MONTANA’S TRAILHEAD IN AND AROUND BILLINGS Custer Battlefield Museum is a registered historic site. Garryowen, Montana, the only town within the Battlefield, is located at I-90 Exit 514 just south of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and Custer National Cemetery. The site is one-hour’s drive from Billings. Billings Artwalk is held five times a year to celebrate the culture of visual arts in the city of Billings. Member galleries plan and organize free receptions for artwalkers to meet artists and view their art displays. NOVA Center for the Performing Arts offers drama, musical theatre, and opera performances. Ticket information and a calendar of events is available online at www.novabillings.org. Yellowstone Art Museum (YAM) is a unique and important visual arts center for Billings and the surrounding region; housing Montana’s finest collection of contemporary art, the YAM is a fully accredited museum.
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Western Heritage Museum is located in historic downtown Billings in the site of the former Parmly Billings Memorial Library and is a Richardsonian Romanesque structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution; it documents the history of the Yellowstone River Valley. Moss Mansion Historic House Museum was designed by New York architect, Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, designer of the original Waldorf Astoria, Plaza Hotels, Willard Hotel, and Copley Hotel. The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Moss Mansion has been included as a chapter in the book Great American Homes, published by Reader’s Digest; on the A&E Network program Frontier Castles; and in the National Geographic Guide to America’s Great Houses.
The Museum of Women’s History was established to preserve the history of women. Open to everyone, the exhibits reflect the lives of women everywhere. It is a museum of all ages, for all ages. Exhibits feature women from all walks of life, professions, ethnic groups, and perspectives both locally and internationally. Admission is free. Yellowstone County Museum sits atop the Rimrocks at Billings Logan International Airport overlooking the city of Billings and the scenic Yellowstone River Valley. A pioneer log cabin, the museum showcases more than 15,000 artifacts representing the area’s history. Admission is free of charge.