Chuck full of items from the past! Photos and historical items from the Flathead. Lots to see and cases filled with military history. Old buildings and trains, cars, boats and planes outside. It's a little worse for wear but the owner is eager to tell you all about the museum.
Well, I have never been to a place like this before! Gil (the owner and curator) is a 77 year old marvel! He has been collecting since he was 5! with his first arrowhead. This is a history lesson that cannot be found in textbooks and a DO NOT MISS!!! for only 6 $$ - you will have hours of stuff to look at and touch - hopefully you will get to chat with Gil as well.
My husband and I took our 8 and 9 year old sons to this museum, and we enjoyed everything that was displayed. It gave our boys a chance to look at items that were used in the past, and to learn how items and things change over time. There is a lot of interesting items to look at. The boys especially enjoyed all the military items, cars, and machinery. I enjoyed looking at the everyday items that were used previously, like washing machines, furniture, etc.
I was so impressed by the quantity and quality of the things there. I wished we knew what we were getting ourselves into and we would have allotted ourselves way more time. Really amazing.
Tucked away like a roadside attraction. This place has the ability to have something you have never seen before. Every time I go here I feel like it is the first time with something new in every corner. You can take it all in in a day, but you will all ways find a item you missed
First impression is a junk yard but immediately replaced by amusement and awe of the vast collection of varied vehicles and items from many walks of life and culture in the 20th Century America. Tons to see, very hands on and something for visitors of all ages. Coming from Europe there were many unusual and relevant items go Americana.I hope the Museum can continue to maintain what is a vast collection of items. The kids spent ages in the Vietnam wreck of the Howie helicopter but also learnt about both civil and military history through recreations of past settings of a barber shop a doctor dentist or farm yard.Well worth a visit if anywhere near Flathead lake.
Wow.... ALOT to look at! Enjoyed our visit immensely. Highly recommend. The drive to Polson was interesting and scenic too! Great cherry stops!
As some of the previous reviewers have noted..."something for everyone", "too much for the eye to take in", an "organized hoarder". A very unique, kitschy museum of Americana. Why wouldn't you stop. The admission is reasonable, spend 10 minutes or 3 hours. A lot of military and automotive memorabilia, but a lot more than that.
If you are in the area do not pass it up. This is an amazing collection of everything America. You will find something that interests you.
Yes the gravel and weed parking lot fronts a museum that looks like half a dozen double wides welded together. Yes there's way more than enough kitsch for ten museums. But beneath it all is one fantastic collection of American history and this section of Montana in particular. After you get past the huge copies of the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence you'll find wonderful photos and letters of early area settlers. You'll find a small but interesting collection of guns used to help settle this part of the country while feeding and protecting the new settlers who were pushing out the indigenous peoples. Do you like old bicycles and motorcycles? Dozens upon dozens of them from the late 1800s to the 1960s including many Harleys, a few Indians, and even German military BMWs with side cars from WWII ... and many of them in working condition. This museum probably has more American propaganda posters from WWI and WWII than any museum anywhere. Thought I'd seen them all before but saw several here I'd never come across. And the section on local heroes and participants of those wars along with 'Nam and the terrorist wars is moving. And these collections don't even scratch the surface of the many, many items of 19th & 20th century American memorabilia scattered throughout this rambling building.Then just as you've finished the tour of the building you notice a door and sign inviting you out back. You open the door on an acre or so of old buildings ... post office, auto repair, school house, etc etc etc. And all full of "stuff" ... much of it rusty but much of it will remind middle aged and older visitors of a simpler time in our history.Frankly I haven't even touched on what's here. Now I know what Stendahl felt when visiting the Uffizzi ... on a much less artistic level of course! You could literally be struck dumb! For all you hoarders out there this is proof you may actually be able to make a living off all you've collected. Seriously? Stop here. It's worth way more than the $6 adult fare.