Idaho State Museum

Really well put together exhibits, love the division of the state into 3 regions. Friendly and informative staff and a nice gift shop too. Plan to stay for a while, there’s tons to see - I definitely could’ve stayed longer and need to come back.

This is a well put together presentation of the history of Idaho in all. Highly informative from the geography, cultures from different countries to very nice display of the different native Indians and their habitat. Learning how Idaho became the state it is today with the volcanic activity to the large glacier that carved the topography of this state as well as the sea that was actually here at one time and not Idaho is basically a high desert state with miles of rivers and beautiful rocks here for climbers to come test their skills.

This was an amazing experience. I was a bit iffy because I have a toddler but this museums is interactive and everything is up high or in a case so it is very difficult to get to what is being exposed. My family had so much fun. We ran around, we learned so much about the division of the state of Idaho. There is a playground in the basement with a train and a mine that make noises. There is a place for kids to build a town. If I lived in Boise I would become a member so my child could run around down there in the winter as much as possible. There is also a beautiful garden outside. It was too cold to walk around but well worth the coming back for it.

Most state museums fall into Best! State! Ever! sorts of narrative and the Idaho State Museum is no exception. But it's well laid out and has some really neat video elements throughout. I will say that I don't taking the volunteer-led daily tour adds much, at least it didn't for me. On the main floor as you walk in is a lovely gift shop and the "origins" area - this is where they talk about the formation of Idaho, nature & wildlife, and there's an interactive digital "stream" and a wall with shifting projection mapping that you can view from two levels. A small theater plays Native American stories that is well worth watching. The second/upper floor holds the bulk of the museum, with three areas, split into north, central, and south Idaho. The exhibits cover mining, forestry (with an immersive forest fire experience), skiing, rivers, pioneer history, agriculture, & industry. And many are interesting and interactive. There's even a video "bike tour", though it's currently not working. Historically, it seems to work best to tour from north to south, or from the right door first, but it doesn't really matter and there are "back" ways between all the rooms. Don't miss the "extra" Art Deco room and the Native American room at the far left of the building. The basement/bottom floor is a really fun kids' play area with a train and touch screens, plus a large room dedicated to notable Idaho natives. Many of the displays come with push-button music or examples for that person. It's definitely worth it for the price and I spent much more time here than I thought I would - about 3.5 hours! If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't take the 40-minute tour and would have felt a little less rushed towards closing time, but I still was able to take my time and see everything there was.

Super kid friendly play area that kept my toddler busy for hours, along with some really fun interactive exhibits. We really enjoyed our time at this museum.

10/10 Museum, exceeded my expectations. Spent 2 hours but easily could have stayed longer. It is a very good size 3 floors of very well-thought-out exhibits with a lot of interaction and interesting reading/several fantastic videos.

A great value for a family experience. My 12 year old loved the museum and especially the interactive exhibits. Right now (early 2024), the Bob Hope WWII traveling exhibit fills a large room with amazing memorabilia, film footage, pictures, and memories. Don't miss it!

It was like walking through a huge website. Lots of information 2 dimensional information with graphics designs rather than historical pictures. The kid interactive items that were hands on were good. However at a time in history when we should be discouraging screen time, there were way too many touch screens that did not have historical imagery. I want to go to a museum to see interesting old things or at least historical photos. I don't want a bunch of touch screens with simple cartoon graphics. The biggest disappointment was that they advertised "stained glass around Idaho" themed family event, yet the only exhibit they had was two pathetic a taped up small posters in an activity room where there was not even one piece of stained glass.

A fun stop with a lot to share. One exhibit was depicting the treatment of Japanese Americans during the war and where they were relocated and how they were treated. One exhibit showed the past uses of clothing and its importance. One exhibit was more interactive with a train whistle you can make blow. I never knew there were two notes involved. Along with how things were different in years past. Outside there are historically significant homes. That's just a few exhibits we can remember from what we saw. There is a really nice gift shop to pick up a souvenir.

