Photos courtsey of Western Heritage Center 

Step into the past and explore the rich, untold stories of the Yellowstone River Valley at the Western Heritage Center’s 2025 exhibitions. From the experiences of people living with disabilities and the artistic expressions of Empowered heARTS to Western artist Joseph Henry Sharp’s photographs, these exhibits bring history to life in engaging and thought-provoking ways. 

The Western Heritage Center is a regional museum whose collections, exhibits, and programs tell the stories of life in the Yellowstone River Valley. Located in historic downtown Billings, the building that houses the Western Heritage Center is the former Parmly Billings Memorial Library, a Richardson Romanesque structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

August 2025 Events 

Galleries Open: 

Tuesday – Saturday | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM 

Featured Exhibitions: 

• Equally Different: Uncovering the History of Disability in Montana 
• CapAble Montanas: Contemporary Voices from Communities with Disabilities (opens Aug 12) 
• Empowered heARTS: Work from Artists with Disabilities 
• Through the Lens of Joseph Henry Sharp 

High Noon Series (12 PM) 

• August 21: Eugenics with presenter Casey Pallister 

Hoof-It with a Historian Walking Tours (10:00 AM) 

Take a walk-through Billings' ONLY residential area on the National Register of Historic Places! 

• August 8: Pioneer Park 
• August 15: Grave Side Stories 
• August 22: Hidden in Plain Sight 
• August 29: Bars, Brothels, and Bok Choy: Exploring Minnesota Avenue 
• September 5: Grave Side Stories 

Save the Date: 

High Noon Series:  

• Sept 18: Conversations in Plains Indian Sign Language with Oly Hugs & Billy Big Day 
• Oct 16: Left Out in the Cold: Myron Tripp & Rocky Mountain College with Joe Lanning 
• Nov 20: When Montana Outraced the East: The Reign of Western Thoroughbreds 

Voices of the Past  - September 13 & 20, 2025 (information coming soon!) 

Holiday Playapalooza  -  December 13, 2025 

Current Ongoing Exhibits  

Equally Different: Discovering the History of Disabilities in Montana 

March 2025—December 2025 (West Gallery) 

Following national trends of institutionalization and separation, the State of Montana began offering specialized education for the deaf, blind, and “feeble-minded” at the State School at Boulder and supported the opening of the Warm Springs Infirmary & Invalid Hospital (now the Montana State Hospital). 

But while these institutions attempted to help Montanans with certain disabilities, local efforts took a different approach. Starting with the St. Vincent Orthopedic Hospital and Dr. Louis Allard, programs in Billings led the nation in services and integration. Then, as today, the history of people living with disabilities is about civil and human rights. 

As federal legislation, such as the Education of All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, and ADA Amendments Act of 2008, provided significant legal achievements for prohibiting discrimination of people with disabilities, many programs in Billings and Montana were working to accomplish these feats as early as the 1940s.  

The disability rights movement continues today. In the exhibit, you’ll hear accounts from those who experience life with a disability and learn the stories of local advocates who worked to improve the lives of those living with disabilities. 

Through the Lens of Joseph Henry Sharp  

July 12 - December 23, 2025 (East Gallery) 

Between 1899–1910, famed Western artist Joseph Henry Sharp spent his fall and winter months on the Crow Reservation in southeastern Montana. Here, he developed thousands of photographs to use as references for his paintings. Sharp used his camera to lay the groundwork for his painterly compositions, actively posing for his subjects and himself to capture magnetic portraits and scenes from everyday life. The collection of 25 images highlights his skill behind the lens. 

CapAble Montanans: Contemporary Voices from Communities with Disabilities.  

August 12, 2025 —December 2025 (Community Gallery) 

In 2025, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turns 35, but how often do we listen to those the Act is intended to help? Using first person interviews, explore the experiences, perspectives, philosophies, and future expectations of those living with disabilities within our Montana communities. The exhibit will also explore advances in accessibility and the impact on today’s capable Montanans.  

The Works of Cliff Potts  

September 9, 2025 - December 2025 (Hawkins Gallery) 

Cliff Potts was raised near the small town of Custer, Montana. At fifteen, he contracted polio and nearly died. He lost the use of his arms and legs and spent many months in an iron lung. But Cliff's artistic talents never died. Using a tongue controlled electric "golden arm" to manipulate his own left arm, Cliff produced original artwork in watercolor, oil, pen and ink, watercolors, as well as producing limited edition prints and cards. Many of Cliff's drawings and paintings reflected his rural Montana heritage and his spiritual reverence. His body of work has made him one of the most well-known artists of the region. 

J.K. Ralston Studio Cabin 

James Kenneth (J.K.) Ralston (1896–1987) was a noted western artist who lived in Billings for many years. In 1946, Ralston and his son built a log cabin to serve as the artist’s studio. In 2005, the cabin was moved to the Western Heritage Center and its interior was restored to reflect his working environment. Ralston’s oil paintings and sketchbooks include scenes depicting his early years growing up on ranches and riding the range in Montana. The Western Heritage Center merged with the J.K. Ralston Studio and now houses a significant repository of the famed artist’s letters, memorabilia, and artwork. Please ask at the Front Desk for a private tour of the studio cabin. 

American Indian Tribal Histories Project (Lower Level) 

Many individuals from the Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribes generously gave of their time, memories, and knowledge so that priceless stories could be recorded and retained before being lost. We gratefully thank them for their efforts and give these educational resources in their honor. These interviewees shared stories from their personal and cultural histories in order to preserve this important history, educate the public, and promote understanding. We urge our web users to approach these materials in the same spirit. These resources are provided to students, teachers, researchers, and the general public for educational purposes. 

Dude Ranch Lobby (Lower Level) 

The museum’s lower gallery has been made over to replicate the lobby of a 1930s dude ranch lodge. Rustic western furniture, inspired by the designs of Thomas Molesworth, and a stone fireplace provide the ideal setting to display paintings by James Kenneth Ralston, a regional artist inspired by the great stories of the West, and the landscape paintings of Clyde Aspevig (on loan from First Interstate Bank). 

Stay Updated 

Looking for new exhibits? Check out their Facebook page for updates: Western Heritage Center on Facebook 

The Western Heritage Center is located 2822 Montana Avenue, Billings, Montana 59101 and opened, Tue - Sat: 10am - 5pm.  

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