carbon county peak to plains museum

Although I'm not much of a museum enthusiast, this museum is a must-see for anyone travelling to Red Lodge. The displays of ethnic clothing and memorabilia, the amazing replica of a coal mine that fills the entire basement, the gracious staff in the archives, the well-stocked book store on Montana history books delight any guest--both young or old. Our entire family went, and everyone from age 4 to 84 enjoyed the memorable experience. Since we have Red Lodge roots, the genealogists there helped us uncover pages and pages of information about our ancestors, including pictures, biographies and articles that are priceless. You can purchase a family pass to the museum which saves a lot of money, but even individual passes (about $7) are worth every penny. Plan to spend at least an hour or two in this historic treasure.

I was greeted by a personable energetic woman. I strolled around top floor and learned a mass of information about the wonderful county. But the downstairs replica of a coal mine even topped that. The visit was well worth my time and money. A quiet solitude and slower pace that was enjoyed. I highly recommend this to history lovers like myself!

Friendly staff, awesome coal mine exhibit! A must see if you're in the area. Very cool. It really takes you back in time from the moment you walk through the door.

Our first visit to Montana and this place was a great introduction to the history and culture of the area. In some ways it was like visiting your grandparents attic with all the old time stuff - except the labels were very good!Be sure to visit the cellar which is laid out as a coal mine - the primary reason Red Lodge was founded was the mines. Nice folks running the place as well, very friendly and chatty. A 'must see' in Red Lodge.

This is a wonderful place to learn the historical background of our lovely mountain town. For a small town, we are packed with historical events and legendary characters that have visited and or lived in our town.

My cousin and I were visiting areas that our grandparents had lived in when they first met. The staff at the Carbon County Museum could not have been more helpful. With no advance notice, they searched records while we toured the museum, and found our great-great-grandfather's real estate records and death/burial notice. "He was a 'first resident!" we found out, meaning that he was a registered resident/land owner when the town was first incorporated. We were directed to the mortuary across the street and the owner quickly found the burial plot. For an unplanned, quick side trip, we felt incredibly rewarded. The museum is very impressive for a small town (and we visited several this trip), but the staff reception and service made it memorable. If you have coal mining heritage in your family, then I would definitely recommend this stop. If you are in the area, it will be worth your time to visit.

Main floor is random stuff, from recently purchased hair pins from Spain to arrow heads. Just random items, some not even about Red Lodge. The lower level is very good, though. It's about the Smith mine disaster. $5 for adults. Took about an hour. The lady did say they were trying to add a whole other floor to the mine section.

We really enjoyed the museum. It was a well maintained museum for a town of this size

Lays out and displays the history of coal and mineral extraction very well.