Western Heritage Center 🇺🇸

You will find the Western Heritage Center nestled in historic downtown Billings, Montana, housed inside the stately 1901 Parmly Billings Memorial Library. This impressive Richardsonian Romanesque building, complete with twin towers, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was saved from demolition by dedicated locals in 1971. Today, as an accredited museum by the American Alliance of Museums and a former Smithsonian affiliate, it offers you a rich look into the history of south-central Montana and the Northern Plains.

Inside, you can explore a collection of 40,000 artifacts and oral histories documenting the vibrant past of the Yellowstone River Valley. You will see six to seven original, research-based exhibits each year, alongside preserved Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribal histories developed through the American Indian Tribal Histories Project. Beyond static displays, the center actively engages visitors through monthly High Noon lectures, video presentations, educational kits, and "Hoof It with a Historian" walking tours.

If you want an authentic, deep dive into the region's cultural heritage, this historic landmark is an essential stop during your journey through Big Sky Country.

What to see at Western Heritage Center

• Stately 1901 Richardsonian Romanesque building with twin towers
• Collection of 40,000 artifacts and oral histories from the Yellowstone River Valley
• Preserved Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribal histories from the American Indian Tribal Histories Project
• Six to seven changing, research-based exhibits displayed annually
• "Hoof It with a Historian" walking tours and monthly High Noon lectures

Visiting tips

Plan your visit between early March and late December, as the museum closes during the winter months of January and February.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

How to get there & what’s nearby

Western Heritage Center is easy to reach on Billings’s public transport, and pairs naturally with ZooMontana and St. Patrick's Co-Cathedral. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Billings travel guide.