Phillips County Museum

Updated: August 4, 2020

The Phillips County Museum is the heart of Missouri River Country and on the Lewis and Clark Trail. The purpose of the museum is to preserve the natural, historic and cultural heritage of the Phillips County region for others to enjoy. Historical exhibits included are mining, Native Americans, dinosaurs, outlaws and farm/ranch/homestead items. There are photographs, books and notebooks pertaining to the area plus newspapers from the 1890s through 1980 containing local historical information.

Our real-life dinosaur collection features: (1) the three-dimensional original skeleton of "Elvis", a brachylophosaurus, named for its ‘pristine pelvis’ and measuring 33 feet long; (2) a complete T-Rex skull, and (3) an upright, full size Albertosaurus, which is a sub-species of the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Albertosaurus were the main prey of the Brachylophosaurs. An added attraction is the interactive display of a 700-pound Apatosaurus femur. Guests are allowed to have their picture taken with the Apatosaurus femur which will tower over most youngsters. In addition, many other displays of paleontologic fossils are available for viewing.

An informative display of early day outlaw Kid Curry and his gang, the Wild Bunch, recalls his infamous 1901 train robbery, west of Malta. The Kid’s authentic pistol highlights this story.

The beautifully restored 1903 H.G. Robinson house and "walk through time" garden is located directly east of the museum. Tours are available upon request. The historic Robinson home is a turn-of-the-century home built on the frontier prairie. H. G. Robinson wanted to be a cowboy when he left New York for Billings at just nineteen years old. He started a ranch on Beaver Creek, in 1892, and married Eliza Garland in 1898. Their home was rebuilt in 1903 after a fire, and the family lived there throughout their lives.

A must see is the newly refurbished gift shop where unique Montana-made items, souvenirs and giftware may be purchased. The wide variety of merchandise for all ages includes t-shirts, toys, toy dinosaurs, books, jewelry, pottery, stuffed versions of animals indigenous to the area, Victorian-inspired giftware (tassel dolls, delicate fans, gloves, purses ) and local artist’s paintings/prints.

Website: Phillips County Museum

Updated: August 4, 2020