Location: Butte
Top Things to do in Butte
10 Things to Do in Butte That You Shouldn't Miss
Butte's gold rush past is evident in its vintage signs, historic buildings and numerous trolleys and tours devoted to the memory of mining days. Its historic landmark district boasts some of the country's best collections of Victorian architecture as well as preserved gems from the early 20th century. Beyond its history, though, Butte has a wealth of activities and attractions to offer, from outdoor adventures in the surrounding wilds to arts and culture in the city's museums and galleries.
Restaurants in Butte
1. World Museum of Mining
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 301 reviews
Open April thru October, the World Museum of Mining is one of the few museums in the world located on an actual mine yard - the Orphan Girl. This 44 acre museum exhibits more than a century of American history and brings it to life. Explore more than 50 structures, ranging from the 100 ft high headframe to the many buildings of Hell Roarin' Gulch, a turn of the century mining town. Our displays and exhibits focus on mining and the related culture and ethnic groups that made Butte, MT their home. The World Museum of Mining offers two underground mine tous that take you into the depths of the Orphan Girl mine. The 65 ft tour is a glimpse of the underground and takes about an hour. The 100 ft tour gives more history and gives visitors the opportunity to see the Orphan Girl vein. The 100 ft tour takes approximately 1.5 hours. Get fitted with a miner's hard hat, cap lamp and battery belt to experience life underground! Space is limited and reservations are recommended. The World Museum of Mining is open daily at 9:00 am April - October. From time to time weather conditions affect our ability to offer all available services.
Reviewed By RetiredTravelerTN - Nashville, TN
We spent 4 hours at World Museum of Mining and could easily have spent more. The museum has many features: an underground mine tour; the mine yard of buildings, tools, and machinery; a mining town re-creation of buildings and artifacts; a mineral and rock room; a doll and dollhouse exhibit; a fallen miner memorial; and other artifacts. We are so glad that we took advantage of all that the museum has to offer. The underground mine tour is with a group. Our guide was terrific! The rest of the museum is toured on your own at your own pace. We definitely recommend this stop on your trip!
2. Granite Mountain Memorial Overlook
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 129 reviews
Reviewed By RetiredTravelerTN - Nashville, TN
After spending several hours at World Museum of Mining learning about the grueling nature of mining work and the procedures, machinery, and tools, it was meaningful to drive up to Granite Mountain Memorial Overlook which remembers the lives of miners lost to the Granite Mountain-Speculator Fire of 1917. The memorial stones and views are worth a half hour of your time. It is a sobering and educational place. I’m glad that people have made the effort to create this meaningful memorial.
3. Headframe Spirits
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 97 reviews
Founded on a passion for Butte and for great spirits, Headframe Spirits is proud to produce distilled spirits in uptown Butte. We're easily located on the corner of Montana & Galena with parking on both sides of our building. Our tasting room is open 10-8 Monday thru Saturday and 12-5 on Sunday. Swing in to samples some spirits and to immerse yourself in Butte's history and culture. Our knowledgable tasting room staff will happily make you a cocktail or two and share some of the stories from Butte's colorful past. We're family friendly, with a fun selection of non-alcoholic beverages to choose from. While we don't serve food in the tasting room, don't be shy about grabbing lunch or dinner from one of our local restaurants and bringing it in!Call ahead to schedule a tour!
Reviewed By 144bill - Butte, Montana
The spirits are just average at best, they blend ... they are not a real distillery. A must see in butte.. NO if you want a drink it's ok like any other bar....
4. Berkeley Pit
Overall Ratings
4 based on 264 reviews
Reviewed By IdahoGems - Idaho Falls
Viewing platform that overlooks the Berkeley Pit that was created from open-pit copper mining from 1955 to 1982. The pit is currently filling with water which contains heavy metals from the former mining operations. The new mining operations can be seen in the background of photo #2. You can also visit this observation deck as part of the Butte Trolley Tour which makes a stop here.
