Museum Expansion
Future Vision
The Campaign for Carter County Museum
Welcome to the Carter County Museum Expansion Campaign, a transformational project that will dramatically expand the Museum’s ability to preserve and share the natural and cultural history of southeastern Montana.
Located in Ekalaka, Montana, a ranching community of approximately 400 residents, the Carter County Museum has spent nearly 90 years inspiring, educating, and enriching the public through history, science, and art. As Montana’s first county museum and the first in the state to display dinosaur fossils, the Museum is particularly known for its connection to the globally significant Hell Creek Formation. It serves residents, students, educators, researchers, and visitors from across Montana and well beyond.
Despite its significant collections and growing reach, the Museum currently operates with just 5,800 square feet under roof, leaving approximately 90% of its collection unable to be displayed. The planned expansion will add approximately 17,000 square feet, creating substantially more exhibition space as well as a new entrance and guest services area, laboratories, offices, collections storage, and other essential museum support space.
The project has now reached an important milestone. Design is complete, groundbreaking is planned for November 2026, and construction is anticipated to continue through mid-2028. The Museum has secured an extraordinary $10.3 million toward its $13 million goal, leaving approximately $2.7 million to complete the campaign. This strong support reflects broad confidence in a project that will allow a small rural Montana museum with nationally and internationally significant collections to substantially expand its educational, scientific and community impact.
View the brochure below for more information, or download the brochure PDF.
November 6, 1 p.m.
Ground Blessing & Ground Breaking
This exciting project represents years of planning, fundraising, and collaboration, and will allow us to dramatically expand our ability to preserve and share the remarkable natural and cultural history of Carter County and the surrounding region. We are incredibly grateful to the donors, community members, and partners who have helped bring this vision to life.
We are especially honored to welcome Northern Cheyenne Chief Reginald Killsnight, who will officiate a traditional ground blessing ceremony, recognizing the Indigenous people who have long called this region home and asking for blessings and protection throughout the construction process. Following the ceremony, we will officially break ground on the Museum's new addition.
Event Details:
- Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
- Time: 1:00 PM
- Location: Carter County Museum, 306 N. Main Street, Ekalaka, MT