Museum of the Rockies

What Museum of the Rockies does

Museum of the Rockies (legal name: Museum of the Rockies, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution founded in 1957 and headquartered in Bozeman, Montana on the Montana State University campus. It operates as a college-level division of MSU under an independent governance structure, employing 51-100 staff, and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (one of 1,106 such accredited institutions out of ~33,000 US museums). Its core institutional asset is the Siebel Dinosaur Complex, housing one of the largest collections of North American dinosaur fossils in the world, including Montana's T. rex, the Big Al Allosaurus (the most complete Allosaurus specimen known to science), and over 150 Triceratops specimens constituting the world's largest such collection. This is paired with the Taylor Planetarium, a 40-foot dome with 110 reclining seats that produces original astronomy programming.

Revenue is generated across nine streams: on-site general admission ($14-$20 per visitor, sold on-site only), annual memberships (starting at $55), tax-deductible donations and planned giving, grants from institutional funders (Montana Arts Council, Terra Foundation for American Art, Montana History Foundation), facility rentals (Hager Auditorium, Janke Boardroom, exhibition halls, planetarium), a museum store, Rocky Rex's Roasts cafe (operated with Yellowstone Coffee Roasters), signature special events (History on Tap, Pour and Gore, Dinosaurs and MOR Festival, Taste of the Rockies), and educational distribution including virtual programs and Curiosity Crates rentals. The customer base spans families and tourists, K-12 schoolchildren (free admission for Montana students), early-childhood caregivers, ASTC Passport members across 350+ affiliated institutions, event/corporate renters, and the research and scientific community.

Distribution is omnichannel: physical on-site visits in Bozeman, K-12 field trips and outreach within Montana, virtual tours and streamed classes, and a Curiosity Crate rental that ships lesson materials and fossils. Strategic positioning is built on regulatory credentials (AAM accreditation, Smithsonian Affiliate status, official state/federal fossil repository), proprietary collections that cannot be replicated, and a talent base led by the John R. Horner Curator of Paleontology. The museum maintains brand recognition including TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice and 13+ consecutive years as Bozeman's Best Place for Family Fun, and is currently refreshing its exhibit pipeline with the Cretaceous Crossroads opening (July 2025) and multiple traveling exhibits scheduled through 2026-2027.

Name

Museum of the Rockies

Legal name

Museum of the Rockies, Inc.

Website

https://museumoftherockies.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Museum of the Rockies is a 501(c)(3) non-profit museum in Bozeman, Montana (on the Montana State University campus) that operates dinosaur and natural history exhibits, a planetarium, cultural history displays, and K-12 educational programs, serving families, tourists, Montana schoolchildren, researchers, and event renters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural History Museum

NAICS

Museums (712110), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA)

Keywords

• Paleontology museum
• Natural history exhibits
• Planetarium shows
• Educational field trips
• Cultural history exhibits

Headquarters

HQ city

Bozeman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: One-day general admission tickets sold on-site only. Includes access to all primary exhibits, seasonal Living History Farm, and traveling exhibits. Planetarium shows available for additional fee.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual memberships valid for twelve months from purchase date. Includes General, Gift, Business, and Realty Partnership Program tiers. Members receive unlimited admission, exclusive previews, discounts, and ASTC Travel Passport access.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting educational programs, exhibits, and research. Multiple giving options including one-time gifts, stock/wire transfers, IRA charitable rollovers, and planned giving.
4. Planned Giving / Legacy Gifts: Charitable giving combined with financial and estate planning to create lasting legacy. Tax reduction strategies while supporting museum programs.
5. Facility Rentals: Event venue rentals including Hager Auditorium (220-seat), Janke Executive Boardroom, exhibition halls, Taylor Planetarium, and Living History Farm. Includes 25% deposit required.
6. Museum Store: Retail merchandise including educational books, local artisan crafts, toys, apparel, fossil replicas, and interpretive materials. Members receive 10-20% discount.
7. Rocky Rex's Roasts Cafe: Cafe offering Yellowstone Coffee Roasters coffee, specialty drinks, grab-and-go items, pastries, and snacks. No admission required to access.
8. Special Events: Signature events including History on Tap, Evening at the Museum, Pour and Gore, Dinosaurs and MOR Festival, and Taste of the Rockies. Revenue supports museum mission as 501(c)(3) non-profit.
9. Grants and Funding: Grants from Montana Arts Council, Montana History Foundation, Terra Foundation for American Art, and other institutional funders supporting exhibitions and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Museum of the Rockies is a non-profit museum operating year-round paleontology, natural history, and cultural history exhibitions on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman, Montana. It houses one of the largest collections of North American dinosaur fossils in the Siebel Dinosaur Complex and operates the Taylor Planetarium, an active fossil preparation lab, the Living History Farm, and educational programs for K-12 and early childhood audiences. The museum generates revenue through on-site admission, annual memberships, facility rentals, the museum store, the Rocky Rex's Roasts cafe, donations, and grants.

