Museum of North Idaho opens for 2016 season

The Museum of North Idaho’s feature exhibit “Ties to the Past: Railroad History in the Coeur d’Alene Region” explores the development of railroads in the Coeur d’Alene region, their economic impact, their demise and how their legacy affects us.

Four transcontinental railroads and several local railroads served North Idaho carrying ore, freight, agricultural products, passengers, timber and lumber. The exhibit will run Friday, April 1 through Oct. 31.

The museum, located adjacent to Coeur d’Alene City Park at 115 Northwest Blvd., will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., beginning Friday through Oct. 31. A free one-hour parking pass can be requested at the museum desk.

Permanent exhibits at the museum feature: the transformation of McEuen Park from industrialized to recreational use; Mullan Road, Idaho's first constructed road over Fourth of July Pass; the Nordic influences in the region; the lives of the Coeur d’Alene Indians through beadwork, tools, maps, stories and lessons; the 1910 fire that destroyed millions of acres in Idaho and Montana; and photos and artifacts of the steamboats that cruised Lake Coeur d’Alene.

“Portraits of Coeur d’Alene,” a 20-minute theater room presentation, highlights the people and history of the area.

Admission is generally $4/adults, $1/children 6-16, and children younger than 6 are free. There is a family rate of $10 for two adults and children younger than 16. Members are admitted free.

The Museum Store is stocked with regional history books and gifts. Regularly scheduled historic walking tours with Robert Singletary will begin as the weather improves, but special tours for four or more can be scheduled through the museum.

The Museum of North Idaho serves as the regional repository for historical materials of Kootenai, Benewah and Shoshone counties. A research library houses archival materials, books and more than 30,000 photographs, and is available by appointment. For more information, details about special openings or group tours, call (208) 664-3448, email dd@museumni.org, or visit www.museumni.org.