Montana Historical Society

Overview

The Montana Historical Society (MHS) preserves historical resources important to understanding Montana history and, since 1969, has served as the official state archives of Montana. It operates programs including the Research Center, Museum, Publications, Historic Preservation, and Education.

History

The Society was incorporated as a private organization on February 2, 1865, in Bannack, Montana, following a bill introduced by Francis M. Thompson to the Territorial Legislature. It moved to Helena in 1874 after a disputed election made Helena the territorial capital; the Society's early collections burned in the 1874 Helena fire. In 1887 the Territory began paying rent for the library and librarian's salary, and in 1891 the collections were officially transferred to state control by the Montana State Legislature. Collections were housed in the Lewis and Clark County Courthouse from 1886 until the completion of the new state Capitol in 1902, then in the Capitol basement. The Society moved to the Veterans and Pioneers Memorial Building in Helena in 1953. In 1969 the Society officially became the state archives of Montana. In December 2025, the Society opened the Montana Heritage Center, combining the renovated Veterans and Pioneers Memorial Building with the new Betty Babcock Building.

Collections, Holdings, and Publications

Archives collections include manuscripts from the early 1860s to the present and oral histories mostly from the 20th and 21st centuries. The Society publishes the journal "Montana, The Magazine of Western History" (renamed in 1953) and operates Montana's Museum, which houses over 50,000 artifacts.

Access and Usage

The Montana Heritage Center, the Society's headquarters, is located at 225 North Roberts Street, Helena, Montana, across from the State Capitol.