List of museums in Idaho

Last updated

This list of museums in Idaho contains museums which are defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

Contents

Museums

NameTown/cityCountyRegionTypeSummary
Appaloosa Museum Moscow Latah North Central History website, history of the Appaloosa horse and its region of origin
Art Museum of Eastern Idaho Idaho Falls Bonneville SoutheastArt website, includes five galleries
Bannock County Historical Museum Pocatello Bannock EasternLocal history website
Basque Museum & Cultural Center Boise Ada Southwest Ethnic - Basque-American website, Basque history and culture in Idaho
Bellevue Historical Society Bellevue BlaineCentralLocal history [1]
Bingham County Historical Museum Blackfoot Bingham SoutheastHistory website, operated by the Bingham County Historical Society
Bird Aviation Museum and Invention Center Sagle Bonner NorthernAviationHistoric aircraft, aviation and inventions
Blaine County Historical Museum Hailey Blaine CentralLocal history website
Boise Art Museum BoiseAdaSouthwestArtFocuses on 20th-century American art with an emphasis on artists of the Northwest, American Realism and ceramics
Boise Basin Museum Idaho City Boise SouthwestLocal history website, operated by the Idaho City Historical Foundation
Boise State University Vertebrate MuseumBoiseAdaSouthwest Natural history Teaching collection of preserved specimens of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish, not open to the public [2]
Bonner County History Museum Sandpoint Bonner NorthernLocal history website, operated by the Bonner County Historical Society, exhibits include pioneers, farming, logging, mining, the Kalispell and Kootenai people
Boundary County History Museum Bonners Ferry Boundary NorthernLocal history website, operated by the Boundary County Historical Society
Cambridge Museum Cambridge Washington SouthwestLocal history [3]
Camp Tosobia and Camp Mead DUP Historical Museum Soda Springs CaribouEasternLocal historyOperated by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers [4]
Canyon Crossroads Transportation Museum Melba Canyon SouthwestMultipleOperated by the County in Celebration Park, currently under construction, exhibits on area natural history, Native Americans, transportation [5]
Captain John Mullan Museum Mullan Shoshone NorthernLocal history website
Cassia County Historical Museum Burley Cassia South CentralLocal historyOperated by the Cassia County Historical Society [6] [7]
Chesterfield Townsite Chesterfield Caribou EasternOpen airLate 19th-century ghost town
Clayton Area Historical Museum Clayton Custer CentralLocal historyOperated by the Clayton Area Historical Association [8] [9]
Clearwater Historical Museum Orofina Clearwater North CentralLocal history website
Collectors' Corner Museum Idaho Falls Bonneville Southeast Toy / collectiblesIncludes dolls, bears, antiques, trains, coins, stamps and military memorabilia [10] [11]
Council Valley Museum Council Adam SouthwestLocal history [12]
Crane House Museum Harrison Kootenai NorthernLocal historyOperated by the Crane Historical Society [13]
Crystal Gold Mine Kellogg Shoshone NorthernIndustry - mining website, guided underground tour
Discovery Center of IdahoBoiseAdaSouthwest Science Interactive exhibits designed to inspire a lifelong interest and learning in science, technology, engineering and math
Eagle Historical Museum Eagle AdaSouthwestLocal history [14]
Elk River Museum Elk River ClearwaterNorth CentralHistory [15]
Experimental Breeder Reactor I Hailey Butte CentralScienceDecommissioned nuclear research reactor
Farragut State Park Athol KootenaiNorthernMilitaryIncludes the Brig Museum with displays about Farragut Naval Training Station
Fort Hall Pocatello Bannock EasternMilitaryReplica mid-19th-century trading post
Franklin Idaho Relic Hall Franklin Franklin EasternLocal historyOperated by the Idaho State Historical Society [16]
Gem County Historical Village Museum Emmett Gem SouthwestLocal history website, operated by the Gem County Historical Society, displays include Native Americans, trappers, miners, settlers, agriculture, period room and business displays, early 20th-century period house, blacksmith shop
Glenns Ferry Historical Museum Glenns Ferry Elmore SouthwestLocal historyLocated in an early 20th-century schoolhouse [17]
