The Montana Historical Society has officially celebrated the opening of its new Montana Heritage Center, a US$107 million (£79 million, €92 million) destination that combines immersive storytelling with cutting-edge audiovisual technology to bring the state's history to life.
Located in Helena, the 165,000sq ft (15,330sq m) complex brings together the restored Veterans and Pioneers Memorial Building with the new 70,000sq ft (6,500sq m) Betty Babcock Building. Operated by the Montana Historical Society, the facility houses the Montana Museum, state archives, library, education centre and public gathering spaces, creating a new cultural hub for the state. Admission is free.
The building was designed by the architectural and engineering firm Cushing Terrell, who ed the architecture, landscape architecture, and engineering for the 150,000-square-foot facility, working with Main Street Design as interpretive exhibition consultant.
The visitor experience has been designed around a series of immersive and interactive galleries that use projection, spatial audio, digital media and responsive technology to tell Montana's stories. Visitors move through exhibitions featuring large-scale LED displays, interactive touchscreens, motion-triggered experiences and digitally enhanced environments exploring subjects including Indigenous cultures, the state's dramatic landscapes and its mining heritage.
Among the flagship experiences is the Homeland Gallery, which takes visitors on a journey from the Ice Age to the present day through a blend of physical artefacts and digital storytelling. The Charles M. Bair Family Gallery explores the people and communities that have shaped Montana, while a Changing Gallery hosts rotating exhibitions drawn from the Historical Society's collection of more than 62,000 artefacts.
Experience design specialist Hunt Design was among the creative partners behind the project, while audiovisual integration specialist Electrosonic delivered the technology infrastructure supporting the museum's immersive exhibitions.
Electrosonic engineered and integrated a network of audiovisual systems that synchronise projection, lighting, audio and interactive media throughout the galleries, allowing visitors to experience history through dynamic digital storytelling rather than traditional static interpretation alone.
"The Montana Heritage Center set out to offer visitors a fully immersive journey through the state's history by combining storytelling, architecture and technology," said the company.
Nikhil George, senior project manager at Electrosonic, added: "Our integration of audiovisual technology has transformed the way visitors experience and learn about Montana's history while staying authentic to the roots of Montana and its cultural heritage."
The project represents the first major expansion of the Montana Historical Society's home in more than 70 years and is the culmination of almost two decades of planning and development.
While initially conceived as a building project, the development team invested more than US$19 million (£14 million, €16 million) in immersive multimedia exhibits and digital interpretation, underlining the growing importance of technology in creating engaging museum experiences.
The Heritage Center also worked closely with representatives from Montana's Indigenous communities to develop culturally authentic interpretation, including the Sovereign Nations Arbor and dedicated spaces designed to share Native voices and perspectives.
Earlier this year, the project received the American Alliance of Museums' Museum Impact Award in recognition of its contribution to community engagement and interpretation.
Montana Historical Society director Molly Kruckenberg described the Heritage Center as "the home of Montana's memories", saying it has been created to encourage people to explore, share and connect with the state's history while serving as a gathering place for communities and visitors alike.
The attraction has already attracted more than 80,000 visitors during its first six months and is expected to become one of Montana's leading cultural destinations.
