Montana Natural History Center Events

Friday December 5 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Brown Bag & Bones with Paleontologist Jason Poole

Bring your lunch and curiosity and see what Jason’s uncovering as he preps the fossils unearthed last summer! Location: MNHC’s Naturalist Classroom / Fossil Prep LabDate: FridaysTime: 1:00-2:00 p.m.Cost: FREE with admission/membership. In partnership with Elevation Scie......More

Montana Natural History Center

Friday December 5 5:00pm - 7:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

MNHC's 2025 Holiday Bazaar

Date: Friday, December 5thTime: 5:00-7:00 p.m.Location: Montana Natural History CenterCost: FREE! (Unless you buy something…) MNHC’s Holiday Bazaar is back! This fan-favorite festive event brings together the best of the holiday spirit: local artistry, support for nature education, delicious food provided by Riversong Gourmet, beverages, homemade cookies and family recipes, and the joy of giving back to our community. At MNHC’s Holiday Bazaar, you’ll find unique gifts crafted with care by local artists. From beautiful prints and photography to gorgeous glasswork and ceramics, there’s something for everyone on your list. By shopping here, you not only bring home one-of-a-kind gifts but also support our talented local artists and our Montana community. Join us at MNHC’s Holiday Bazaar, and enjoy a little magic of this special time of year by giving back, supporting local artists, and nurturing a love for learning and nature. We look forward to celebrating the season with you! MEET THE ARTISTSMary Engstrom, Rich Adams, Diane Olhoeft, Brian Christianson,Michelle Nowels, Jason C. Poole, Kiley Voss, Erynn Neill, David Lusk, Theo Ellsworth,Elena Ulev, Bailey Zook, and Pat Kittelson Mary Engstrom / AdornmentsMary Engstrom makes jewelry by hand from sterling silver, using traditional silversmithing techniques. Hammering, rolling or etching silver creates a unique tactile surface that invites touch and storytelling. No two pieces are ever identical each one has its own story to tell. Her casual but sophisticated pieces are designed to be comfortable and flow with your body’s movements. Wearing jewelry for personal adornment is an individual aesthetic, and she hopes that some of her pieces resonate with your style. Instagram @adornmentsmt_maryengstromDavid Lusk / Anomal PressDavid Miles Lusk is an artist living and working out of Missoula, Montana. David received his Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in printmaking from the University of Montana in 2014. He is inspired by the intersection of science and mythology, and nature & humanity. He started Anomal Press in the fall of 2016. INSTAGRAM @anomalpressBailey Zook / B. Zook CeramincsBailey is the gal behind B. Zook Ceramics and she enjoys hand making unique and functional pottery. Her pottery is inspired by patterns and the natural world around us. Each piece is handmade and infused with the peace that comes naturally when the maker is connected to the earth through mud-covered hands. INSTAGRAM: @bzook_ceramics Rich Adams / Rich Adams Fine ArtRich’s artwork is really a reflection of his love for the natural world. Rich likes to say that his drawings are his love letters to Montana. He really can’t imagine a better place to live and raise a family. If his work can connect with other people’s experiences and love of the natural world, Rich feels like it has served its function. He produces all of his own fine art prints and inspect each one to ensure it is of the highest quality he can produce. They are made with U.S. made, acid-free fine art paper and pigment-based inks to ensure they will last a lifetime when hung on the wall. INSTAGRAM @adams.rtMichelle Nowels / Ashes and ArborMichelle draws inspiration by looking for the beauty in nature and preserve it in creative ways, like her beautiful hand pressed paintings from cross sections of trees found through the Northwest. Each of Michelle’s pieces are handmade, and due to their nature — of being from nature — one of a kind. INSTAGRAM: @michelle_nowelsTheo Ellsworth / CartoonistTheo Ellsworth is a cartoonist and fine artist living in Missoula. His latest graphic novels were published by Drawn and Quarterly (Montreal) and WW Norton (NYC). His woodcut fine art has ben exhibited internationally. He is the house artist for the UK based record label, Astral Industries. INSTAGRAM @theo_ellsworth_ Brian Christianson / Brian Christianson PhotographyBrian’s guiding principle is ‘what makes today different from any other day?’ With that question, he does his best to make strong photographic decisions about where and what to shoot. How is the light interacting with fall colors? What atmospheric conditions complement the feeling of spring wildflower blooms? What frozen/snow texture balances well with the semi-frozen creek? These are the types of questions that he love to explore! Each photographic outing affords an opportunity to practice, implement and evolve this practice. Every day is a new opportunity to better understand and photograph the landscape. INSTAGRAM: @bchristiansonphoto Erynn McNeill / Up Moss Creek StudioErynn McNeill is an artist, botanist, and scientific illustrator. While obtaining their Bachelor of Science in Biology they worked throughout the backcountry of Montana, Idaho and Alaska tracking animals and recording plant species until the fall of 2020 when isolation brought back an old love of creating art. Taking inspiration from their wilderness experiences, they created Up Moss Creek Studio in 2021 as a habitat for experimentation where they combine their knowledge of scientific illustration, botany, mycology and multiple art mediums to create realistic figure paintings, jewelry and art objects that highlight the hidden mossy worlds within western Montana’s diverse ecosystems. They are currently based in the Bitterroot Mountains of Montana where they share a home with their partner Brandon, dog Dagwood, and cat Orion. INSTAGRAM: @Upmosscreekstudio Kiley Voss / Topophilia PhotographyFor the past six years, Kiley has worked as a seasonal National Park Ranger. She is a lover of landscapes and little moments, of multitudes and wild spaces, of vast openness and the details on a single pinecone, of cliffs that look like they have been painted onto the sky, and of bees buzzing from tiny flower to tiny flower. Topophilia means “a strong sense of place a love for peculiar places a sense of home.” It reflects Kiley’s desire to connect herself and others to the breathtaking spaces in which she works and lives, and to help guide visitors towards a deeper appreciation for our remarkable natural world. She makes handmade nature cards and earrings of her photography from her time working in the national parks and exploratory weekend road trips. INSTAGRAM @topo.wanders Elena Ulev / Artisan and founder of Blue Heron Nature ToursElena Ulev is a Master Naturalist and Certified Interpretive Guide with 30 years of experience as a scholar, professional biologist, writer, and educator. Elena has been making and selling her crafts in Missoula since 2000. She teaches with the Montana Natural History Center, the Glacier Institute, MOLLI, the O’Hara Commons and Sustainability Center, and her business, Blue Heron Nature Tours. INSTAGRAM @blueheronnaturetours Diane Olhoeft / Ouzel Cliff ArtworkDiane is a watercolor artist living in Corvallis. She grew up watching her mother paint and sketch ideas for clothing she wanted to create. Most of Diane’s time was spent outside, building forts, exploring old homesteads and pretending she was a wild horse. Her ties to the outdoors remain strong. Watercolor was a perfect medium as it was light, portable and could go on any adventure. It has really helped Diane see her surroundings in a more appreciative and detailed way. She loves the colors and free flowing way the paint goes on the paper. It seems to be in tune with the unpredictability, adaptability and movement of nature. Silk painting has the free spirit of watercolor with the added advantage that you can wear it and it feels so good. Jason C. Poole / Paleo Artist: Painting, Sketches, & More Jason C. Poole has worn many hats, Adjunct Professor of Paleontology, Scientific Illustrator, art teacher, and Paleontology field instructor. Jason has excavated dinosaurs on three continents, including Africa, South and North America. Paralititan, Dreadnoughtus and Suuwassea are three dinosaurs worked on by Poole, all were new to science when discovered and two of which are supermassive titanosaurs. Poole is also a Paleontological Artist who has published in National Geographic and whose art work appears in many museum and private collections. INSTAGRAM: @jasoncpoolepaleoartist Pat Kittelson / Bee-cycled CrayonsPat Kittelson grew up in Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota college of education. She went on to complete a master’s degree in library science with an emphasis in early children’s literature. Pat, working with illustrator Brooke Connor, started writing books for children in 1978 for the Bryce Canyon Natural History Association and created a series of books focused on scientists tackling environmental problems using homespun research. Also, a beekeeper, Pat works with the National Crayon Recycling Program to keep old crayons out the landfill. “Bee-cycled Crayons” are made using broken abandoned crayons and beeswax from Pat’s hives.

Montana Natural History Center

Saturday December 6 1:00pm - 3:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Make a Mini Wreath at MNHC!

