History Jackson Hole | Jackson Hole History Museum

The Jackson Hole History Museum (run by Jackson Hole Historical Society) is a 13,000-square-foot purpose-built museum at 175 E Broadway in downtown Jackson, covering more than 11,000 years of valley history from Indigenous heritage through early settlement, ranching, mountaineering, and the modern community. The right fit is travelers wanting to understand the place beyond the antler arches, families with kids ready for an interactive museum hour or two, and locals interested in research-archive access. The wrong fit is anyone looking for a quick souvenir-style attraction; this is a real museum with depth.

Jackson Hole History Museum Highlights: Exhibits, Programs & Tours

Three floors of exhibits across the main building plus historic cabins on site and an outdoor space tying the campus together. Permanent exhibits cover Indigenous history and Eastern Shoshone connection to the valley, mountain men and early trapping era, ranching and homesteading, mountaineering and the climbing tradition, and modern community development. The upstairs Cissy Patterson Gallery rotates community-curated exhibits, so repeat visits show new work. A research center and archives are available for genealogy, scholarship, and community history projects. Museum store carries regional-history books, prints, and gifts.

Why people visit

Three reasons. First, the curatorial depth. Exhibits are built by local historians and tribal partners, so the storytelling is more accurate than the typical Western-history attraction. Second, the building is new, which means modern interactive elements and accessibility throughout, alongside the original cabins. Third, the rotating gallery and programming means a return visit a year later still has new material.

How to plan a visit

Open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm; closed Sunday and Monday. Plan 60-120 minutes for a full visit; longer if you have kids who want to read everything or you want to dig into a specific exhibit. Wheelchair accessible throughout. The museum store and rooftop deck are open during museum hours. For research-center access, contact ahead; some collections require appointments. Free parking on site.

Honest tradeoffs

Two honest tradeoffs. First, closed Sunday and Monday cuts the typical visitor's available museum time; build a Tuesday-Saturday visit into the trip plan. Second, this is a substantive museum, not a five-minute photo stop; rushing through misses most of what is here.

Local note

For families with kids, plan the museum visit as a weather-down activity (a rainy afternoon, an unexpected smoke day from regional wildfire, a bitterly cold morning). The interactive elements work well with school-age kids, and 90 minutes here resets the day in a way an outdoor activity cannot. For history-curious adults, ask the front desk about current temporary exhibits and any guided-tour days; the staff-led walkthroughs are more substantive than self-guided visits.

What it comes down to

For a substantive look at Jackson Hole's deep history, from Indigenous heritage through modern community, the Jackson Hole History Museum is the right call. Plan an hour or two on a Tuesday-through-Saturday afternoon, ask the staff what is currently up, and take the rooftop deck before you leave.

FAQ

Are kids welcome?

Yes. Family-friendly exhibits with interactive elements suited to school-age kids and up.

What are the hours?

Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Is there research-archive access?

Yes. Contact ahead; some collections require appointment.

Where is it?

175 E Broadway Avenue, in downtown Jackson, walking distance from the Town Square.