MISSOURI BREAKS INTERPRETIVE CENTER
The Mighty Missouri is always flowing, slowly carving and shaping the land and the people who have called this area home. Westward settlement in this emerging nation made this river one of the most significant routes of expansion. Lewis and Clark’s Corp of Discovery marveled at “scenes of visionary enchantment” and the now-famous White Cliffs of the Missouri. Steamboats laden with fortune seekers, miners, and people “mining the miners” sealed Fort Benton’s fate as the “world’s innermost port.” Nez Perce Indians crossed this river in 1877, fleeing the U.S. Army and exile to reservation lands. All this happened while ancient fish, some in existence since the age of dinosaurs, still clung to life in these murky waters.
Welcome to the Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center!
Experience the Monument, enrich your heart and soul. From wood hawkers, riverboat captains, and bullwhackers, to paddlefish, sturgeon, and bighorn sheep, we keep stories alive! Our center is located in Fort Benton, Montana, and interprets the grandeur and wonder of Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River and the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. From hands-on exhibits and special educational programs to a relaxing riverside walking trail, our facility tells about the area’s cultural and natural history.
The Interpretive Center is a public-private partnership between the Bureau of Land Management, the City of Fort Benton, and the River and Plains Society.
Hours of Operation
- Fall/Winter/Spring (Sept. 30, 2024 - May 24, 2025)
- Open Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Closed Saturday and Sunday
- Closed on Federal Holidays
Address and Phone
701 7th Street
Fort Benton, MT 59442
Phone: 406-622-4000
Standard Fees
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Adults (ages 16 and older): $5.00
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Children (those under 16): FREE
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Federal Interagency Passes Accepted (Annual, Senior and Access)
Accessibility Information - The interior exhibit area and the Interpretive Center grounds and walking trail are all wheelchair accessible.
Directions
The Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center is located at 701 7th Street, Fort Benton, Montana.
From Great Falls: Travel on U.S. 87 north for 40 miles to Fort Benton. Once in town, turn left onto 13th Street and right on Front Street. Take Front Street to 7th and turn left.
From Glacier National Park: Follow U.S. 2 to Highway 223 in Chester. Travel south on Hwy 223 for 54 miles to Fort Benton. Once in town, turn left on 13th Street and right on Front Street. Take Front Street to 7th and turn left.
Traveling from Lewistown: Travel west on U.S. 200 to Stanford. Turn right (north) on Highway 80 and travel 57 miles to Fort Benton. In town, turn left on Front Street. Take Front Street to 7th and turn left.