Stanford offers several ways to explore art and regional history: the Judith Basin County Museum opened in 1967 and displays prints of paintings by Charles M. Russell. The C.M. Russell Auto Tour uses Charlie Russell’s art to share the story of the Judith Basin and its history. While the museum offers a look at the paintings, the tour takes in the wider region.
Art, Photography, and Exhibitions
The Basin Gallery is located in the Basin Trading Post in Stanford. It displays works by up to ten artists from the Montana Mid-State Arts Society, who work in a range of artistic media. The Artist's Wall regularly features works by local artists as well as photographs from the surrounding area. The gallery program may change; if you are traveling to see a particular presentation, check the latest details in advance.
The Basin Trading Post also has an exhibition of historical photographs. You can also see the White Wolf there: a giant taxidermied white wolf. Check before your trip whether access is available during your visit. This lets you consider art presentations, photographs, and a striking exhibit as different interests to explore during a stay in Stanford.
Bronze Casting and Agricultural Machinery
All sculptures are created and cast at the Steven E. Lillegard Studio and Foundry. Since 1981, the studio has offered award-winning bronze sculptures. Visitors can see works in progress as well as examples of every stage of the bronze-casting process. If you want to learn about the process firsthand, confirm visitor access before your trip.
The Prairie Past Museum was established in 1989 as part of the Centennial Celebration, as a collection point for old agricultural machinery. Many of the machines are still functional today. The museum is next to Steven Lillegard’s Foundry. Bronze casting and historic agricultural machinery are therefore located side by side, while highlighting different aspects of craft and agricultural history.
Explore the Judith Basin on the C.M. Russell Auto Tour
The C.M. Russell Auto Tour runs from Great Falls or Lewistown via U.S. Highway 87 and leads to 25 interpretive sites in Judith Basin County. Its interpretation of art and history is spread across several locations in the region. This sets it apart from the individual exhibition venues in Stanford: the tour focuses on the Judith Basin as a whole and offers a different scale for exploring its history.
An interpretive booklet is part of the tour. It is available from the U.S. Forest Service Office in Stanford, Montana; check that the booklet is available before your trip. This can help you decide during your planning whether to focus on specific exhibitions or take a tour with a regional focus.
Which perspective suits your stay?
For art enthusiasts, the Russell prints at the museum, the works in the Basin Gallery, and insights into bronze casting offer different points of focus. Those interested in agricultural history can find a collection of old machinery at the Prairie Past Museum, much of it still functional. The Auto Tour broadens the view beyond individual collections to Judith Basin County. Choose your focus based on whether you would rather see exhibitions and production processes or learn about the region’s history across several interpretive sites.
For the broader trip overview: Judith Basin County.