This museum has a good mixture of exhibits that people of all ages and interests can appreciate. As I first walked in, I was greeted by John, a volunteer, who was almost giddy with excitement when he learned that this was my first visit. He then gave me a warm welcome, along with an orientation of the different levels of the museum and his recommendation on what order to take things in. There are regular exhibits as well as temporary ones that are on loan from other locations. The one that was on display when I visited was the Bob Hope exhibit. It was very well done and I enjoyed learning more about how he and his team of entertainers brought moments of joy to the soldiers. If you've got yourself a little time and want to learn more about Idaho, this is a good place to come and do just that. It's also entertaining for kids, since they have several hands-on exhibits and the lower level is geared toward the youngsters.

Wonderful Boise museum! Perfect place to learn about the history of the great state of Idaho -- God's country!!!

The Idaho State Museum is truly delightful. I learned so much about the state and am eager to explore more of Idaho because of the wealth of information provided in their exhibits. The gift shop also has a wide variety of Idaho-themed items. I look forward to visiting again in the future.

I'm so thankful it was open when I was in town. For a small fee you can appreciate Boise history at its finest. It's small but there is much to see and appreciate . Recommend you stop by and support this place.

This is one of the most thorough, engaging museums I've been to in a long time. I even felt a bit overloaded at the end--and I think I now know more about Idaho than my own state! There are three different floors in the museum, each with a distinct theme. The entrance level holds information about the geography and nature of the state; the upper floor is segmented into history of the three regions; and the bottom floor highlights notable people. Oh, and there are special rotating exhibit spaces on the upper floor, too! There are some really great interactive elements as well as the traditional pictures and plaques. Enjoy your time here!

Great place to take the family and kids. Staff was helpful and go out of their way to show you things.

I can't believe it hasn't been reviewed since the giant remodel! Hopefully this is the right one. If you're looking for anything from a fun date to a family outing I think this place can deliver. The downtown location has ample parking, easy to get in and out. It's located right next to so many things it's easy to make a day of the Julia Davis area. The park itself is beautiful, the art museum, the zoo, the library, the black history museum, and the rose garden. Admission for adults is 10$, well worth the price. My husband and I are Idaho natives and had not been to the museum since childhood. We both learned so much! It took us several hours to go through and read and see most of it. To be honest I got a little tired at the end with the more modern history and left without thoroughly investigating. There are a ton of interactive exhibits, great for families and even my husband and I enjoyed the visual displays. The staff was incredibly sweet explaining everything! Apparently Disney had a hand in designing some of it, or Disney engineers. The new building over all is incredibly swanky. There is so much ground to cover! Early life in the area, wildlife, mining history, Oregon trail, industry, it really is a start to finish history. I really enjoyed the ownership the exhibits take in some of the horrible things that have been done to the native people. It was delicately handled and appropriate in my opinion for all ages. The gift shop has a decent selection, but pricey. The place has a beautiful event center by the looks of it and many rooms for education. The event center has a beautiful bar, piano, and glass dome art. It's a great place and you can easily make most of a day of it. Grab some lunch after, and maybe a flick and The Flicks!

This museum is fun for kids age 3 to 93! A very interesting history of the so-called Gem State is fearured throughout this impressive building. Really nice gift shop too.

I was so excited to see the renovation of this Museum on first Thursday. I went to the door at 4:15 p.m. after having a wonderful time at the art museum seeing the donut exhibit ...which you must see if you have not seen it yet it just makes you happy! Anyway we were informed that unlike the art museum you cannot get in for first Thursday until 5. They lost three very interested customers that would have given a donation. I think they should open just like the art museum opens from 10 to 8 at night for first Thursday for the community. That is why there is a low rating as I don't know what the new museum is like inside yet. Maybe I will make it right at 5 one of these days!

This is a great museum. Very well done. A must visit when in Boise. The stories section was really well done. Staff was super nice, too!

Much larger museum than it looks! Interactive fun for the whole family, this is great for 2 hours or more. You will learn more than ever about Idaho's rich history including agriculture, native peoples, terrain, outdoor life, wildlife, and much more. Highly recommend!

