Great Plains Dinosaur Museum & Field Station

Great Plains Dinosaur Museum & Field Station Great Plains Dinosaur Museum is governed and operated by volunteer board members of the Judith River Foundation, Inc.

Step into Montana’s prehistoric past in Malta 🦖
Real fossils, hands-on dinosaur digs, and family-friendly experiences in one of the richest fossil regions in the U.S.
📞 Call 406-654-5300 to register for a program or visit after hours (as available) The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum is located in the rich land mass of Northern Montana where the world’s most preeminent preserved dinosaur fossils have been discovered. A premier site on the Montana Dinosaur Trail, GPDM features permanent exhibits of dinosaurs and other prehistoric fossils, allowing visitors to appreciate, enjoy and fully understand the rich prehistoric resources of this region. The Museum also provides the rare opportunity for both youth and adults to explore, dig and excavate fossils with their staff and paleontologist partners in scheduled laboratory experiences and onsite dig programs. The Foundation is an IRS exempt 510c3 non-profit corporation established in 2002 to bring the exciting dinosaur discoveries of Phillips County to life. Our mission is to curate and prepare paleontological resources for use in educational programs, scientific research, and interpretive displays in support of the advancement of knowledge and the benefit of all people. Construction of a new facility in 2008 provided much needed space conveniently located adjacent to the Phillips County Museum on US Highway 2 in Malta, Montana and gave rise to GPDM. The museum is not a municipal entity and receives no annual tax dollar support. We are self funded through membership fees, admissions, dig and tour revenue and fundraising.

09/29/2026

OCTOBER VISITOR INFORMATION

The regular season may be winding down, but there's still time to visit GPDM!

For October, Great Plains Dinosaur Museum will welcome visitors by advance appointment only, depending on volunteer availability.

Please call 406-654-5300 and leave us a message. We check messages daily and will get back to you as soon as possible to arrange a visit.

Regular admission is $5 per person. During our off-season, we kindly suggest a minimum donation of $20 per group to help with museum operations and support our wonderful volunteers who make these special visits possible.

Whether you're a local family, a traveler passing through, or someone who has been meaning to stop in, we'd love to hear from you!

Thank you for supporting your Great Plains Dinosaur Museum!

Send a message to learn more

A FOSSIL FROM OUR OWN BACKYARD!Did you know that this amazing mosasaur fossil was found right here in our region, near H...
09/25/2026

A FOSSIL FROM OUR OWN BACKYARD!

Did you know that this amazing mosasaur fossil was found right here in our region, near Hinsdale, Montana?

Meet Avery, a Plioplatecarpus, a unique marine reptile that swam in the ancient seas covering Montana millions of years ago!

Take a close look at the eye region in our photo. You can see the sclerotic ring, a structure that helped support and protect the eye and maintain its shape under changing water pressure. Pretty amazing!

You can see Avery's cast right here at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta, while the original fossil is on display at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.

This is our LAST WEEKEND of the 2026 season! We invite our local residents, kids, and families to stop in and check out Avery before we close for the season.

Can't make it this weekend? Groups can schedule a special visit and tour with advance notice.

Come discover the incredible prehistoric treasures found right here in our own backyard!

We are excited to be part of the KMMR Mustang Radio 100.1 FM". radio auction that begins on Monday. We have two great b...
09/25/2026

We are excited to be part of the KMMR Mustang Radio 100.1 FM". radio auction that begins on Monday. We have two great bundles available that each have a value of $125+ that are featured in Lots 5 and 12.

If you'd like to check out the items in person, we are open today, Friday, September 25th and Saturday, September 26th from 1-5 pm.

Proud to be a member of the Montana Dinosaur Trail, Thanks to our partners for staffing the booth during the Governors ...
09/17/2026

Proud to be a member of the Montana Dinosaur Trail, Thanks to our partners for staffing the booth during the Governors Conference - stop by if you are attending. Great things are happening on the trail.

Be sure to check out the Montana Dinosaur Trail booth at the Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism September 16-18 in Great Falls! On display are a few fossils from the Carter County Museum! Thank you to the Montana Department of Commerce and visitmontana for hosting such a great event!

Say hello to Roberta!One of favorite dinosaur fossils at GPDM, Roberta the Brachylophosaurus gives us an incredible look...
09/15/2026

Say hello to Roberta!

One of favorite dinosaur fossils at GPDM, Roberta the Brachylophosaurus gives us an incredible look at what dinosaurs were really like.

There's nothing quite like seeing a dinosaur fossil in person!

Come explore GPDM this September.

🕐 Tuesday–Saturday, 1–5 PM

Please tell us how we're doing at Great Plains Dinosaur Museum!!Whether you’re a local who has visited before or a trave...
09/10/2026

Please tell us how we're doing at Great Plains Dinosaur Museum!!

Whether you’re a local who has visited before or a traveler exploring the Montana Dinosaur Trail, we’d love to hear from you!

⭐ Please take a moment to leave us a review on TripAdvisor. Your feedback helps other visitors discover GPDM and helps our little nonprofit museum continue to grow and share Montana’s amazing dinosaur story.

Thank you for visiting, supporting, and spreading the word about the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum!



Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

We know a place where dinosaurs are ALWAYS happy to see you.Okay… they don't actually move.But they're still pretty impr...
09/08/2026

We know a place where dinosaurs are ALWAYS happy to see you.

Okay… they don't actually move.

But they're still pretty impressive! 😉

Come visit the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum in Malta and get up close to some incredible Montana fossils.

Open Tuesday–Saturday, 1–5 PM in September.

Address

PO Box 170, 405 North 1st Street East
Malta, MT
59538

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 12:30pm - 4pm

Telephone

(406) 654-5300

Website

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