I like to check out the historical museums any time I visit a new city to learn the history of said city. The Boise one was fascinating and covered everything from the geography of Idaho to the great fires to winter sports. Definitely worth your time. read more

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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. read more

Idaho State Museum - Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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. read more

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

Idaho State Museum - Grandad biking at one of the exhibits!!! Fun place!! Learned a ton!!! - Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

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. read more

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. read more

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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! read more

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! read more

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

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. read more

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! read more

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!

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. read more

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! read more

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! read more

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! read more

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. read more

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!

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! read more

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. read more

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. read more

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. read more

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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! read more

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

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. read more

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 read more

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. read more

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. read more

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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. read more

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! read more

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! read more

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" ... read more

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. read more