Gooding County Museum Gooding GoodingSouth CentralLocal historyOperated by the Gooding County Historical Society [18]
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument Hagerman Gooding South CentralNatural historyFossils of horses and tours of the fossil beds
Hagerman Valley Historical Society MuseumHagermanGoodingSouth CentralLocal history website, area fossils, Native American, explorers, pioneers
Heritage Hall Museum Dubois ClarkSoutheastLocal historyLocated in a former Episcopal church [19] [20]
Herrett Center for Arts and Science Twin Falls Twin Falls South CentralMultiple Website, part of the College of Southern Idaho, exhibits Native American artifacts, natural history, planetarium with gallery and observatory, contemporary art gallery, student art
Historic P&IN Depot New Meadows AdamSouthwestLocal historyOperated by the Adams County Historical Society, restored Pacific & Idaho Northern depot, changing exhibits of local and state history and culture [21]
Historical Museum at St. Gertrude Cottonwood Idaho North CentralLocal history website, heritage of the Monastery of St. Gertrude, exhibits include the Benedictine Sisters, the Nez Perce people, fossils and minerals, Polly Bemis, medical artifacts, Asian and European artifacts dating to the 14th century, area immigrants, pioneer life
Hughes Home Museum St. Maries Benewah NorthernLocal historyLocated in an early 20th-century log house [22]
Idaho Black History Museum BoiseAdaSouthwestAfrican AmericanHistory and culture of African Americans, with special emphasis on African Americans in Idaho
Idaho Heritage MuseumTwin FallsTwin FallsSouth CentralMultiple Website, Native American artifacts, mounted game animals in their natural habitat, mounted birds, fossils, guns, coins
Idaho Military History Museum BoiseAdaSouthwestMilitary website State military history, including all branches of the service, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Gowen Field, and all the wars in which Idahoans have served from the Spanish–American War onwards.
Idaho Museum of Mining & GeologyBoiseAdaSouthwestIndustry - mining / science - geology website, mining artifacts, rocks and mineral specimens, state geology and mining history
Idaho Museum of Natural History PocatelloBannockEastern Natural history Idaho’s geology, fossils, Ice-age megafauna, native culture, plants and animals
Idaho Potato Museum Blackfoot Bingham Southeast Food - Potato Potato farming, food culture
Idaho State Historical Museum BoiseAdaSouthwestHistoryOperated by the Idaho State Historical Society, state history, culture, occupations and experiences
J. Howard Bradbury Memorial Logging Museum Pierce ClearwaterNorth CentralIndustry - TimberLocal mining and logging history [23] [24]
Jefferson County Historical Museum Rigby Jefferson SoutheastLocal historyAlso called the Farnsworth TV & Pioneer Museum, pre-electric and early electric era, the history of Jefferson County, early photography, Philo Farnsworth, operated by the Jefferson County Historical Society [25]
Jerome County Historical Museum Jerome Jerome South CentralLocal history website, operated by the Jerome County Historical Society, also operates the nearby Idaho Farm & Ranch Museum
Kamiah Valley Museum Kamiah LewisNorth CentralLocal history [15] [26]
Kootenai County Jail Museum Rathdrum KootenaiNorthernLocal historyOwned and operated by the Rathdrum/Westwood Historical Society, located in the former sheriff’s office and county jail, website
Kuna History Center Kuna AdaSouthwestLocal historyOperated by the Kuna Historical Society [27] [28]
Lawson's Emu-Z-um Grand View Owyhee SouthwestLocal history website, includes pioneer and settler artifacts, period clothing, antique kitchen gadgets, early vehicles, frontier farming and ranching implements, mining equipment, Native American artifacts
Legacy Flight Museum Rexburg Madison Southeast Aerospace website, restored military aircraft
Lemhi County Historical Museum Salmon Lemhi Central Local history website, includes Lemhi Shoshone, ranching, mining, pioneer, and Chinese displays, archives of Lewis and Clark, operated by the Lemhi County Historical Society
Lewis-Clark State College Center for Arts & History Lewiston Nez Perce North CentralArtPart of Lewis–Clark State College, changing exhibits of art and local history [29]