I'm super impressed with this very educational and well rounded museum our state has put together. My only downfall in posting this review is that I do not have photos to share along with it. I noticed that a large portion of the photos that are currently shown here are either very old (I'm guessing prior to this museum's complete overhaul of a remodel) or really do not do a very good job of showcasing what it has to offer. Shame on me, I'll have to remember to do so next time! This museum is set up in a layout that is very user friendly and easy to follow along. You can learn all about the history of the Native Americans throughout Idaho, Gold & Silver Mining, Our Forests, Our Rivers, Our Mountains, Our Wildlife, Early Settlers, The Start of Big Business, and Agriculture. Additionally they have rotating exhibit offerings that include things like textiles from different centuries, the evening gowns of former first ladies, artwork by local artists, etc. There are tons of interactive elements all around the museum to keep all age levels engaged in learning. For the littles there is a very interactive play area on the lower level that can keep them entertained for an easy 30 mins if not longer. You can "mine" ore, feed "coal" to a train and sell tickets to passengers, build a town, and build a building. I have been to this museum on two occasions since their remodel and enjoyed myself both times. Additionally, I feel like both times I went I learned new things about Idaho that were so interesting and I was not aware of before. For instance, I learned on my most recent visit that Smith snow goggles were invented by a gentleman in Sun Valley that was an orthodontist. I also watched a short film on how Sun Valley became a famous resort town and the highs and lows of it's growth. All Very interesting. This is a great place to take individuals visiting to give them a snapshot of Idaho and ensure you yourself have all your facts straight! :) Parking is shared with BAM, Rose Garden, Julia Davis & Zoo Boise so parking nearby can be hit or miss dependent on when you go. If you score a spot, then you'll get 2 free hours of parking. On both of my prior visits, we were able to find a spot fairly close without much effort. They have a whole list of ticket pricing based on age & military status, so check their website to ensure you are aware of current pricing. For four of us (1 veteran, 1 adult & 2 kids) it was around $30. And we were easily there for at least 2 hours.

This museum was absolutely beautiful and very educational. There are so many things I learned about my state. My favorite thing was the variety or interactive activities for all ages. MUST SEE!

Guess it's that time of life... The "well, I must be gettin old" time and turning into a "crotchety old man" time. My wife and I were looking forward to the all "new, bigger, better" Idaho Historical Museum. We got the " new and bigger" parts. Since the reopening was close to my 65th (who me?) birthday and since it was "my day" I chose to make the new Museum the focal point. The focus is on BIG, Modern, and New in the new very airy digs. I could almost hear Elton John's Bennie and the Jets playing in the background. Gone are most all of the individual historical "time" exhibits such as the print shop (my favorite) the saloon, the barber/dentist/pots and pans shops etc. In its place are big sweeping animated electronic displays of spots of our history while the amazing tools and daily life items are apparently out of vogue and are ahem, HISTORY! To me it's like they wanted to make an all day or multiple day museum condensed down to a 2 hour "no test later" quick stroll through on a conveyor belt, so as to get you through the door so the next person/group can sashee through. Gotta keep that cash register ringing! (another ahem, gotta keep it beeping) What I want to know is... Where the heck are all those old displays so I can go gaze at them again and use my "old fashioned" imagination to try get into what it must have been like to live in those days. Guess I'll have to wait for the "All Old, Smaller Badder Historical Museum." If it comes I'll get out my old "Crotchety" cane and be there!

This is the worst museum we have been to. It was shocking how few museum pieces there are. The small town museums in idaho are WAY better!

Such an awesome place to visit. We were there for a couple of hours but easily could have stayed a couple more. It is soooooo much larger inside than it appears to be from the outside. It is so cool. Lots to look at, lots to see, read about, interact with... just so great and can't wait to go back again to spend more time looking at the things we didn't spend as much time on last time.. there really is that much to see. Gives such a great appreciation for the great state of Idaho. Very well thought out, well put together. Clean and friendly staff at front. Cute little gift shop. Be sure to allow time to explore all of what it has to offer.. just when you think you are almost done, you enter into a whole 'nother wing of the building. Crazy how big it really is inside and how much there is to see. Good for kids and adults.

I had the best time ever here. I love the Dynamite and the train. I love the wall where you put your picture on the wall. And I love learning about the history of my state.

Not being from Idaho, the experience and the knowledge I learned about a state I knew next to noting about was such an eye opener! Such a rich history...some good and some bad, just like any other state I am sure. We REALLY enjoyed out time there! Plus the AC was cranking when it was over a 100 degress out, so that was a huge bonus!

