Exhibitions

R. Tom Gilleon, a master of composition and color, reimagines classic Western themes with vibrant, innovative style. Inner Light: The Art of Tom Gilleon showcases works from his early Disney Imagineer days, oil paintings, and latest digital pieces.

On view at the C.M. Russell Museum through through March 2025.

Slow Bull’s Eye, 2020,
oil on canvas, 50 x 40 in.

Back by popular demand, the exhibition Greetings From Charlie invites visitors to explore illustrated letters in the C.M. Russell Museum’s permanent collection. This exhibition celebrates Charles Russell’s remarkable talents as a writer and illustrator, featuring a range of themes, from joyful greetings to childhood stories.

Opening to the public at the C.M. Russell Museum  in April 2025.

Charles M. Russell (1864-1926), Mr. Andrew Rinker, detail
2001.30.1

Corwin “Corky” Clairmont, a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, is an artist known for his work in printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, and installation. His art delves into the cultural and environmental reproductions of European settlement on Indigenous lands, often with a site-specific, activist approach. This exhibition showcases works from his Yellowstone Pipeline and Shadows series, created at MATRIX Press.

Opening to the public May 10 at the C.M. Russell Museum.

From the collection of Corwin Clairmont.

Born in Highwood, Montana, Clarke lost his ability to hear and speak after contracting scarlet fever at age two, earning the Blackfeet name Cutapuis, "the man who talks not." Overcoming immense challenges, he became one of the most renowned Western artists of the 20th century. Working from his studio near Glacier National Park, Clarke transformed wood into stunning, lifelike carvings of bears, mountain goats, and other wildlife, capturing the spirit and beauty of the natural world.

This exhibition honors Clarke’s artistic mastery and enduring influence, showcasing his intricately crafted, vibrant wood sculptures that continue to inspire and captivate. Don’t miss this extraordinary tribute to a true Western icon!

Member opening June 26 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Mountain Goat
2001.13.05

For over 70 years, photography has been Robert Osborn’s voice. This exhibition showcases his career, from early Montana portraits to capturing cowboys, Northern Plains Indians, and Homeless Natives of Fort Peck Reservatio

Member Opening TBD.

From the collection of Robert Osborn.

Permanent Exhibition: The Russell Legacy Galleries have been dedicated to Tom and Jane Petrie to celebrate their lifelong dedication to collecting and preserving the American West through art. Spanning all mediums and subject matter of Russell’s work, the art spotlighted in A Collectors Vision has been donated or lent to the C.M. Russell Museum from Petrie’s private collection so that everyone can experience the legacy of Charles M. Russell.

Charles M. Russell (1864-1926),
The Kindergarten, detail, 1890,
oil on canvas, On loan from the
Petrie Collection
L2022.5.1

Permanent Exhibition: The exhibit "Before the Cowboy Artist" explores Charles M. Russell's early artistic development, from his childhood in St. Louis to the early 1900s. By showcasing his early works, visitors can trace the evolution of his style and gain insight into the influences that shaped his legacy as Montana’s famed "Cowboy Artist."

Permanent Exhibition: Firearms were central to the American West, used by many and shaped by major manufacturers and individual makers. At the heart of this legacy stands the Browning family, whose innovations transformed firearms design and culture. This exhibition highlights the Browning family’s impact on the firearms industry and explores how firearms influenced public memory and mythologies of the Old West.

Permanent Exhibition: The C.M. Russell Museum, in partnership with the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, presents Tales from the Saddle: Come Ride Along, an interactive gallery exploring the evolving West, where the horse remained a constant. Future exhibits will highlight pioneer women, diverse cultures, and changing Western ways of life.

Permanent Exhibition: The Josephine Trigg Collection showcases the Trigg family's lifetime collection of Charles Russell’s gifts, including drawings, poems, letters, watercolors, oils, and sculptures, along with personal items. The exhibition covers the Trigg family’s history, their relationship with the Russells, and the creation of the CMRM complex and Trigg gallery.

Letter to Friend Trigg
953-1-52

Permanent Exhibition: Bison: American Icon, Heart of Plains Indian Culture features over 1,000 Northern Plains Indian artifacts, including clothing, regalia, tools, weapons, and artwork. This exhibition, part of the museum's permanent collection, explores the bison's historical and cultural significance from 1800 to 2008 and its evolution as an American icon.

Permanent Exhibition: Though Russell’s work is featured nationwide, the C.M. Russell Museum uniquely connects visitors to him as an artist, husband, and friend. The museum includes his studio, the home he shared with Nancy, and interactive exhibits that offer an intimate glimpse into their life and partnership.

Permanent Exhibition: The Russell Riders Sculpture Garden, launched in July 2012 by the Charlie Russell Riders Foundation, showcases major bronzes of western wildlife. Expanded and reimagined, the garden reopened in 2021 with sculptures in new locations.