Mac's Museum

One Man. A Lifetime of Discovery. A Collection Like No Other.

Step inside Mac’s Museum and prepare to be amazed.

Tucked within the Powder River Historical Museum is an extraordinary collection assembled over a lifetime by R.D. “Mac” McCurdy, a Powder River pioneer, teacher, collector, and world traveler. What began as one man’s fascination with the natural world grew into a remarkable collection spanning continents, cultures, and millions of years of natural history.

Mac’s Museum is home to a fascinating collections of birds’ eggs, butterflies, fossils, minerals, geologic specimens, artifacts from around the world, and more than 1,700 arrowheads, carefully cataloged and arranged by region. Projectile points, as they are officially classified, make up an important part of the archaeological record. The type, style and tool marks can all help archaeologists date the origin and period of use and these identifications have provided insight into early American trade. They commonly consist of flint, obsidian, or chert, but some digs have also uncovered points of bone and wood; and analysis has even shown traces of the blood, hair and flesh of the prey that was hunted. 

But perhaps the most astonishing feature is Mac’s extraordinary sea shell collection—with more than 22,000 specimens. Displayed together, the shells create a spectacular panorama of color, shape, texture, and natural design that is difficult to comprehend until you see it for yourself.

Mac’s collection is more than a room filled with fascinating objects. It is a glimpse into the curiosity and adventurous spirit of a man who traveled widely, collected passionately, and believed there was always something new to discover. Each specimen represents a place, a story, or a moment in a lifetime spent exploring the natural world.

The result is a display that is staggering in both its size and its diversity—and one you simply have to see to believe.

Come discover one of the most unexpected treasures in Southeastern Montana. You may arrive expecting a small-town museum and leave wondering how one man ever managed to collect so much of the world.

Mac’s Museum truly is a collection like no other.

"The stories that are told there and the things that are shown offer an interesting view of life in rural America as it used to be." 

- HDB, Belgium