Cultural Attractions

Yellowstone Art Museu is a rich tapestry of the visions and voices of the America West. From the first photographs of Montana taken by pioneer artist L. A. Huffman to the most recent works by modern-day pioneers like Theodore Waddell and Deborah Butterfield, the Yellowstone Art Museum tells the story of this rich and colorful region in a way you will always remember. The permanent collection of the Museum contains more than two thousand pieces from paintings by such noted artists as Joseph Henry Sharp and C. M. Russell to the largest publicly held collection of works by cowboy author and illustrator, Will James.

Moss Mansion was designed by famous American Architect, Henry Janeway Hardenbergh (designer of the Waldorf-Astoria and Plaza Hotels in New York City) and is listed on the National Registry of Historical Places. Built in 1901-1903 by Preston B. Moss, one of Billings’ leading early entrepreneurs, the Moss Mansion displays an exuberant mixture of various architectural styles. From the ornate Moorish entry, to the Shakespearean library, to the French parlor, it offers an unusual blend of periods and styles. Elegant tapestries, oak and mahogany millwork, finely woven Aubusson carpets and original furniture, light fixtures and other artifacts add warmth and authenticity to this historic home. Featured on A&E Network’s America’s Castles, and in National Geographic Guide to America’s Great Houses, the Moss Mansion, located at 914 Division Street, is open daily year-round for guided tours.

Peter Yegen, Jr. Yellowstone County Museum, located at Logan International Airport, was founded in 1953 in an effort to preserve the history of the area. The museum incorporates an 1893 log cabin built by Paul McCormick, a pioneer Montana cattleman who, at one time, entertained his close friend President Teddy Roosevelt on the premises. The permanent collection of the Museum contains over 20,000 artifacts dating from prehistory through the fur trade era, the post-reservation period and both World Wars. The Museum also includes an extensive collection of Plains Indians artifacts, cowboy memorabilia, everyday household goods illustrating what life was like for the pioneers and several thousand historic photographs depicting local and regional history.

Western Heritage Center, located in the historic Parmly Billings Library Building on Montana Avenue, was built in 1901 and was given to the city by Frederick Billings, Jr., son of Frederick Billings, Sr. for whom the city was named. The center offers educational programs, tours and special cultural events and is on the National Register of Historic Places. A permanent exhibit, “Our Place in the West: Places, Pasts and Images of the Yellowstone Valley, 1880-1940” features interactive exhibits exploring early life in the area.

ZooMontana, located just north of I-90 at Shiloh Road, is a young, growing zoo and botanical garden that is destined to become one of the world’s outstanding zoological institutions. Situated on 70 acres along the banks of Canyon Creek, it specializes in cold climate species from the northern regions of the world. Follow the winding nature trail as you view native and exotic animals such as Siberian tigers, river otters, wolves, and black-footed ferrets in their native habitat.

Alberta Bair Theatre For The Performing Arts, located on North Broadway in downtown Billings, is the region’s largest fully equipped performing arts theater, and is designed to meet the needs of local performing groups and touring professional companies. It strives to bring the excitement of the performing arts to the people of the Northern Rockies and enhance the quality of life in Billings, Montana and the surrounding region by presenting a broad spectrum of quality arts events and educational programs which respects the diverse cultures of the region, and by providing a home for local cultural and civic groups to meet and perform.

Metra Park is a modern multi-purpose public facility that includes a 12,000-seat arena, Expo Center, Montaan Pavilion and fairgrounds. The complex hosts live concerts, rodeos, horse and auto racing, consumer and trade shows, hockey and basketball games, and family entertainment. Montana Fair, the state’s largest event, is held each year during the second full week in August.

Pictograph Cave State Park, located 7 miles southeast of Billings, offers visitors an opportunity to view the caves that prehistoric hunters camped in as early as 10,000 years ago. Since 1937 when a group of local visitors first discovered arrow points, bones and other items, more than 30,000 artifacts have been uncovered in the three caves that make up the present park. In addition, researchers have documented 106 paintings on the wall of Pictograph Cave

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, located near Crow Agency, Mont. (about 60 miles East of Billings on I-90) is the site of the June 25, 1876 defeat of 12 Companies of the U.S. Army's Seventh Cavalry, commanded by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, by more than 3,000 Lakota (Sioux), Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors led by Sitting Bull, Gall and Crazy Horse. Each year on the anniversary of the battle, the National Park Service sponsors commemorative programs that relive the events of the most famous battle of the Indian Wars. Reenactments are staged at a nearby site and Little Bighorn Days in Hardin features a military ball, a living history camp, parade and other activities that bring back the colorful past.

Billings Studio Theatre, located on the campus of Rocky Mountain College, presents more than 100 performances annually of live theater in an intimate 250-seat setting. The 10 to 12 show season ranges from musicals to comedies to serious dramas and to children’s plays.

Billings Depot compliments the spirit of vitality alive within the Historic District of Billings. Built in 1904 as a depot for the Northern Pacific Railroad, it now accommodates conferences, receptions, public open house events, children’s theater, and a variety of entertainment and community events. The building was used in the filming of the movie “Far and Away.”

Pompeys Pillar, 28 miles East of Billings along I-94, now a national landmark, is the site of the only surviving on-site physical remains of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Mentally travel back in time to July 25, 1806 when Capt. William Clark and his Corps of Discovery camped alongside the Yellowstone River and he carved his signature on the side of the sandstone bluff. Each year on the Sunday closest to the July 25 anniversary, Clark Day commemorates this epic western journey with interpretations, reenactments, and entertainment.