Cheap and Fun Activities in Montana with Kids: Big Skies, Bigger Stories, and Earth’s Oldest Wonders

The American Computer MuseumAmerican Computer and Robotics Museum is located in Bozeman, and it’s the oldest museum of its kind. Founded in 1990, the ACR Museum was created with the intention of collecting and interpreting modern artifacts, specifically related to the Information Age. The ACR Museum contains ancient forms of cuneiform tablets that are over four thousand years old as well as modern computers, with everything in between and specific exhibits about times in history such as the Space Race, and specific technologies such as quantum computing. The museum is open daily during the summer months, but closed on Mondays from September through May.

2023 Stadium Dr #1A, Bozeman, MT 59715, Phone: 406-582-1288

Bighorn Canyon is a deep yellow canyon with steep cliff walls and a river at its base. The canyon and rive run roughly north to south from Montana into Wyoming, and this massive natural feature offers a lot of outdoor activities for families. The entrance on the Montana side, in Fort Smith, has a visitor center, a marina, a reservoir and boat launch, and access to the Three Mile River. Most people who travel to Bighorn Canyon from the Montana side come for water-based activities such as boating, canoeing or kayaking, swimming, or picnicking at the shore. But driving further into the park will offer visitors some of the land-based opportunities of Bighorn Canyon as well, including hiking and rock climbing.

Fort Smith, MT 59035

If nature is something that appeals to your family, then look no further than Bitterroot National Forest. This massive natural wonderland has 1.6 million acres of trees, glacier-carved rock, rivers, and other beautiful features. Families can enjoy activities such as hiking in the forest or among deep, dramatic canyons, fishing on one of the bodies of water in the forest, camping under the stars, hunting for game, or enjoying a ride on a motorized sport vehicle. In the winter, the forest becomes a different kind of wonderland, and it is great for skiing, snowshoeing, and a good old family snowball fight.

Forest Service Office Address - 1801 North First Street Hamilton, MT 59840, Phone: 406-363-7100

The building that now houses the Blaine County Wildlife Museum was once a theater, but in 1991 it was donated by the bank who owned it, and the Blaine County Wildlife Museum was born. This museum aims to teach its visitors about the abundant wildlife they might find in the Blaine County region of Montana, and it has distinct exhibits for different habitats and ecosystems, including nocturnal animals, mountain habitats, plains ecosystems, and the wetlands. Families can learn about the animals that live in Montana and see examples of the areas they might be found. The Blaine County Wildlife Museum also has an attached gift shop where customers can find works by local writers and artists.

417 Indiana St, Chinook, MT 59523, Phone: 406-357-3102

This free museum is located within the Anaconda City Hall Cultural Center, an impressive red stone building with arched windows and a dramatic roof, located in the downtown district of the town of Anaconda. The beautiful building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the museum inside it showcases art created by local Montana artists as well as historic pieces that highlight the tradition and history of the region. An attached historical museum will show families and visitors the history of Anaconda and Montana through a series of artifacts and exhibits, and there is also a small gift shop for souvenirs.

Copper Village Museum And Arts Center, 401 E Commercial Ave # A, Anaconda, MT 59711, Phone: 406-563-2422

The Crazy Mountain Museum seeks to provide its guests with a historical look at the development and past history of Sweet Grass County and the town of Big Timber. Guests of all ages will love the in depth dioramas and recreations that teach them about pioneers and early settlers of Montana, and the displayed artifacts that provide a glimpse into how they led their lives. Through paintings, artifacts, and even a historic tipi and one-room schoolhouse, visitors can step into history to learn about pioneer life in a fun and interactive way. The museum is also home to the Lewis and Clark garden, which contains native Montana plants that the famous explorers recorded in their journals on their original expedition through what is now Montana.

2 I-90 Frontage Rd, Big Timber, MT 59011, Phone: 406-932-5126

Located in Helena, Montana, ExplorationWorks Is a science museum designed specifically with kids in mind, though the exhibits are all suitable and fascinating for adults as well. At ExplorationWorks!, the goal is to make science so fascinating and fun that it ignites a passion for the subject in the young visitors who walk through its doors. Exhibits include hands-on explorations of space and NASA missions, interactive waterways that show kids how the physics of water work, and even a special exhibit for the youngest visitors under five, called Little Sky, which teaches kids where food comes from and features a fun playground with a slide.

995 Carousel Way, Helena, MT 59601, Phone: 406-457-1800

When it comes to gorgeous nature, Montana is definitely one of those states that hit the lottery. Glacier National Park is located in the northern part of the state, and this 1583 square mile patch of untouched wilderness is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Glacier National Park encompasses the Montana Rockies and stretches right to the Canadian border. Over its 700 miles of hiking trails, visitors might find scenic lakes, dramatic mountain peaks, pristine forests of untouched, old-growth trees, and alpine meadows that come alive with wildflowers during the summer. Not into hiking? Glacier has an abundance of scenic drives in the park, so families can see much of its beauty right from the car window.

Phone: 406-888-7800

Located in Glendive, right along I-94 and near the eastern border of Montana is the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, a place that kids are sure to enjoy. This museum is a Biblically-based museum which works to explain the existence of dinosaur fossils in conjunction with Christian beliefs about creation as found in the Bible. Visitors can check out the museum’s collection of dinosaur fossils, and even sign up in advance to join the museum’s team at a dig site near the museum! Digs are generally a full day, with half the day at the dig site, and the other half of the day in the lab, learning how fossils are preserved.

139 State St, Glendive, MT 59330, Phone: 406-377-3228

The Grant-Kohrs Ranch is a National Historic Site that was first established in 1972. This site is dedicated to the history of cattle ranching in Montana and the American West, from its origins back in the mid 19th century through modern day. The Grant-Kohrs Ranch was once home to 10 million cattle, and today the 1862 white farmhouse is available for tours. Families and visitors can explore the house to see the original families’ belongings and learn about their lives as ranchers in the 19th century. Tickets to tour the house are free, and are guided by an experienced and knowledgeable docent who can explain to guests exactly what they are seeing.

266 Warren Ln, Deer Lodge, MT 59722, Phone: 406-846-2070