Lochsa Historical Ranger Station Museum Kooskia Idaho North CentralHistory website, operated by the US Forest Service in Nez Perce National Forest [30]
McConnell Mansion Museum MoscowLatahNorth Central Historic house website, operated by the Latah County Historical Society, features historic rooms interpreted in different time periods from 1900 to the 1930s
Minidoka County Historical Society Museum Rupert Minidoka South CentralLocal history [31] [32]
MK Nature CenterBoiseAdaSouthwest Natural history website, operated by the state, also known as the Morrison Knudsen Nature Center
Mountain Home Museum Mountain Home Elmore SouthwestLocal history website, operated by the Mountain Home Historical Society
Mud Lake Museum Terreton JeffersonSoutheastLocal historyOperated by the Mud Lake Historical Society [33]
Museum of Clean PocatelloBannockEasternTechnology website, history of cleaning devices, includes vacuums, washers, brooms, toilets, tubs, cleaning products
Museum of Idaho Idaho FallsBonnevilleSoutheastMultiple website, state and local history, culture, natural history, nuclear energy, Native Americans
Museum of North Idaho Coeur d'Alene Kootenai NorthernHistory website, exhibits include logging, agriculture, steamboats, railroads, recreation, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe
Museum of Winchester History Winchester LewisNorth CentralLocal history [34] [35]
Nampa Train Depot Museum Nampa Canyon SouthwestLocal history website, operated by the Canyon County Historical Society, exhibits include area railroad history, antique dolls, rodeo, mustache cups
National Oregon/California Trail Center Montpelier Bear Lake EasternHistory website, features simulated wagon train experience of the 1850s, includes the Rails & Trails Museum about area history, railroads, pioneers
Nez Perce County Historical Museum Lewiston Nez Perce North CentralLocal history Website, operated by the Nez Perce County Historical Society
Nez Perce National Historical Park Spalding Nez Perce North CentralEthnic - Native American Spalding Visitor Center has a museum of the Nez Perce; Nez Perce National Historical Park has 38 sites spread over four states (Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington) with sites related to the Nez Perce
North Custer Museum Challis Custer CentralLocal history [36]
Northern Pacific Depot Railroad Museum Wallace ShoshoneNorthern Railroad website, area railroad and mining history, located in an early 20th-century depot
Oakley Valley Historical Museum Oakley Cassia South CentralLocal historyOperated by the Oakley Historical Society [37]
Oasis Bordello Museum Wallace Shoshone NorthernIndustry - prostitutionLocal brothels [38] [39]
Old Fort Boise Parma CanyonSouthwestMilitaryReconstructed replica of Fort Boise, operated by the Old Fort Boise Historical Society [40]
Old Idaho Penitentiary BoiseAdaSouthwestPrisonOperated by the Idaho State Historical Society, includes J. Curtis Earl Arms Collection of historic arms and military memorabilia
Old Mission State Park Cataldo Shoshone NorthernNative AmericanHistoric tribal mission for the Coeur d'Alene Tribe
Oneida County Pioneer Museum Malad OneidaEasternLocal history [41]
Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History Caldwell Canyon Southwest Natural history Part of College of Idaho, open on Friday afternoons and on the first Saturday of each month [42]
Our Memories Indian Creek Museum Caldwell Canyon SouthwestLocal history website, operated by the Canyon County Historical Society, includes period room displays
Owyhee County Historical Society Museum and Library Murphy Owyhee SouthwestLocal history website
Palouse Discovery Science CenterMoscowLatahNorth CentralScience website, hands-on science and learning experiences
Pappy Boyington Veterans Museum Hayden KootenaiNorthernAviation , Registered 501c3, local aviation and military aviation history, includes artifacts of aviator Pappy Boyington and related Baa Baa Black Sheep television series "Stories From The Museum" . Retelling the lost stories of veterans.
Paris Historical Museum Paris Bear LakeEasternLocal history [43] [44]
Payette County Museum Payette PayetteSouthwestLocal history website, operated by the Payette County Historical Society
Post Falls Historical Society Museum Post Falls KootenaiNorthernLocal history [45]
