The Museum of the Rockies will open its Indigenous Peoples’ Day schedule with a youth celebration from 10 a.m. to noon that focuses on Indigenous art and culture through storytelling, crafts and hands-on beadwork exploration. The family-oriented session is included with standard museum admission or membership while registration is suggested to plan for attendance. Museum of the Rockies event information lists the activities as a way for younger visitors to connect directly with Native traditions in the Bozeman area.
An evening fashion show set to begin at 7 p.m. will mark the museum’s first such event dedicated to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, featuring designs by Angela Howe of Choke Cherry Creek and Rebekah Jarvey. Howe is an enrolled member of the Apsáalooke (Crow) and Pikuni (Blackfeet) Nations whose work merges traditional artistry with modern silhouettes to convey cultural pride. Jarvey, an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe with Blackfeet heritage, brings her experience as an international designer, artisan and fashion show director. A reception after the show will introduce the new “Getting Dressed” exhibit that draws from the museum’s collections and incorporates pieces by local Indigenous vendors.[[1]](https://allevents.in/bozeman/indigenous-peoples-day-fashion-show/200030751378122)
The fashion show and accompanying exhibit build on a series of Indigenous-focused programs offered by the museum throughout 2026. In March the institution unveiled a lobby mural titled “All My Relations in All Four Directions” created by Eastern Shoshone artist Talissa Abeyta, Northern Arapaho artist Colleen Friday and artist-educator Adrienne Vetter from Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation. The collaborative piece uses gradients depicting day and night cycles alongside geometric patterns inspired by traditional Arapaho beadwork accented in gold leaf, with museum visitors able to observe its creation over several weeks.[[2]](https://www.montana.edu/news/25189/museum-of-the-rockies-unveils-new-mural-by-indigenous-artists)
May programming included a presentation by Haley Omeasoo of Ohkomi Forensics on forensic science and advocacy for Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons along with a beading workshop led by museum educator MaggieJo Widdecombe that taught participants about Montana tribal traditions. These sessions formed part of a broader calendar that also featured musical lectures blending contemporary sounds with cultural narratives and the seasonal opening of the museum’s Living History Farm. An MSU News Service summary from April 30 outlined the month’s events as opportunities to intersect culture, history and science.[[3]](https://www.montana.edu/news/25301/museum-of-the-rockies-announces-may-programming)
Museum of the Rockies maintains collections that support ongoing examination of Indigenous material culture, including fashion and adornment traditions represented in the new “Getting Dressed” display. The October 12 events coincide with similar observances across Montana, where multiple tribal nations sustain vibrant artistic practices that institutions like the museum help document and share with wider audiences. Organizers have set general admission for the fashion show at $15 and VIP tickets at $20, with the youth celebration requiring no additional fees beyond standard entry.[[4]](https://bozone.com/event/indigenous-peoples-day-fashion-show/)
Additional fall programming at the museum includes National Fossil Day activities on October 10 that will engage visitors in the Siebel Dinosaur Complex with booths and interactions involving fossil preparators. The combination of paleontological and cultural events illustrates the breadth of educational offerings at the Montana State University-affiliated institution. Event calendars confirm that registration is required for several of the specialty programs to ensure proper capacity management.
