46 Montana Schools Awarded Travel Grants for Helena History Trips

Helena, MT — The Montana Historical Society is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the second wave of its History and Civics Travel Grant program. Thanks to generous support from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana, the Society has already awarded funding to 46 schools across 23 Montana counties—from Eureka to Hardin—making hands-on history accessible to students throughout the state.

The grants offset travel costs for public, private, and homeschool groups traveling to Helena, enabling students to experience Montana history and civics firsthand at the Montana Heritage Center.

“We were genuinely worried that we might not be able to make our annual trip to Helena this year,” said Rachel Mosbacher, a teacher at Lewis and Clark Elementary in Missoula. “Thanks to this support, we can move forward with our plans. The students are going to be thrilled for this opportunity, and we’re so grateful for the experiences they’ll get to have.”

Mosbacher and her 70 fourth-grade students are scheduled to visit the Montana Heritage Center in May, where they’ll explore the Homeland Gallery’s hands-on exhibits and view cowboy artist Charlie Russell’s paintings in the gallery bearing his name. Expert tour guides lead all field trips and can also arrange visits to the Montana Capitol and Original Governor’s Mansion.

“Connecting Montana students and teachers, particularly those in rural communities, to our shared stories of place, to artifacts, art, and architecture supports the work they do in their classrooms back home,” said Darby Bramble, Education Officer with the Montana Historical Society. “This program makes place-based learning a reality for students who might otherwise not be able to afford the cost of transportation to Helena.”

Funding is available to schools traveling more than 50 miles one way to Helena.

Application deadline: Monday, January 4th at 5 PM

To apply for the grant, or to schedule fieldtrips, applicants may complete this form: https://mhs-mt.libwizard.com/f/2026fieldtripgrant

For questions or for more information on field trips to the Montana Heritage Center and State Capitol, contact Darby Bramble at 406-444-2412 or [email protected].