Power County Museum American Falls PowerEasternLocal historyOperated by the Power County Historical Society [46] [47]
Priest Lake Museum Coolin BoundaryNorthernLocal history website, exhibits on area Native Americans, pioneers, early businesses, history of the US Forest Service
Priest River Museum and Timber Education Center Priest River Bonner NorthernIndustry - TimberExhibits on pioneer life, timber industry, located in the late 19th-century Keyser homestead house [48]
Rock Creek Station and Stricker Homesite Twin Falls Twin Falls South CentralHistoryOperated by the Idaho State Historical Society, includes the mid-19th-century house, store, pioneer cemetery and outbuildings
Roseberry General Store and Museum Donnelly Valley SouthwestHistory website, early 20th-century general store with historic displays and current merchandise
Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural and Education Center Salmon Lemhi Central Biography website, focuses on Sacajawea, her people the Agaidika, and the Lewis and Clark expedition
Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Museum Fort Hall BannockEasternEthnic - Native American Culture and art of the Shoshone people [49] [50]
Shoshone County Mining & Smelting Museum Kellogg Shoshone NorthernIndustry - mining website, also known as Staff House Museum, exhibits on mining, smelting and cultural history of North Idaho's Silver Valley, located in the former Bunker Hill Staff house
Shoshone Indian Ice Caves and Museum Shoshone Lincoln South CentralEthnic - Native American / geologyLava ice cave and museum with Native American artifacts, minerals and gems [51] [52] [53]
Sierra Silver Mine Tour Wallace Shoshone NorthernIndustry - mining website, tours of an underground silver mine
Soda Springs Historical Museum Soda Springs CaribouEasternLocal historyLocated in the 1919 Ender's Hotel [54]
South Bannock County Historical Center Museum Lava Hot Springs BannockEasternLocal history website
Spragpole MuseumMullanShoshoneNorthernLocal historyArea mining history, logging, late 19th-century period room and business displays [55] [56]
Stanley Historical Museum Stanley CusterCentralLocal historyOperated by the Sawtooth Interpretive & Historical Association in historic Valley Creek Ranger Station in Sawtooth National Recreation Area [57] [58]
Sun Valley Center for the Arts Ketchum Blaine CentralArtAlso operates in Hailey, Idaho, contemporary and historical art by artists from around the world
Wood River Museum of History and Culture [59] Ketchum Blaine CentralLocal historyOperated by The Community Library, [60] exhibits include Hemingway and Sun Valley. [61]
Teton Flood Museum Rexburg Madison SoutheastLocal history Website, operated by the Rexburgh Historical Society
Teton Valley Museum Driggs Teton SoutheastLocal history [62] [63]
Twin Falls County Historical Society Museum Twin Falls Twin Falls South CentralLocal history website, exhibits include, Oregon Trail migration, ranching, irrigated-farming, early 1900s life. In the old Union School building, offers outbuildings and perimeter displays.
Valley County Museum Donnelly Valley SouthwestOpen air website, also known as Historic Roseberry, operated by the Long Valley Preservation Society, includes the John Korvola Homestead
Wallace District Mining Museum Wallace Shoshone NorthernIndustry - mining website, features artifacts and model of the Sunshine Mine, area mining heritage
Warhawk Air Museum Nampa Canyon Southwest Aerospace website, historic military aircraft, military aviation history and artifacts
Weippe Discovery Center Weippe ClearwaterNorth CentralHistory website, library, museum and community center, exhibits about Lewis and Clark
Weippe Hilltop Heritage Museum WeippeClearwaterNorth CentralLocal history [64]
Weiser MuseumWeiserWashingtonSouthwestLocal historyDisplays include Intermountain Institute, agriculture, Native Americans, mining, local automotive history, military [65]
White Spring Ranch Museum Genesee LatahNorth CentralHistoric house website, late 19th-century farmhouse, c.1876 Log cabin, c.1880 Curio Museum cabin [66]
Wilford Woodruff HomeRandolphBear LakeEasternLocal historyPioneer relics of early Mormon pioneer leader Wilford Woodruff [67]
World Sports Humanitarian Hall of FameBoiseAdaSouthwest Hall of fame - sportsLocated on the campus of Boise State University, humanitarian contributions of athletes [68]

