MISSOULA – Plans for a proposed U.S. Forest Service history museum in Missoula include enough space to house more than 40,000 exhibits and a 46-foot-high tower crowning the building.
The National Museum of Forest Service History would cover the cultural, ecological, economic, political and social history of the Forest Service and the lands and communities it influenced.
The first Forest Service district office was opened in Missoula in 1908 and eventually became the headquarters for Forest Service Region 1.
About $3.2 million has been raised for planning and site preparation. Another $8 million is needed to begin construction on 36 acres west of Missoula International Airport.
Details of the planned museum were released Tuesday.