Montana Heritage Center Unveils $107M Renovation with Indigenous Focus – Its Smallest Room Says a Lot About the Thought That Went Into Designing the Space

The Montana Heritage Center unveiled a $107 million renovation featuring a culturally significant smudge room. This marks a structural shift in how Indigenous history and culture are represented in the state’s flagship museum.

The Helena museum expanded by 70,000 square feet and incorporated Indigenous perspectives throughout its exhibits, rather than isolating Native history. A Tribal Stakeholders Group, representing Montana’s 13 sovereign tribal nations, helped select artifacts and shape interpretive text. Major Robinson, a Northern Cheyenne architect consultant, served as cultural design liaison, embedding Indigenous values into the architecture and displays. The museum also reimagined its Homeland Gallery and removed sacred artifacts following tribal consultation.

The Heritage Center opened in December 2025 and aims to continue collaborative programming with Indigenous communities while rotating temporary exhibits. Smudge rooms, used for blessing and cleansing ceremonies, have become more common in institutions, reflecting a broader shift toward respectful Indigenous representation.

Montana’s unique constitutional mandate requiring Indigenous history education may have encouraged this inclusive approach to museum design. This development could influence how businesses and cultural institutions in the state engage with tribal partners, balancing tradition and innovation amid evolving community expectations.

Montana Built a $107 Million Museum. Its Smallest Room Says a Lot About the Thought That Went Into Designing the Space
By Vanita Salisbury, Smithsonian Magazine