Defunct museums

Regions

Regions-id-us.png

The Idaho Department of Commerce tourism division has divided the state into these seven regions which are used in the table above: [72]

See also

Idaho counties Idaho counties map.png
Idaho counties

References

  1. "Bellevue Historical Society". Idaho Association of Museums. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  2. "Vertebrate Museum". Boise State University. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  3. "Cambridge Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  4. "DUP Satellite Museum Directory". Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  5. "Canyon County Crossroads Transportation Museum". Canyon County, Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  6. "About Cassia: Historical Society » Museum". Cassia County, Idaho. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  7. "Cassia County Historical Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  8. "Clayton Area Historical Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  9. "Official site". Clayton Area Historical Association. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  10. "Collector's Corner Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  11. "Collector's Corner Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  12. "Official site". Council Valley Museum. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  13. "Official site". Crane Historical Society. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  14. "Eagle Historical Museum". City of Eagle. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  15. 1 2 "Other Museums". Clearwater Historical Museum. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  16. "The Historic Franklin Properties". Idaho State Historical Society. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  17. "Museums". Glenns Ferry, Idaho. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  18. "Gooding County Museum". City of Gooding. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  19. "Facebook site". Heritage Hall Museum. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  20. "Heritage Hall Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  21. "Official site". Historic P&In Depot. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  22. "Historical Hughes House". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  23. "Facebook site". J. Howard Bradbury Memorial Logging Museum. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  24. "J. Howard Bradbury Memorial Logging Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  25. "Farnsworth TV & Pioneer Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  26. "Kamiah Valley Historical Society". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  27. "Official site". Kuna Historical Society. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  28. "Kuna Historical Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  29. "Lewis-Clark State College Center for Arts & History". Lewis & Clark State College. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  30. "Lochsa Historical Ranger Station Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  31. "Historical Society". Minidoka County, Idaho. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  32. "Minidoka County Museum". Minidoka County Historical Society. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  33. "Museums in Southeast Idaho". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved August 11, 2015.
  34. "Museum of Winchester History". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  35. "Museum of Winchester History". Greater Craigmont Area Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  36. "North Custer Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  37. "Oakley Valley Historical Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  38. "Oasis Bordello Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  39. "Oasis Bordello Museum". Roadside America. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  40. "Old Fort Boise Historical Society". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  41. "Oneida County Pioneer Museum". Malad, Idaho. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  42. "Orma J. Smith Museum of Natural History". College of Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  43. "Paris Historical Museum". Bear Lake Valley CVB. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  44. "Museums". Pioneer Country Travel Council of Southeastern Idaho. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  45. "Official site". Post Falls Historical Society. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  46. "Power County Museum". Power County Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 6, 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  47. "Power County Historical Society and Museum". Power County, Idaho. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  48. "Priest River Museum and Timber Education Center". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  49. "Fort Hall Reservation". Pioneer Country Travel Council of Southeastern Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  50. "Shoshone Bannock Tribal Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  51. "Shoshone Indian Ice Caves". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  52. "Shoshone Ice Caves". College of Southern Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  53. "Shoshone Ice Caves". Roadside America. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  54. "Soda Springs Idaho Historical Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  55. "Official site". The Sprag Pole Inn and Museum. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  56. "Spragpole Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  57. "Stanley Historical Museum". Sawtooth Interpretive & Historical Association. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  58. "Stanley Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  59. "Wood River Museum of History and Culture". www.wikidata.org. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  60. "The Community Library". www.wikidata.org. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  61. "Wood River Museum Current Exhibits". Community Library. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  62. "Teton Valley Museum Foundation". Teton Valley Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  63. "Teton Valley Museum". Visit Idaho. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  64. "Weippe Hilltop Heritage Museum". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  65. "Official site". Weiser Museum. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  66. "White Spring Ranch Museum & Archive Library". Idaho Association of Museums. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  67. "Wilford Woodruff Home". Bear Lake Valley CVB. Archived from the original on November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  68. "World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame". Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau. Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  69. "Hess Heritage Museum collection up for auction". Standard Journal. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  70. "Wood River Museum of History and Culture". comlib.org. The Community Library. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  71. "Special Collections, Albertsons Library, Boise State University". Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved June 26, 2013. The Evans collection, 1884-1959, Boise State University, accessed 6/26/2013
  72. "Visit Idaho" Web page, Idaho Department of Commerce. Retrieved February 13, 2007