Discover 15 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Missoula (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Mount Jumbo, Mount Sentinel, and Bluebird Building. Also, be sure to include Wilma Theatre in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Missoula (Montana).
Table of Contents
Mount Jumbo
Mountain in Montana. Mount Jumbo, also called Mount Loyola by some locals, is a mountain that overlooks the city of Missoula in the U.S. state of Montana. The mountain is northeast of the city's downtown and, in its majority, is publicly owned. In 1996, Jumbo was purchased from private landowners and protected from development. Funding for this purchase came from an open space bond, federal and non-profit agencies and thousands of local contributors. Additional land parcels have been purchased since then, increasing the easement to 1,800 acres.[1]
Mount Sentinel
Mountain in Montana. Mount Sentinel, originally known as "Mount Woody," is a small mountain located immediately east of the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. At a height of 1,958 feet and an elevation of 5,158 feet, Mount Sentinel also features the hillside letter "M", a large concrete structure 620 feet up its western face.[2]
Bluebird Building
The Bluebird Building, also known as the Higgins Block, at 220-224 N. Higgins Ave. in Missoula, Montana, was built in 1889 at cost of $125,000 and was modified later. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
It included the Empress Theater.[3]
Wilma Theatre
Building. The Wilma was built in 1921 by William "Billy" Simons and dedicated to his wife, light opera artist Edna Wilma. Designed by Norwegian architect Ole Bakke and his assistant H. E. Kirkemo, the steel-framed highrise features hallmarks of Sullivanesque architecture. Wilma is part of an eight-story complex that was the first steel-framed high-rise building in Missoula, and includes the main 1400-seat hall, a lounge, three banquet rooms, a restaurant, apartments and offices. The theater interior is decorated with Louis XIV Style gilt trim.
The Wilma's original theater organ was replaced in the 1950s with a Robert Morton organ from the Orpheum Theater in Spokane, Washington, which had been torn down in 1958.
As originally built, the basement housed a swimming pool, the "Crystal Plunge". Condensation proved incompatible with the structure, and the pool closed within ten years. It now serves as additional storage space.
In 1982 the Cinema of the Dove opened in the basement of the building. It was also known as the Chapel of the Dove. It was operated by Edward Sharp. The Chapel of the Dove was described as a "dazzlingly eclectic space." The Chapel of the Dove was turned into a more conventional theater after Edward Sharp died in 1993.
The Wilma now shows a diverse range of entertainment, including independent movies, spoken word events, stand up comedy, live and local music, plays, and other events.
The Venue is equipped with a full PA system and stage monitors with Yamaha M7 consoles at the core, as well as a secondary PA for use with the main movie screen. The Wilma also employs a full theater lighting system with PAR and Leko fixtures, and six Martin Mac 500 automated moving head fixtures. The lighting is controlled by a Pearl 2000 console.[4]
Address: Missoula, 131 South Higgins Avenue
Greenough Park
Park in Missoula, Montana. Greenough Park is a natural park in Missoula, Montana, dedicated to the city by the Greenough family. Donated in 1902, it is Missoula's first park. Rattlesnake Creek flows through the boundaries, creating a riparian habitat.[5]
Missoula County Courthouse
Building in Missoula, Montana. The Missoula County Courthouse is located in Missoula, Montana, in the center of Downtown Missoula. It is located at 200 West Broadway, Missoula Montana. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings on September 1, 1976.
It is a two-story building on an elevated basement, with walls of native sandstone. It was designed by Missoula architect A.J. Gibson and built during 1908-10 by Spokane contractor Williams & Oliver Co. on the site of the previous county courthouse.[6]
Caras Park
Park, Relax in park, Entertainment, View point
Address: Carousel Dr, 59802 Missoula
Bitterroot River
River in Montana. The Bitterroot River is a northward flowing 84-mile river running through the Bitterroot Valley, from the confluence of its West and East forks near Conner in southern Ravalli County to its confluence with the Clark Fork River near Missoula in Missoula County, in western Montana. The Clark Fork River is tributary to the Columbia River and ultimately, the Pacific Ocean. The Bitterroot River is a Blue Ribbon trout fishery with a healthy population of native westslope cutthroat trout and bull trout. It is the third most fly fished river in Montana behind the Madison and Big Horn Rivers.[7]
St. Francis Xavier Church
Catholic church in Missoula, Montana. The St. Francis Xavier Church in the Downtown district of Missoula, Montana, is the tallest church in Missoula, and one of the tallest in the state. It is also the tallest church in Missoula County, Montana. It has paintings well over 100 years old, which were done by a brother of the Society of Jesus, a kitchen helper, who painted them in his spare time. It is located at 420 West Pine Street.[8]
Address: 420 W Pine St, 59802-4118 Missoula
Missoula Cemetery
Cemetery in Missoula, Montana. Missoula Cemetery is the second oldest cemetery located in Missoula, Montana, with Fort Missoula Cemetery being the oldest. The Missoula Cemetery was first established in 1884 by the Missoula Valley Improvement Company, a corporation owned by prominent citizens Isadore Cohn, Frank Woody, William H.H. Dickinson and Thomas C Marshall. The land where the cemetery would be built was purchased from the Northern Pacific Railroad for $168. The cemetery was eventually sold to the City of Missoula in 1901, for the total of $1.[9]
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University library in Missoula, Montana. The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library is the campus library at the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana. Completed 44 years ago in 1978 on the east side of campus, the five-story library was funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
In 1979, it was dedicated to Ambassador Mike Mansfield (1903–2001) and his wife Maureen. Previously a four-term U.S. Senator, alumnus Mansfield was the Senate's longest-serving majority leader (1961–77). The library is home to the earliest authorized edition of the Lewis and Clark journals.[10]
Address: 32 Campus Dr, 59812 Missoula
The Artists Shop
Art gallery, Museum, Shopping
Address: 127 N Higgins Ave, 59802-4455 Missoula
Apartment Building at 116 Spruce Street
The apartment building at 116 Spruce Street in Missoula, Montana was built between 1902 and 1911. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.[11]
Missoula Smokejumper Visitor Center
Specialty museum, Museum
Address: 5765 W Broadway St, 59808-9361 Missoula
Museum Of Mountain Flying
Specialty museum, Museum
Address: 5225 W Broadway St, 59808-9385 Missoula