilia and aircraft on display. Boise has several great museums, including the Old Idaho State Penitentiary, the World’s Center for Birds of Prey, the Basque Museum and the Idaho Historical Museum. Overnight Boise.
Day 4 – Boise to Pocatello / Ft. Hall
In Pocatello, the Fort Hall Replica features buildings and saloons from pioneer days. Nearby at Fort Hall, do not miss the Shoshone Bannock tribal museum. The Bannock County Historical Museum is located right across the street from Fort Hall. Visit the Idaho Museum of Natural History on the campus of Idaho State University in Pocatello. Overnight Pocatello or Ft. Hall.
Day 5 – Pocatello / Ft. Hall to Jackson Hole
In Jackson, the National Wildlife Art Museum features a state-of-the-art 4438 square meter (51,000 square foot) building that includes 12 galleries, an auditorium, gift shop and monumental sculpture pieces. A guest terrace overlooks the National Elk Refuge. Overnight Jackson Hole.
Day 6– Jackson Hole to Bozeman
In Bozeman, the Museum of the Rockies features three exhibit halls on dinosaurs. It also houses objects of cultural and historic importance from the area including Plains Indian artifacts, pioneer exhibits, western art and “hands-on” exhibits. Overnight Bozeman.
Day 7 – Bozeman to Butte
The World Museum of Mining and Hell Roarin’ Gulch in Butte are authentic exhibits of historic and modern day mining. Overnight Butte.
Day 8 – Butte to Helena
The Montana Historical Society and Museum in Helena features the Mackey Gallery of Charles M. Russell artwork, the Haynes Gallery of Photography, changing exhibits, archives and museum store. Overnight Helena.
Day 9 – Helena to Great Falls
Great Falls features the work of premier cowboy artist C.M. Russell, along with other notable western artists, at the C.M. Russell Museum. It is also home to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. Overnight Great Falls.
Day 10 - Great Falls to Billings
The Billings area offers four museums, the Western Heritage Center, Yellowstone County Museum, Yellowstone Art Center and the Chief Plenty Coups State Park and Museum located south of Billings. Overnight Billings.
Day 11 – Billings to Cody
Proceed south to Cody, which features the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. The center is comprised of five world-class museums focused on cultural and natural history of the American West. It is located in Cody, Wyoming, a truly western town, just 50 miles from the East gate of Yellowstone National Park. Just outside of town is Old Trail Town, an authentic collection of original structures from the history of the Wild West. Overnight Cody.
Day 12 – Cody to Casper
In Casper, visit the restored Ft. Caspar site, National Historic Trails Interpretive Center and the ultra-modern Nicolaysen Art Museum in the center of the city. The Tate Mineralogical Museum has excellent displays of unearthed dinosaurs and minerals. Overnight Casper.
Day 13 - Casper to Laramie
The American Heritage Center and Art Museum on the campus of the University of Wyoming in Laramie features collections from Wyoming and the West, in a spectacular architecturally unique building. Other museums on campus include the Geology Museum, featuring the largest Apatosaurus skeleton on display west of the Mississippi River, and the Anthropology Museum. The Wyoming Territorial Park in Laramie features the restored 1890s Territorial Prison and museum and U.S. Marshal’s Museum. Overnight Laramie.
Days 14/15 – Laramie to Black Hills via Cheyenne
The Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum includes exhibits on the world’s greatest outdoor rodeo and an excellent collection of western art and restored horse-drawn wagons. The Indian Museum of North America at Crazy Horse Memorial has one of the region’s foremost collections of Indian artifacts as well as sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski’s beautiful studio home. In Keystone, tour the Rushmore-Borglum Story. Displays and galleries present the life of the famous creator of Mt. Rushmore. The Journey Museum in Rapid City is also a great stop. Overnight Rapid City.
Day 16 – Black Hills to Chamberlain via Pierre
The Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre features frontier history and Native American contributions. The Akta Lakota Museum in Chamberlain features Indian artifacts as well as modern-day Indian art. Overnight Chamberlain.
Day 17 –Chamberlain to Sioux Falls via Vermillion
The Shrine to Music Museum in Vermillion illustrates the evolution of music through displays of more than 6,000 musical instruments. The Pettigrew Home and Museum is a restored and authentic mansion that was once owned by Richard S. Pettigrew, South Dakota’s first U.S. Senator. Overnight Sioux Falls.
Day 18 – Sioux Falls to Brookings
Brookings offers the South Dakota Art Museum and the lovely McCrory Gardens, and well as the excellent Agricultural Heritage Museum. Overnight Brookings.
Days 19/20 –Brookings to Minneapolis/St. Paul/Bloomington
Take the three-hour Metro Attractions sightseeing tour of Minneapolis-St. Paul which encompasses the major attractions of both cities and/or the new Minnesota History Center in St. Paul, an architectural masterpiece with museum exhibits that feature large-scale objects, “hands-on” experiences, and the popular Minnesota: A-Z Exhibit.
Day 21 –Departure from Minneapolis/St. Paul/Bloomington
