Museum Comes To Life takes place September 29, 2008

The annual Museum Comes To Life, held on the last Saturday in September, attracts thousands of visitors to see costumed interpreters demonstrate historical crafts and activities.

The Friends of the Museum sponsor a monthly Brown Bag Lectures lecture series September through May. The programs feature speakers lecturing on topics of regional and local interest. They are held the second Tuesday of every month (except summer) from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the Idaho Historical Museum. The lectures are free but a $2.00 admission fee is collected to enter the museum. For more information call (208) 334-2120.

Walking tours and field trips are offered throughout the year. The Museum's collections of thousands of artifacts are available to researchers.

The Museum is the only interpretive center in the state to concentrate on Idaho and regional history. This comprehensive approach allows extended support to other institutions which deal with local history or specialized topics.

The Museum staff provides workshops and assistance on subjects including museum organization, exhibit development, educational programming, volunteer development, and collection organization and research. College-level internships and museum training programs are available to students and volunteers.

The Museum Education Department offers a variety of programs and tours for all ages. Learn about our Internship program.

Pioneer Village

In 1933 the Sons and Daughters of Idaho Pioneers, aided by the Idaho Statesman collected two log cabins built in 1863, the year of Boise City's founding. They were moved to Julia Davis Park and a Pioneer Village was established.

Nearly 40 years later the Idaho State Historical Society accepted responsibility for the cabins' preservation and moved them to the present location next to the State Museum. Other Idaho buildings of historic interest have been added since.

Coston Cabin
The 1863 structure illustrates typical construction techniques long practiced in America. The cabin has full-dovetail joinery at the corners. Isaac Coston, a pioneer farmer east of the city, used his cabin for over 50 years.

Mayor Logan Adobe House
Mayor Thomas E. Logan's house, built in 1865, is a rare survivor of the city's adobe period. The interior has been restored and furnished in the style of the 1870s when Logan served four terms as mayor of Boise.

Richard C. Adelmann House
Richard Adelmann operated a saloon on Main street, was a volunteer fireman and a part-time miner. This building, a reconstruction of his residence, is typical of Boise dwellings of the period 1870-1890.

Lewis and Clark Education Pavilion
Currently under construction (August 2004) using traditional timber framing techniques, the open-air classroom interprets the plants and animals encountered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Traveling Exhibits Program

Ten traveling exhibits focusing on Idaho history are available through the Idaho State Historical Museum. Each exhibit can be reserved for up to a four-week display at your location. They can also be booked as a series. The cost is $50 per exhibit and each exhibitor is responsible for shipping costs back to the museum. If you are interested in scheduling one or all of the following exhibits, please contact Jason Gray at the Idaho State Historical Museum, 208-334-2120.

Lewis and Clark
Four colorful double-sided panels summarize the Voyage of Discovery year by year from 1803-1806. The story is told in simple language for the enjoyment of both children and adults. A section of the exhibit on 34 of the expedition members provides insight into the qualities Lewis and Clark sought as they recruited for the Corps of Discovery.  Another special feature of the exhibit are two panels that provide an in-depth look at Lewis and Clark's 93 days in Idaho and the challenges they faced during that time. This is one of the museum's easiest and lightest exhibits to put up. Each unit weighs seventeen pounds and each panel measures 33 3/8" wide by 84 1/2" high. This takes up about twelve feet.

Read the Lewis and Clark exhibit brochure (2.3 mb Acrobat format)

The traveling L&C exhibit requires a Certificate of Insurance policy by the renter. Please call Jason Gray (208-334-2120) for further details.

Prehistory
The Prehistory exhibit outlines the early years in Idaho beginning over 10,000 years ago. It examines the archaeological record that tells the story of the first inhabitants of Idaho.

Native American Experience and Early European Contact
This exhibit explores the earliest contact experiences in Idaho, including the experiences of the Native Americans and Christian missionaries.

Migration and Settlement
This exhibit covers the early settlement of Idaho, including the impact of the railroad and irrigation on Idaho's economy.

Mining
This exhibit examines the first mining boom in Idaho, the mining operations, the camps, and the laborers. It includes information about the different mining operations and the environmental impacts of these mines.

Agriculture and Ranching
This exhibit provides insight into two of Idaho's most important industries -- agriculture and ranching. The scarcity of water has played an important role in Idaho's early years and continues to be a major part of Idaho's development.

Logging and Timber
The American timber industry moved westward with the nation's population expansion. This exhibit focus on the forests and timber mills of Idaho.

Territorial Government and Statehood
This exhibit explores the creation of Idaho Territory and then the state.

Family Cultures
This exhibit attempts an interpretation of family life in Idaho, focusing on the families who moved here and the reasons they came to Idaho.

Idaho History through Literature and Art
This exhibit focuses on the ways literature and art can be used to stimulated discussion of historical periods and important issues related to settlement.

The Struggle for Suffrage
In 1896, after 26 years of controversy and lobbying, Idaho men passed a constitutional amendment allowing women to vote. The courage and persistence of Idaho citizens obtained voting privileges for women 24 years before the national amendment passed. This exhibit examines the history, with an Idaho focus, of the suffrage movement in American up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.


Traveling Trunks

Capitol Trunk
Do you need information for your classroom but don't have time to visit the Idaho State Capitol? The new Capitol traveling trunk offers photos, books, artifacts, tours, and lesson plans to guide you through one of Idaho's most recognizable landmarks. Are you up for a virtual walk? Tours are formatted in video, slideshow, and PowerPoint so you may choose the media that works best for your classroom. Lesson plans help you incorporate the information into your curriculum. The plans are designed for 4th graders, but could easily be adapted to other grade levels. To round out your lesson, the trunk contains copies of the original statehouse blueprints, reference books, and historic photos.

Lewis and Clark trunk
What equipment did Lewis and Clark bring with them on the Voyage of Discovery? How did the men use these things to do their work? This trunk contains replicas of items listed on Lewis's inventory. A plant press, fishing kit, flag, and trade goods are just a few of the many items students can touch and use to get a one-of-a-kind educational experience. Several lesson plans accompany this trunk and focus on the journal writing, plant identification, and map-making activities of the Corps of Discovery's trip through Idaho. The trunk was funded in part by a grant from the Idaho Community Foundation.

Nez Perce Trunk
Learn about the culture of the Nez Perce with a traveling trunk full of Nez Perce artifacts. Four trunks created by the tribe were given to the Museum so that the rich heritage of the Nez Perce could be shared with the citizens of the state of Idaho. The Is'aaptekay, Nez Perce term for Indian suitcase or parfleche, typically hold dry good items that men and women would have used for work or leisure time around the period that Lewis and Clark arrived. All the items included in the trunks are contemporary pieces made by tribal members. In addition to the hand-made items, a teacher's guide with bibliography, four videos about the tribe, and the book Welcome to Kay's World are included for reference.

The traveling Nez Perce trunk requires a Certificate of Insurance policy by the renter. Please call Jason Gray (208-334-2120) for further details.