Product overview

Museum of the Rockies is a physical museum institution (not a software company) offering a unified portfolio of exhibits and educational programs centered around paleontology, natural history, and cultural history. The core visitor experience centers on the Siebel Dinosaur Complex with dinosaur fossils including Montana's T. rex, paired with the Taylor Planetarium featuring immersive astronomy shows (Cosmic Colors, Montana Skies, Dark Biosphere, Unseen Earth). Supporting exhibits include the Paugh History Hall (cultural history), Explore Yellowstone (children's discovery center), Living History Farm (seasonal 1890s homestead), and Big Mike (bronze T. rex statue). The museum operates rotating traveling exhibits such as FROGS: A Chorus of Colors and Chisel & Razor. Educational offerings include field trips, virtual programs, summer camps, in-person outreach, and Curiosity Crates rental program. Amenities include the Museum Store, Rocky Rex's Roasts cafe, and facility rentals for private events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Taylor Planetarium: A 40-foot dome planetarium with 110 reclining seats offering immersive shows exploring astronomy and the cosmos.
• Siebel Dinosaur Complex
• Rocky Rex's Roasts
• Living History Farm
• Bowman Dinosaur Viewing Lab
• Martin Children's Discovery Center

Products and services

• Siebel Dinosaur Complex Year-round primary paleontology exhibit housing one of the largest collections of North American dinosaur fossils, including Montana's T. rex skeleton, Big Al Allosaurus specimen, dinosaur eggs and babies, and prehistoric mammals. Open year-round for general visitors, families, and tourists.
• Taylor Planetarium State-of-the-art 40-foot dome planetarium with 110 reclining seats offering immersive seasonal astronomy shows. Produces original planetarium shows including Montana Skies, Cosmic Colors, Dark Biosphere, and Einstein's Gravity Playlist. Planetarium shows available for an additional fee on top of general admission.
• Paugh History Hall Cultural history exhibit showcasing stories of the Northern Rocky Mountains from early exploration to mid-20th century, featuring artifacts, photographs, murals, quilts, and a tribute to Dr. Maurice Hilleman. Open year-round for general visitors.
• Explore Yellowstone Interactive children's discovery center introducing infants to children age 8 to Yellowstone National Park through hands-on exhibits featuring geysers, wildlife, and recreation. Open year-round.
• Living History Farm Seasonal immersive exhibit (Memorial Day to Labor Day) depicting Montana homestead life from 1890 to 1910 at the historic Tinsley House with costumed interpreters, blacksmith demonstrations, heirloom gardens, and Montana Centennial Orchard.
• Big Mike Bronze T. rex Statue Life-size bronze T. rex statue (MOR 555) standing 38 feet long and 15 feet tall, displayed outdoors at the museum entrance year-round.
• FROGS: A Chorus of Colors Traveling live animal exhibit showcasing colorful frogs from around the globe with hands-on interactives and real frog calls, touring February 6 to September 13, 2026.
• Chisel & Razor: Art, Entrepreneurship, and the Lewis Family Art exhibition featuring works by Edmonia Lewis, the first internationally acclaimed Black and Anishinaabe sculptor, and artifacts related to her brother Samuel W. Lewis, exploring Black migration to the American West in the 1860s. Opening October 2026.
• Cretaceous Crossroads Primary paleontology exhibition opened July 2, 2025, exploring three Montana geologic formations (Two Medicine, Judith River, Bearpaw) from 72 to 82 million years ago, with real fossils, 3D prints, AV interactives, augmented reality, microscope stations, and discovery drawers.
• School Field Trips In-person educational field trip programs teaching students about Montana history, indigenous culture, paleontology, and geology. Free for all Montana schoolchildren during organized school visits; one free adult per 8 students.
• Virtual Field Trips and Classes Live-streamed virtual tours and classes including Virtual Fossil Fridays, dinosaur education, rock cycle, and expert Q&A sessions. Virtual tours priced at $100 per session (40-minute pre-recorded plus 20-minute live Q&A).
• Early Learning and Youth Programs Early childhood education programs including Sensational Babies, Little Learners, and Preschool Pioneers for children from birth to age 5. Priced at $5 per member child and $7 per non-member child per class.
• In-Person School Outreach Museum educators traveling to schools to deliver programs in Montana history, paleontology, geology, astronomy, and Indian Education for All. Within Gallatin County: $150 per 1-hour program, with tiered pricing up to $400 for 4+ hour visits.
• Curiosity Crates Rental program providing classrooms with real fossils, artifacts, hands-on activities, and curriculum materials covering dinosaurs, fossils, rocks, bison, native games, and Yellowstone. $75 per week for educators with lesson plans and shipping label included.
• Summer Camps STEAM-themed summer camps where children learn paleontology, history, natural sciences, art, and physics through hands-on activities.
• Annual Membership Program Annual memberships valid for twelve months from purchase date. Includes General, Gift, Business, and Realty Partnership Program tiers. Members receive unlimited admission, exclusive previews, discounts, and ASTC Travel Passport access at 350+ partner museums. Starting at $55 per year.
