Western Heritage Center
Encyclopedia
The Western Heritage Center is a regional museum located in the Historic District in downtown Billings, Montana
. This museum used to be the Parmly Billings Memorial Library. Built in 1901, the library turned museum houses a collection of artifacts about the history of the Yellowstone River
Valley.
The Western Heritage Center is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution
and is accredited by the American Association of Museums
. The museum opened in 1971.
The museum is housed in the Parmly Billings Memorial Library building, a Richardsonian Romanesque building built in 1901 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The WHC's mission is to promote an appreciation of the history of the Northern High Plains by collecting, sharing, and preserving stories and artifacts of Yellowstone River Valley life.
In 2001, the WHC received the Montana Governor's Humanities Award, being only the second organization to receive the honor reserved for individual contributions to the Humanities. In 2002, the WHC became the first Smithsonian Institution affiliate museum in the Northern Plains. Beginning in 2004, and presently running through 2008, WHC received federal appropriations from the United States Department of the Interior
for the American Indian Tribal Histories Project, a program contributing to the preservation of Crow
, Northern Cheyenne
and Chippewa-Cree
tribal histories.
The Western Heritage Center is committed to providing public programs at minimal or no cost. Programs include the monthly High Noon lecture and video series, teacher workshops, school traveling trunks, eight traveling exhibits, partnerships with regional museums, and active participation in local events. The WHC coordinates five to seven changing exhibits each year.
In 2007, the museum opened the exhibit "We're Making History: Billings First 125 Years" in conjunction with the city's anniversary commemoration.
The Western Heritage publishes books, video materials, and education kits relating to regional history. The museum cares for 17,000 artifacts that illustrate and document Yellowstone River Valley history.
45.7806187°N 108.5054881°W
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
. This museum used to be the Parmly Billings Memorial Library. Built in 1901, the library turned museum houses a collection of artifacts about the history of the Yellowstone River
Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National...
Valley.
The Western Heritage Center is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
and is accredited by the American Association of Museums
American Association of Museums
The American Association of Museums is a non-profit association that has brought museums together since its founding in 1906, helping develop standards and best practices, gathering and sharing knowledge, and advocating on issues of concern to the museum community...
. The museum opened in 1971.
The museum is housed in the Parmly Billings Memorial Library building, a Richardsonian Romanesque building built in 1901 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The WHC's mission is to promote an appreciation of the history of the Northern High Plains by collecting, sharing, and preserving stories and artifacts of Yellowstone River Valley life.
In 2001, the WHC received the Montana Governor's Humanities Award, being only the second organization to receive the honor reserved for individual contributions to the Humanities. In 2002, the WHC became the first Smithsonian Institution affiliate museum in the Northern Plains. Beginning in 2004, and presently running through 2008, WHC received federal appropriations from the United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
for the American Indian Tribal Histories Project, a program contributing to the preservation of Crow
Crow Nation
The Crow, also called the Absaroka or Apsáalooke, are a Siouan people of Native Americans who historically lived in the Yellowstone River valley, which extends from present-day Wyoming, through Montana and into North Dakota. They now live on a reservation south of Billings, Montana and in several...
, Northern Cheyenne
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
and Chippewa-Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
tribal histories.
The Western Heritage Center is committed to providing public programs at minimal or no cost. Programs include the monthly High Noon lecture and video series, teacher workshops, school traveling trunks, eight traveling exhibits, partnerships with regional museums, and active participation in local events. The WHC coordinates five to seven changing exhibits each year.
In 2007, the museum opened the exhibit "We're Making History: Billings First 125 Years" in conjunction with the city's anniversary commemoration.
The Western Heritage publishes books, video materials, and education kits relating to regional history. The museum cares for 17,000 artifacts that illustrate and document Yellowstone River Valley history.
External links
45.7806187°N 108.5054881°W