Montana Historical Society recognized with national Museum Impact Award

The American Alliance for Museums announced this month it is recognizing the Montana Historical Society’s work opening the Montana Heritage Center with a national award.

The Museum Impact Award “highlights important and noteworthy work … that is driving impact and making a difference both internally through museum workplace culture and policies and externally through engagement with museum audiences and communities,” according to the Alliance, and the the Montana Historical Society is one of four institutions honored this year.

“When communities are welcomed as co-authors of history, museum spaces become more truthful, more relevant, and more inspiring,” Molly Kruckenberg, director of the Montana Historical Society, said in a press release. “That is what we set out to build, and we are honored to have this work recognized on a national stage.

In December, the Montana Heritage Center, a $107 million project showcasing the state’s history, opened its doors to the public. The center features three primary galleries including the Homeland Gallery, showcasing a walkthrough of Montana history beginning with the Ice Age; the Charles M. Russell Gallery, housing an extensive collection of work from the famed western artist; and a rotating gallery that will house additional exhibits.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, who was part of the Center’s ribbon-cutting ceremony last year, praised the Historical Society for its work bringing a national-caliber museum to life.

“Congratulations to the Montana Heritage Center on this national recognition,” Gianforte said in a press release. “The center is a world-class exhibit of the story of Montana and the people who built it made for all people to visit, learn, and share in our state’s history.”

According to the governor’s office, since opening the Montana Heritage Center has welcomed more than 60,000 visitors, including more than 7,330 students from more than 200 schools across 35 Montana counties. Many classroom visits were facilitated through field trip grants from the Montana History & Civics Education Endowment fund, which has awarded more than $84,700 to 57 schools from 24 counties, including to schools on the Crow, Blackfeet, Flathead, Fort Belknap, and Fort Peck reservations.

The AAM is the only organization representing the full scope of the museum field in the United States and its 2026 awards will be presented at the 2026 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo in Philadelphia.