Tour Two of the State's Most Notable Historic Treasures

The Montana State Capitol

The Capitol building is open Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., and weekends, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Capitol building is closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day and may be closed to the general public occasionally on weekends for scheduled routine maintenance.

The Capitol is open through the week and weekend for self-guided tours during business hours (above).

• Self-guiding tour booklets and a scavenger hunt for kids led by Lewis and Clark’s intrepid Newfoundland, Seaman, are available at the first-floor information desk.
• You can also download the interactive student guide to the Montana State Capitol, Explore Your Statehouse, take this forty-three minute video tour, or this virtual tour of the Capitol.
• Click this link for more Montana State Capitol information.

Free Capitol Tours for the Public 

June 1- September 15th -- SUMMER DROP-IN TOURS- NO Reservation required!

• Monday- Friday: Tours at 9:30 A.M., 11:00 A.M., 1:30 P.M. and 3 P.M.
• Saturday: 9:30 A.M., 11:00 A.M. and 1:30 P.M.
• Sunday: 11:00 A.M. and 1:30 P.M.  

September 15th- May 31st -- Daily Tours- No Reservation Required

• Monday- Friday: Tours at 11 A.M. and 3 P.M.
• Saturday: Tours available upon request (2 weeks ahead of time)

If you would like to schedule a tour outside of the hours above, call Darby Bramble at (406) 444-2412 to arrange your tour at least two days ahead of time.

Tours for School Groups and/or Youth

The Montana Historical Society specializes in field trips for school groups.

• To ensure MTHS staff availability and support Capitol security, we ask that school groups reserve their tours at least one week in advance.
• Field trip slots are awarded on a first-reserved, first-served basis and will be scheduled around staff availability.
• Tours meet on the first floor of the Capitol across from the information desk.

Montana Historical Society History and Civics Travel Grant Information

Through a generous grant from Montana Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Montana Historical Society is pleased to offer financial support to offset travel costs to Helena for public, private, and homeschool collective schools from across the state.

Funding is awarded to schools who will travel more than fifty miles (one way) to Helena and is based on a formula that includes:

• distance to Helena
• number of students
• type of transportation

 While MTHS History and Civics Grant may not cover the entire cost of your Field trip, this funding is designed to make this experience accessible to ALL schools.

Applications will be reviewed within three business days and Montana Historical Society staff will contact you to clarify any details.

Timeline:

In school year 2025-26, the application window will open Friday, September 1st.

Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis with two application deadlines.

Completed applications will be collected and reviewed on Monday, October 13th at 5 p.m. 

Award letters, invoices and tax information sent to teachers and business office staff by Monday, October 27th. Grant awards will be sent as checks to your school business office by Monday, November 4th.

 The second wave of funding will be open to January, all grant applications must be received by Monday, January 4th at 5 p.m.

Award letters, invoices and tax information will be send to teachers and business office staff by Friday, January 16th. Grant awards will be sent as checks to your school business office by Friday, February 13th.

If you have any questions or comments regarding Capitol or Original Governor’s Mansion tours, please call Darby Bramble at 406-444-2412 or email Darby.Bramble2@mt.gov

Commercial Tours

• Tours are available for groups but must be scheduled in advance with Darby.Bramble2@mt.gov
• Tour capacity is 30 people.
• Tour cost is $100/ per tour for commercial tours
  • Visit MTHS Tour Payment to pay online.

The Original Governor's Mansion

The Original Governor's Mansion is located at 304 North Ewing, Helena. Visit this ornate, Queen Anne-Style mansion that served as home to Montana's First Families from 1913-1959. Take yourself on a virtual tour of the Original Governor's Mansion or view a twenty-minute video tour.

Tour capacity is 20 people. There is no admission fee, and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis - no advanced reservations.

Summer Hours

June 1 - September 15
Tuesday - Saturday: Tours at 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays.

Note: On Saturday, August 2nd, the Original Governor's Mansion will host our annual Garden Party. In lieu of formal tours, there will be an open house inside the historic mansion from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. as well as activities outside. Please join us for this special day!

Winter Hours

September 16 - May 31
Saturdays only: Tours at 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Closed holidays.

The Montana Historical Society Museum ("Montana's Museum")

The Montana Historical Society  is in the process of building a grand new addition, the  Montana Heritage Center . When this facility is completed, it will contain all new, world-class exhibits. It's going to be amazing, but transitions are never easy. Beginning January 1, 2023, all of our museum exhibits will be closed and museum tours will not be available. 

School Groups and Field Trips

Please contact us at least two weeks in advance. For tours planned during legislative sessions or the month of May, it is advisable to make arrangements a month in advance as these time slots fill early.

To book a tour, please call (406) 444-2412 or email Darby.Bramble2@mt.gov. To facilitate the process please provide the following information:

• Preferred tour date
• Preferred tour times
• Size and grade level/age of your group
• Special needs or considerations
• Which tour you would like

Once we have scheduled your tour, we will email you a reservation confirmation.