Montana Historical Society to offer free historical trips for schools using new grant award

HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Historical Society was awarded a $50,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Montana to start a free field trip program for students in Montana. 

The program is meant to bring students from “every corner of Montana” to visit the Montana Heritage Center and the State Capitol to learn about their state’s history and government, according to a press release from the Montana Historical Society.

The Montana Historical Society began in Banack in 1865 and became the official Montana state archives in 1969. Their mission is to “preserve Montana’s past, share our stories, and inspire exploration, to provide meaning for today and vision for tomorrow.”

The grant will enable them to work towards their goal to make Montana history and state government available to all Montana students, regardless of their school’s location or economic circumstances.

“For too many Montana students and teachers, particularly those in rural communities, a trip to the State Capitol and the Montana Heritage Center feels out of reach,” said Darby Bramble, Education Officer with the Montana Historical Society. “This program changes that reality. We’re talking about students who might have to drive several hours just to get to Helena, and for many schools, the cost of transportation has made this kind of educational experience impossible.”

The grant will fund the History and Civics Education Program, which will provide comprehensive grants to schools around Montana, including transportation cost and lodging. 

The program will launch in early 2026, according to the Montana Historical Society. 

Applications to the program will be accepted on an ongoing basis with two deadlines. The first round will be accepted until October 13, 2025 and the second round will be open until January 4, 2026. 

Montana Historical Society wrote that they are raising more funds through an endowment campaign to extend the reach of their new program. Their goal is to build an endowment that will sustain the program indefinitely, “ensuring that geography and economics never prevent Montana students from experiencing their state’s history and capitol.”

For more information on the History and Civics Endowment, or to contribute to the program, contact Darby Bramble at darby.bramble2@mt.gov or 406-444-2412, or visit https://montanamuseum.org/historycivicsfieldtrips.