Flathead Indian Museum

When traveling north toward the area of Glacier National Park, be sure to allow enough time to visit all of the interesting sites along the way. Much of the area between Missoula and Kalispell is home to the Flathead Indians.

The Indian Reservation is home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. It is located north of Interstate 90 between Missoula and Kalispell and is comprised of rich, fertile valley and high mountain peaks of northwest Montana. The Flathead Indian Museum is one of the attractions located on the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Founded in the early 1850s by Jesuit priests, the town of St. Ignatius is located 32 miles north of Missoula on U.S. 93. St. Ignatius is nestled in the heart of the Mission Valley. One of the valley's larger small towns, St. Ignatius has a modest Flathead Indian Museum and trading post on the highway.

The Museum is located at 1 Museum Lane, Saint Ignatius, MT. St. Ignatius is a very small town which is rich in Native American History and Culture. The Museum has a large collection of authentic Native American crafts, art and artifacts, primarily from the Flathead and Kootenai Tribes. In addition to those, there are also some artifacts from other US and Canadian tribes and a wildlife exhibit.

Also located at St. Ignatius is the St. Ignatius Mission. The mission was built by the Native Americans guided by the Catholic missionaries in 1854. There are 58 original murals by Brother Joseph Carignano on its walls and ceiling. The valley surrounding the Museum and the Mission is vast and from the mission at St. Ignatius, there is a stunning view of the Mission Range of mountains.

The National Bison Range is also close to St. Ignatius, just west of town. This area of land which is 18,700 acres in size contains between 350 to 500 bison. It is a living display of the ecological history of the bison.