Russell Museum Awarded Grants

GREAT FALLS, MT – Montana Senator Max Baucus recently announced the C.M. Russell Museum as the recipient of a $150,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant will be used to create an exhibit focusing on the role of the bison in the Northern Plains Indian culture.

“Montana has a vibrant and special heritage, and this exhibit will help both Montanans and visitors better understand a very important cultural aspect of our state: the bison,” Baucus said.

The Museum will develop, design, make, and install a new permanent exhibition entitled “The Bison: Heart of Culture, Icon of Art,” scheduled to open in late 2008. The Museum will also use the grant to assemble a project team composed of Museum staff, tribal representatives, content scholars, and education specialists as well as a community advisory committee to develop exhibition themes and conduct an evaluation of the exhibit.

Nearly 75 percent of the Museum’s collection depicts bison and Native Americans. The new exhibit will provide visitors with both historical and cultural contexts for these collections.

The grant was received through the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ Museums for America program. Grants are awarded to Museums across the country to advance community partnerships, spur critical tourism, and support classroom teachers with resources such as education curriculum and training.

In addition, the Museum also received a grant from the Montana Arts Council’s Public Value Partnership. The $22,500 grant will be awarded over three years ($7,500 a year) and will help fund operations expenses.

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