Native Art, the Little Bighorn & diverse histories at Museum

There’s a full calendar at the Museum of the Rockies as Southwest Montana is finally entering its sunny season. Here’s a look at some upcoming events at your neighborhood museum.
The Elise R. Donohue Lectures on the American West in Memory of Walter Rosenberry will present Native Art Now! with Jennifer Complo McNutt on Tuesday, June 12th in Hager Auditorium at 6pm. This event is free and open to the public.
Join for an in-depth look at contemporary Native Art from over the last 20 years. Learn about artists like Jaune Quick-To-See Smith (Flathead), Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee), and Truman Lowe (Ho-Chunk) who forged pathways for the next generation of Native artists Meryl McMaster (Plains Cree/Blackfoot), Marie Watt (Seneca), and Jeffery Gibson (Cherokee/ Mississippi Band of Choctaw), to name a few. McNutt is the curator of contemporary art for the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art where, during her 27-year tenure, she has helped to establish their extensive contemporary Native Art collection and the Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship.
The Gallatin History Museum Lecture Series’ next edition, Little Bighorn: Voices from a Distant Past with Steve Adelson, will take place Wednesday, June 13th in Hager Auditorium beginning at 6pm. This event is free and open to the public.
Adelson is an avid historian of American western expansion and the Indian Wars in the American West. He is about to begin his eight season as a Park Ranger Interpreter at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. At the Battlefield, he has presented his riveting ‘Battle Talk Apocalypse at Little Bighorn; Custer’s Final Battle’ to thousands of enthusiastic visitors from around the world. He has been a consultant on the epic battle, appearing on the History Channel, Discovery Channel, CBS Sunday Morning, the Travel Channel, C-Span, radio shows and other media outlets.
Cheers to the return of MOR’s summer Hops & History series! Now in its fifth year, Hops & History supports the museum’s Living History Farm. Every month during the summer season, Hops & History brings a lively audience of adults to the farm by pairing the Gallatin Valley’s brewing past with beer tastings from local breweries.
In 2018, enjoy a refreshing twist on each evening’s lecture. Led by MOR’s Curator of History, Michael Fox, this year’s programs will be filled with brewing history trivia. Mixed into the talks, participants can answer trivia questions to win prizes from the featured brewery of the month. Bring your competitive edge and sense of humor to this year’s exciting program series.
The next edition is set for Tuesday, June 26th from 5:30–7:30pm. Brews of the Rockies! will feature selections from MAP Brewing Co. Event guests will explore the challenges and triumphs of the brewers in the Rocky Mountain region from New Mexico to Arizona to Montana and Alberta. Climate, access to ingredients and the wild fluctuations in population are all part of the story of acquiring a cold one in early days of living in the Rockies.
Looking ahead, The New Breed: American Brewing Since 1978 with Bozeman Brewing Co. is set for July 31st, followed by the Hops & History: Season Celebration on August 28th.
Admission for the monthly tasting presentations is $8, plus a $2 souvenir mug charge for each participant’s first event – reuse your mug! Admission for the closing celebration is $15, including a souvenir tasting glass and suds. Must be 21+ to attend ALL Hops & History events.
In 1989, the Tinsley House was relocated to Museum of the Rockies, and the history of Montana’s homesteading era was recreated at MOR’s Living History Farm, now open for the summer season. Skilled costumed interpreters will take you back in time as they cook over a wood-burning stove, demonstrate cooking skills and recipes from the 1890s, tend to the Heirloom Garden, and forge iron in the blacksmith’s shop. Take time this summer to enjoy the beautiful sights of the garden, the smells of home cooking, and the history of a time gone by that lives on today. The Living History Farm is FREE and open to the public.
Finally, a brand new MOR exhibit for summer! GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World is now open. Explore the history of the world’s most recognized musical instrument. Experience diverse genres of music and discover the science of pitch and tone. Crossing over cultural boundaries, the guitar has made a significant impact on a wide variety of groups from gypsies to cowboys to teenage rebels. GUITAR: The Instrument That Rocked the World is included with Museum admission.
For more information about these events and exhibits, visit www.museumoftherockies.org or call (406) 994-5257.