Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center

One of the exhibits at the interpretive center

"Upper Missouri Wild and Scenic River" by mypubliclands is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Quick Facts

Location:

Fort Benton, MT

MANAGED BY:

Bureau of Land Management

Amenities

22 listed

Accessible Rooms, Accessible Sites, Benches/Seating, Captioned Media, Entrance Passes For Sale, Gifts/Souvenirs/Books, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Information, Information - Maps Available, Information - Ranger/Staff Member Present, Information Kiosk/Bulletin Board, Parking - Auto, Permits Issued, Restroom, Restroom - Accessible, Tactile Exhibit, Theater/Auditorium, Ticket Sales, Toilet - Flush, Trailhead, Trash/Litter Receptacles, Wheelchair Accessible

Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor Centers and Museums

This map shows a range of features associated with the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, which commemorates the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition. The trail spans a large portion of the North American continent, from the Ohio River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon and Washington. The trail is comprised of the historic route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, an auto tour route, high potential historic sites (shown in black), visitor centers (shown in orange), and pivotal places (shown in green). These features can be selected on the map to reveal additional information. Also shown is a base map displaying state boundaries, cities, rivers, and highways. The map conveys how a significant area of the North American continent was traversed by the Lewis and Clark Expedition and indicates the many places where visitors can learn about their journey and experience the landscape through which they traveled.

The Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center, located on the banks of the Missouri River, is part of the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. For those seeking a deeper understanding of the area’s history, it’s an essential stop on your trip offering a museum, a theater, and multiple exhibits conveying the significance of this storied land and river, thus enriching your experience. Exhibits include Native American artifacts, a scale model of the surrounding landscape, and many interactive displays. The Interpretive Center also provides multiple stations and spaces dedicated to the area’s native species, including many birds, fish, and large mammals such as Bighorn Sheep.  

When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark passed through the area in 1805, they marveled at the natural beauty they saw. The breaks later served as a central hub for steamboats carrying fortune seekers and gold hunters, all eager to try their luck what had come to be known as “the world’s innermost port.” The Nez Perce also passed through this area in 1877 while fleeing from the U.S. Calvary to avoid being forced onto a reservation.  Today, visitors can experience aspects of this history by visiting the interpretive center’s replica freight wagon and pilot house, and learn about other important moments in local regional history, including the mining economy, the westward American migration, and the effects that westward expansion had on indeginous populations.    

The Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center is open seasonally. Be sure to check with the Center directly for current hours by calling [phone]. Adult admission is $5, children under 16 are free.