• Museum Store Curated retail space offering educational books, handcrafted gifts, toys, apparel, collectibles, and fossil replicas. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. when museum is open. Members save 10-20%.
• Rocky Rex's Roasts Cafe On-site cafe in partnership with Yellowstone Coffee Roasters offering coffee, specialty drinks, grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, pastries, and ice cream. No museum admission required to access.
• Facility Rentals Event venue rental including Hager Auditorium (220 seats), Taylor Planetarium, Blair Lobby, Lower Lobby, Janke Boardroom, and exhibition halls for weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations. 25% deposit required with 6 weeks advance notice.
• Signature Events Annual special events including History on Tap, Evening at the Museum, Pour and Gore, Dinosaurs and MOR! Festival, and Taste of the Rockies. Revenue supports museum mission as 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of students taught annually through field trips and educational programs
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Montana State University (MSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOR operates as an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a college-level division of Montana State University. The partnership enables research collaboration, student involvement in paleontology fieldwork, and institutional affiliation. Museum is located on MSU campus.
• Smithsonian InstitutionflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOR is a Smithsonian Affiliate, providing prestigious institutional recognition and alignment with the world's largest museum complex.
• American Alliance of MuseumscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOR holds American Alliance of Museums accreditation as one of just 1,106 institutions nationwide out of an estimated 33,000 museums.
• Association of Science Technology Centers (ASTC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOR participates in ASTC Travel Passport Program, granting members free or reduced admission at 350+ partner museums worldwide. MOR offers free admission to visitors from other ASTC member institutions.
• Montana Dinosaur TrailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOR proudly partners with Montana Dinosaur Trail, a collective effort to showcase the state's rich paleontological heritage.
• Yellowstone Coffee RoastersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBozeman-based coffee roaster providing coffee for Rocky Rex's Roasts cafe. Big Sky Lift and Headwaters Espresso featured. Coffee inspired by Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
• Clyde Peeling's ReptilandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAZA-accredited institution in Allenwood, Pennsylvania that created, designed, and tours the FROGS: A Chorus of Colors traveling exhibit. Professional zookeeper travels with exhibit.
• Montana State University College of Arts & ArchitecturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCitywide collaboration with MSU College of Arts & Architecture and Tinworks Art for Chisel & Razor exhibition and symposium featuring Edmonia Lewis.
• Tinworks ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBozeman art institution collaborating on Chisel & Razor exhibition featuring Edmonia Lewis and Samuel W. Lewis.
• Dr. Tiya MilesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2011 MacArthur Fellow, author, and Harvard History Professor serving on Tinworks Art Board of Advisors. Advisor for Chisel & Razor exhibition.
• Montana Technological UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaculty and students collaborated with MOR on exhibition copy of Edmonia Lewis's The Death of Cleopatra.
• Jack HornercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned paleontologist and former Curator of Paleontology at MOR. Authored Dinosaurs Under the Big Sky and contributed to Jurassic Park. Contributed to Siebel Dinosaur Complex exhibit design.
• Kathy WankelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiscovered Big Mike (MOR 555) T. rex skeleton in 1988 near Montana's Fort Peck Reservoir.
• Carter County MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for MAIA: Mobile Science Lab exploring mathematical and biologic concepts. CCM provided osteology collections.
• Carter County High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience and math departments developed MAIA lesson engaging students in measuring femurs of cattle, chicken, deer, and Maiasaura.
• Southwest Montana School ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on Bison IEFA-aligned Curiosity Crate curriculum developed by Shane Doyle, Ed.D.
• Greater Gallatin Early Childhood Community CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOR is an active member contributing to promotion of healthy early childhood growth and development in Gallatin County.
• ExplorationWorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated less than 90 linear miles from MOR. Museums offer each other's members 20% admissions discount.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Museum of Natural History: Massive New York City natural history museum with globally recognized paleontology halls. Comparable as a peer in mission and content but operates at substantially larger scale and broader scope than the Museum of the Rockies.
• Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: Flagship Smithsonian natural history institution in Washington, D.C. Affiliated with MOR through the Smithsonian Affiliate program; comparable in paleontology and natural history focus but at far larger scale.