5. MBMG Mineral Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By C S - Montana
Butte has amazing history but more importantly, it has a phenomenal mineral collection that is supported by much historical information about the town, its mining history, and the minerals that are in the collection. Butte is not large but given this collection, you should not drive by this town and miss this collection. Plan to spend a lot of time viewing it, and appreciating the people who made the collection and the building it is housed in possible. And when done, be sure and wander down main street and take in the historic sites and number of fabulous bakeries and diners in the area. More importantly, plan your trip during the annual Butte Folk Festival where you will be sure to experience some amazing music, cultures, foods and arts.
6. Our Lady of the Rockies
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 98 reviews
"Our Lady of the Rockies", a 90-foot statue sitting atop the Continental Divide is the result of a dream and six years of hard work.With the help of generous donations and a wealth of love and faith, countless volunteers completed a seemingly impossible task. On December 29, 1985 "Our Lady" was placed on the East Ridge to overlook Butte, Montana. The base sits at an elevation of 8510 feet above sea level and 3500 feet above the mile high city of Butte. The statue, lighted and visible at night, is a spectacular sight to behold.
Reviewed By 484karlc - Alpena
The other times I tried to visit the shrine, the tours were cancelled because of poor weather (snow or freezing rain). The guides who drove the vans were very pleasant and informative. Seeing the impressive statue of Our Lady was well worth my coming to Butte. A gorgeous view of the Butte area is awarded from 8000 feet high to those who take the tour. There are restrooms awailable away from the enormous statue.
7. Copper King Mansion
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 107 reviews
Victorian Mansion available May 1st to Sept 30th for guided tours. Tour times - 10am, noon 2pm, and 3:30pm. BED & BREAKFAST available year round.
Reviewed By Doug D - State College, Pennsylvania
We took the 12:00pm tour, and really enjoyed stepping back into the past. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, and helped illustrate and bring to life a bygone era. The next time we come through Butte, we might stay in one of its B&B rooms.
8. Muddy Creek Brewery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21 reviews
You are all welcome here! Great Beer & Good Times is what we do. Come be a part of it. Muddy Creek Brewery is a family-friendly micro brewery located in Uptown Butte Montana at 2 E. Galena Street. Each week you'll find live music in a quiet enough space to visit with your friends and family. We invite you to come and hang out and go with the flow at Muddy Creek Brewery.
Reviewed By Gravyboy - Portland, OR
Muddy Creek Brewing in Butte, MT, USA is like coming home...if your home was up some creaky stairs to a huge airy echoing historic loft above an empty street in a once-bustling old downtown....like mine was. Anyhow, once you make it up the stairs and...MoreWow! Thank you for the great review. We sincerely appriciate the effort you put into commenting on our business. I'm glad you had a great time and I hope to see you again. Thanks, Chris
9. Butte-Silver Bow Public Archives
Overall Ratings
5 based on 14 reviews
The Archives collects the history of Butte and Silver Bow County. Whether you're interested in Butte history, researching your family roots, or to view our rotating exhibits, there's something for the historian in everyone.
Reviewed By Christy L - Las Vegas, Nevada
This is an amazing place with an amazing staff. Ellen Crain, the director, has made quite an effort to collect as many of Butte's historical records as possible. I started going there in 1997, when researching my first book. Back then, the archives were in the same location, but before the re-model. It was the old firehouse and felt like it. The archives were in an archive. I wondered about the re-model, would it lose that archival charm. Well, the re-model is stupendous, beautiful, a quantum leap up in terms of appearance, comfort, and access to the collection. The archives are impeccably catalogued. The staff is well trained and knowledgeable and couldn't be more helpful. Many of the staff, if not all, were either born in Butte or have lived there a long time, which is a plus. They are interested in the collection and in what you are researching, the natural curiosity one expects from archivists and historians.
10. The Mai Wah
Overall Ratings
4 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By Melodycthomas
We were here at 2:00 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon. The lights were out and the door was locked. Hours of operation are incorrect.
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