Support the Museum

Join the Friends of the Historical Museum

Guests at Annual FundraiserHistorical Museum Guests at Annual Fundraiser

The Friends of the Historical Museum is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the support of the Historical Museum in its mission to bring history alive in Western Montana. While Missoula County provides the Museum with its funding for utilities and basic operations through a permissive tax mill levy authorized by the Montana State Legislature, money for educational programs, exhibits and restoration of the grounds and historic buildings on the site must come from elsewhere. The Friends of the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula was incorporated in 1977, as a 501(c)(3) organization, to provide that support.

Membership fees are the most important source of revenue for restoration and other exhibit and educational activities. In recent years the Friends have assisted the Museum in moving historical buildings to the site, in improving the grounds, in purchasing objects for the Museum's collection, creating new exhibits and educational outreach programs, and in helping with other long-term projects.

If you would like to join us in this mission, please complete our Membership Form (PDF) and send it to:
Historical Museum at Fort Missoula
Building #322
Fort Missoula
Missoula, MT 59804-7207
OR Fax it to 406.543.6277

Memberships make excellent gifts too! If you'd like to give the gift of museum membership fill out and send in the Gift Membership Form.

Thank you for considering Membership in the Friends!

Friends of the Museum Board 2012 – 2013

  • Jody Ratchford, President
  • Victor Machart, Vice President
  • Shirley George, Secretary
  • Pat Turnage, Treasurer
  • Robert Arras
  • Helga Hosford
  • Kent Kleinkopf
  • Danielle Lewis
  • Jean Luckowski
  • Andrea Merrill Maker
  • C. Milo McLeod
  • E. Macdougall "Mac" Palmer
  • Tom Ratchford
  • Patrice Schwenk
  • Carol Van Valkenburg
  • Robert M. Brown, Executive Director/CEO

Legacy Montana

Fort Missoula is a member of Legacy Montana, a group of 50 nonprofit organizations working together to inspire you to remember your favorite nonprofits in your will.

Tree Memorials

2010 was a very tough year on Missoula's trees and Fort Missoula is no exception. Many of our Elms are 70-100 years old and have rotton cores and are at the end of their natural life. We would like 20 new trees to replace our old trees and create shade for people enjoying the Museum grounds.

For more information about Fort Missoula Tree Memorials and to donate to the cause, please see this PDF: Tree Memorials at Fort Missoula: Annual Fund Request for Trees.