Location: Montana Natural History CenterDate: Saturday, December 6Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.Cost: $20 MNHC members, $25 nonmembers. You can add your MNHC membership to your order when you register. REGISTER HERE!Get crafty with natural materials and create your own mini wreat......More

Montana Natural History Center

Saturday December 6 1:00pm - 3:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Saturday Kids' Activity: Snow Science!

Date: Saturday, December 6Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.Location: Montana Natural History CenterCost: Free with membership/cost of admission Join us for exciting and educational Saturdays filled with delightful activities designed to captivate young minds and inspire a love for n......More

Montana Natural History Center

Monday December 8 6:00pm - 8:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Nature Writing "Hush Hour(s)"

Date: Second Monday of the MonthTime: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.Location: Montana Natural History CenterCost: Free, but please register REGISTER HERE.Whatever genre you prefer — poetry, essay, prose, flash, etc. — writing can help us connect with and reflect on our natural s......More

Montana Natural History Center

Monday December 8 6:30pm - 8:30pm MST

Virtual Zoom Classroom

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #2

Date: Monthly, on the second Monday of the monthTime: 6:30 p.m.Location/Platform: Virtual Zoom Classroom The only thing better than reading a fascinating natural history book (and there are so many of them!) is getting to discuss it with a wonderful group of like-minded......More

Virtual Zoom Classroom

Tuesday December 9 10:00am - 11:00am MST

Montana Natural History Center

miniNaturalist Pre-K Program

The miniNaturalist pre-K program encourages curiosity for the natural world.Dates: Every Tuesday, September – MayTime: 10:00-11:00 amLocation: Montana Natural History Center, 120 Hickory Street. The miniNaturalist program encourages curiosity for the natural world throu......More

Montana Natural History Center

Tuesday December 9 6:30pm - 8:30pm MST

Virtual Zoom Classroom

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #1

Date: Monthly, on the second Tuesday of the month Time: 6:30 p.m. Location/Platform: Virtual Zoom Classroom The only thing better than reading a fascinating natural history book (and there are so many of them!) is getting to discuss it with a wonderful group of like-mi......More

Virtual Zoom Classroom

Wednesday December 10 2:00pm - 4:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Master Naturalist Club

Date: Monthly, on the second Wednesday of the monthTime: 2:00-4:00 p.m.Location: Various – contact club host Share outdoor explorations and learning experiences with other curious naturalists at our monthly Master Naturalist Club! We will connect with experts and hone o......More

Montana Natural History Center

Wednesday December 10 6:00pm - 7:30pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Missoula's Cultural Heritage and the Clark Fork River - An Ever-Changing Landscape

Date: Wednesday, December 10, 2025Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.Location: The Montana Natural History CenterCost: $15 MNHC members/$20 non-members REGISTER HERE!Historically, the path of the Clark Fork River has both shaped and transformed the appearance of the Missoula Valley. S......More

Montana Natural History Center

Friday December 12 1:00pm - 2:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Brown Bag & Bones with Paleontologist Jason Poole

Montana Natural History Center

Friday December 12 5:00pm - 6:30pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Gallery Exhibit Opening: The Artistry of Herbariums

Date: Friday, December 12Location: Montana Natural History CenterTime: 5:00-6:30 p.m.Cost: FREE and open to the public Join us for a new gallery opening at the Montana Natural History Center, featuring work by Missoula photographer Peggy Christian! In conjunction with t......More

Montana Natural History Center

Saturday December 13 1:00pm - 3:00pm MST

Montana Natural History Center

Saturday Kids' Activity: Hibernation Celebration!

Date: Saturday, December 13Time: 1:00-3:00 p.m.Location: Montana Natural History CenterCost: Free with membership/cost of admission Join us for exciting and educational Saturdays filled with delightful activities designed to captivate young minds and inspire a love for ......More

Montana Natural History Center

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Brown Bag & Bones with Paleontologist Jason Poole

MNHC's 2025 Holiday Bazaar

Make a Mini Wreath at MNHC!

Saturday Kids' Activity: Snow Science!

Nature Writing "Hush Hour(s)"

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #2

miniNaturalist Pre-K Program

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #1

Master Naturalist Club

Missoula's Cultural Heritage and the Clark Fork River - An Ever-Changing Landscape

Brown Bag & Bones with Paleontologist Jason Poole

Gallery Exhibit Opening: The Artistry of Herbariums

Saturday Kids' Activity: Hibernation Celebration!

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Montana Natural History Center

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