Carter County Museum

The Carter County Museum was established in 1936 by the Carter County Geological Society (CCGS) to collect, preserve and catalog artifacts and specimens of historical and scientific significance. The museum was first located in the Carter County High school but later found its permanent home in a former automotive garage in the late 1970’s. CCM holds the significant distinction of being the first county museum in Montana and the first to display dinosaur fossils in Montana. This distinction is attributed to the efforts of Walter Peck, one of the founders and the museum’s first Director. During his tenure as a state senator, Peck played a crucial role in passing legislation that established the legal and tax structure for county museums to exist. As a result, CCM serves as a vital resource for the county. It plays a key role in preserving and showcasing the unique cultural and natural heritage of the region, providing educational opportunities, outreach, and driving economic development through tourism.

In 2013, the museum began hosting the Annual Dino Shindig, an event  that invites these scientists to speak to the local community about  their work in the area. The dinosaur festivities culminate with a street  dance and expedition into the Hell Creek in which families and amateur  fossil enthusiasts can gain real-world experience in field paleontology.  The Dino Shindig was named Montana’s Event of the Year by the Office of  Tourism and Business Development and it is the primary driver of tourism to the area in July and an economic boon to businesses in the community.

Exhibits cover a comprehensive 100 million year history of the region, from fossil dinosaurs from the Western Interior Seaway through the extinction event in the K-Pg boundary of the Hell Creek Formation, Ice Age hunting techniques of paleoindian tribes, and homesteading in the West. Our exhibits include fully mounted skeletons of Anatotian copei and T. rex, a complete skull of Triceratops, mounts and casts of pachycephalosaurus, mosasaur, and a pterosaur as well as displays on the enduring cultures of American Indian nations in the area, natural history, ranching, rodeo, and the story of life on the Plains.

For nearly 90 years, the Carter County Museum has been dedicated to inspiring, educating, and enriching the life of the public by deepening the understanding and appreciation of history, science, and art. We are a “sister museum” to the Museum of the Rockies (Bozeman, MT), and Amakusa Museum of Goshoura Dinosaur Island (Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan), and a nonfederal repository for paleontological material from Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USDA National Forest Service lands, as well as the official repository for archaeological and paleontological material from Medicine Rocks State Park.

The museum is a member of the Montana Dinosaur Trail, the Kumamoto Montana Natural Science Museums Association, the American Alliance of Museums, Museums Association of Montana, Mountain Plains Museum Association, Montana Nonprofit Association, and the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Visit the Museum Website  here