Grab your Montana map, find White Sulphur Springs and then Harlowton to the east. In the middle of that stretch you’ll find a small town named Martinsdale and nearby is the Bair Family Museum. At first glance, the Bair Family Museum appears to be an extra large ranch home with well manicured yard. Let’s just say its all that and much, much more.
Your first stop at the Museum will be at the Visitor Center housed in the former barn. Just looking through displays at the Visitor Center is a treat but it is really just the beginning. All tours through the eclectic home are led by docents who pass along history and trivia about the "Bair girls", Alberta and Marguerite, their lifestyle, and how the ranch began with their father, Charlie Bair.
Western culture, Native American culture and European culture all blend in the home’s furnishings. Visitors will see French furniture, English silver, Western paintings, Indian artifacts and Chinese porcelain. One could say the Bair girls loved to shop!
The Bair Family Museum, located just off Highway 12, is open May 1 – Sept 30. For the months of May and September, tours are given Wednesday through Sunday, 10am – 5pm. From Memorial Day through Labor Day the Museum is open seven days a week, same hours. The last tour begins at 4pm.
For more information call 406-572-3314 or visit http://www.russell.visitmt.com/listings/9712.htm to see a photo slide show of the Museum.