After the museum went under reconstruction, I thought "there's no way they'll make it as amazing as it already was." However, after (about) 5 years later, the doors reopened to the public and this museum blew my mind. I've been to almost all of the Smithsonian's and they aren't as interactive as the Idaho State Historical Museum is. This is a major step into the 21st century and its way of telling the stories of history. I am extremely impressed with the educational and inspiring aspects of the new museum.

This is a great place for families! The exhibits are very interactive and kid friendly. Having been to other museums that are much larger with more exhibits, this one seems a little over priced. The grounds are beautiful with the art museum, rose garden and zoo all in the same parking lot. We were on a time crunch but were still able to enjoy the entire museum in about an hour. We would have spent more time learning and enjoying the individual exhibits had we the time.

Fantastic museum! It was fun, hands on, and educational. Our kids were skeptical about going and can't wait to go back! Thank you for the experience!

Newly renovated and it shows! Great exhibits. A whole floor downstairs is geared towards children with a lot of interactive exhibits. Friendly staff.

For $10, good historical view of Boise....land occupied by Indians and forced out with settlers seeking gold and lumber....it's a very new state and some pockets of racism with Aryans and Japanese internment camp....it feels like Native Americans no longer have any real influence in the city or the state

Okay, after disappointing art museum, this was refreshing. You learn about the state bird, flag, rock, etc as well as the native Indians and gold rush. Plus, there is a section about Chinese immigration which was interesting. My student id got me in for only 3 dollars. Worth taking a look here and across from art museum.

We stopped by this museum on a Sunday after visiting Zoo Boise as it was nearby, but we found out it was closed on Sundays. It was also closed the next day, as it was a Columbus Day. Tuesday we were flying home but got there right as it opened on our way to the airport. Another problem we had as we were leaving we wanted to tour the pioneer cabin area but it was still locked because the key wouldn't work and they requested a new lock be installed which the staff thought would be done later in the afternoon. That was frustrating since we were unable to return. The museum is conveniently located in downtown Boise, admission prices are fair and there is free parking. Once we were able to visit the museum we certainly enjoyed it. It is full of Idaho history captured in pictures, facts, stories and authentic period artifacts. We especially enjoyed the large Lewis and Clark expedition exhibit. It really was a tribute to those pioneers and makes one appreciate all we have today. There were even exhibits on the Basque and Chinese contributions to Idaho history. The period reproductions were very authentic. It was a traditional museum which was a nice change from our face paced electronic world. This is a definite must see when visiting Boise if you appreciate pioneer history. I would have given this attraction five stars had it not been for it being closed on Sundays and the key/lock mishap.

Outstanding museum in the heart of Boise. At the time we were there, they had an exhibit about immigrants to the Boise and Idaho area. It was called: Threads of Continuity: Time-honored traditions find a new home. Be sure to inquire what is the new exhibit when you go. But they have many permanent exhibits that you will find interesting as well.

Beautiful displays and incredible staff. The museum is well laid out and truly celebrates Idaho. It's a great place to start to learn about our great state.

Definitely go here if you get the chance. So much fun. So many different interactive things that keep you engaged. We ended up staying way longer than we planned because we didn't want to leave!

The Idaho State Museum has been remodeled and renovated to present the story of Idaho, the Land and its People, in a new, modern and interactive way. Visitors of all ages have the opportunity to learn about our unique State. Some of the older exhibits have been revamped and revised. New exhibits added to expand on the story of Idaho. Immersive and interactive experiences are combined with static experiences to provide a balanced experience for visitors. The Syringa Gallery currently contains art work, but the exhibit will rotate. I am already looking forward to going back!

HISTORY HISTORY HISTORY!! So much to see it may take a couple days to get to experience everything in this little section of Boise. I don't think I got to see everything in this museum but, I did love seeing what I did. A two headed calf? Wow and getting to take pictures with Lewis and Clark garb on! Fun. The largest potato EVER! What a great place to bring the kids and let them experience stacking items in a museum and the most awe experience here? I saw a man with a young boy and the man was explaining to the child what a "press" was. Explaining to the young child that that is how they used to make a newspaper to read... "kinda like reading your tablet". Smiles... I am from "back in the day" ...

Good displays, but not a ton to see. Great location. I only saw the outdoor exhibits.

A decent museum that's a must-do if you're a history buff and want to learn about Idaho history. Lots of stuff for the kiddies. Unfortunately, one of the main standing exhibits was closed when I visited, due to flooding.