American Prairie
National Discovery Center

The American Prairie National Discovery Center is the gateway to the prairie and a central gathering place for visitors from around the world.

About the National Discovery Center

Two of the core tenants of American Prairie are providing education about the prairie and access to the land. The National Discovery Center is a rendezvous point for visitors going to the prairie, a vibrant place for community building and partnership, and an important educational resource on the importance of grassland ecosystems to the health of our planet. The National Discovery Center is located a short drive from the prairie in Lewistown, Montana. It is open to the public and hosts an ever-growing lineup of local, regional, and national activities and programs that stir visitors to love and want to preserve the prairie and all of its inhabitants.

Located in the renovated Power Mercantile building, the National Discovery Center features interactive exhibits about the prairie ecosystem, community meeting spaces, and a film theater. The Exhibit Hall includes interactive exhibits and the Night Sky Theater that explore the nuances of the prairie ecosystem. The Talpins Children’s Center gives kids their own place to play and learn about the prairie. The Clyde Aspevig Event Center, which provides flexible spaces for events, presentations, and meetings with state-of-the-art technology. The Ken Burns American Heritage Theater offers a variety of films that introduce visitors to American Prairie, its mission, and the prairie ecosystem.

Location: 302 W Main St Lewistown, MT 59457

Hours: Thursday-Saturday from 10am-4pm


Upcoming Events

July

1

2023

American Prairie presents “Historic Indian Trade and Camp Blankets: a History and Public Appraisal with Barry Friedman”

Jul 1 / 1:00pm–6:00pm

Barry Friedman, foremost authority on historic Indian Trade and Camp Blankets and the consultant for Pendleton, will conduct a public presentation in American Prairie’s National Discovery Center.

July

8

2023

American Prairie presents ECO-Critters with ZooMontana

Jul 8 / 10:00am–4:00pm

ECO-Critters begins its second season with another exciting visit from ZooMontana staff who bring with them an assortment of live animals from around the world!

July

18

2023

American Prairie presents Prairie Lectures featuring Wildlife Biologist Dana Nelson

Jul 18 / 7:00pm–10:00pm

Wildlife biologist and Clemson University PhD student Dana Nelson will conduct a presentation at American Prairie’s National Discovery Center focusing on swift fox and the efforts to study and restore these critters to their native habitat. The presentation will begin at 7 pm and will be followed by a Q&A period. Refreshments will be available. Admission to Prairie Lectures is free.

August

1

2023

Lewistown Art Center presents the “Art of Salisha Old Bull”

Aug 1–Oct 30

The Lewistown Art Center presents “The Art of Salisha Old Bull” in the Clyde Aspevig Event Center. Salisha Old Bull (Salish/Crow) is an Indigenous artist based in Montana who works in a diverse array of art genres but has an affinity to beadwork. She uses place-based education and traditional ecological knowledge to create her art, which, in addition to beading, utilizes photography, painting, digital art, and more. The exhibit runs from August through October. Admission to this exhibit is free.

August

5

2023

American Prairie presents ECO-Critters with ZooMontana

Aug 5 / 10:00am–4:00pm

ECO-Critters begins its second season with another exciting visit from ZooMontana staff who bring with them an assortment of live animals from around the world!

September

9

2023

American Prairie presents ECO-Critters with ZooMontana

Sep 9 / 10:00am–4:00pm

ECO-Critters begins its second season with another exciting visit from ZooMontana staff who bring with them an assortment of live animals from around the world!

September

26

2023

Mighty Fine Time presents “An Evening with Robin and Linda Williams”

Sep 26 / 7:30pm

Nationally-known folk duo Robin and Linda Williams will perform a variety of folk and other compositions in the Clyde Aspevig Event Center. This top folk duo performed hundreds of times on NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” as well as on many other television and radio shows.

October

1

2023

Traveling Exhibit Title: The Journey of the Resilient Niimiipuu (Nez Perce) People

Oct 1–Dec 31

The story of the Niimiipuu (Nez Perce) people stretches out across the landscape. It is embedded in places, names, and traditions. The Niimiipuu have faced many challenges over the past 150 years. Their history is one of disturbance, loss, and upheaval; but it is also one of resolve, adaptability, and strength. The Journey of the Resilient Niimiipuu (Nez Perce) People, on loan from the Ravalli County Museum & Historical Society, chronicles the journey of the Niimiipuu and offers a glimpse into the living culture of the Niimiipuu today.

October

10

2023

Humanities Montana and American Prairie presents Six Hundred Generations: Exploring the Indigenous Archaeology of Montana with Archaeologist Carl Davis

Oct 10 / 6:00pm–9:00pm

Indigenous peoples have lived and thrived in Montana since the close of the last great Ice Age, some 15,000 years ago. Their ancient presence here is widely appreciated but the archaeological details of their long Indigenous histories are less well known, partly due to the pace of recent statewide research. This program by archaeologist Carl Davis takes participants on a journey through time, climate, landscapes, technologies and cultures, beginning with the First Americans who followed mammoths to North America. The conversation focuses on representative archaeological sites in Montana—habitations and villages, animal kill sites, stone quarries, rock art and battlefields– spanning 13,500 years, culminating with cultural landscapes and preservation issues that continue to be highly important to Indian peoples today.


Tour the National Discovery Center