Regional players

• Carter County Museum: Ekalaka, Montana museum and MOR partner on the MAIA Mobile Science Lab. Comparable as a small Montana-based paleontology museum contributing to the state's dinosaur heritage tourism network.
• Wyoming Dinosaur Center: Thermopolis, Wyoming paleontology museum with active dig sites and dinosaur skeletons. Comparable as a regional paleontology-focused museum in the Mountain West dinosaur corridor.
• ExplorationWorks: Helena, Montana science center offering reciprocal 20% admission discount with MOR. Comparable regional STEM-focused institution serving Montana with hands-on science programming.
• Children's Museum of Bozeman: Local Bozeman children's museum offering early childhood programming. Comparable as a Bozeman-based educational/cultural institution serving overlapping family and young children segments.

Direct peers

• Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Regional natural history museum with significant paleontology exhibits, IMAX/planetarium, and educational programs. Comparable as a Mountain West natural history museum with similar scope of dinosaur, space, and cultural exhibits.
• Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology: Canadian paleontology-focused museum in Alberta with extensive fossil collections and active research. Direct peer in scale and paleontological specialization, particularly relevant for the Siebel Dinosaur Complex.
• Field Museum: Chicago-based natural history museum housing one of the world's premier dinosaur collections (Sue the T. rex). Directly comparable as a natural history/paleontology museum with strong research programs and educational outreach.
• Carnegie Museum of Natural History: Pittsburgh natural history museum with a renowned dinosaur hall (Diplodocus carnegii) and active paleontology research. Comparable as a regional natural history museum with major fossil collections and educational programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/museum_of_the_rockies
• Xx.com/MuseumRockies
• Facebookfacebook.com/museumoftherockies

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Museum of the Rockies