The carter county museum project will support the development and display of material in the dinosaur hall of the museum's newly expanded facility

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) awarded the Carter County Geological Society (operating as Carter County Museum) a Project Grant of $553,932 under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. The grant supports the development and exhibition of paleontological materials in the museum's newly expanded Dinosaur Hall located in Ekalaka, Montana. The awardee will purchase mobile display cases and three-dimensional (3D) printed reproductions of fossil specimens from the Carter County area, including a Triceratops skull, the largest and most complete Pachycephalosaur skull, and early mammal prints for the Ice Age exhibit.

The project deliverables are designed to educate visitors on the significance of paleontology in the United States while emphasizing the important role of rural, local museums in public education and scientific stewardship. Through these exhibits, the museum will demonstrate the value and importance of fossils recovered from both public and private lands. This grant aligns with the Museums for America program's core objectives of lifelong learning, community engagement, and collections stewardship.

The museum will purchase mobile display cases and 3D prints of fossil specimens from form the carter county area to tell the story of paleontology in the united states and emphasize the significance of local, rural museums. Fossils to be printed include a triceratops skull, the largest and most complete skull of pachycephalosaur. Early mammal prints will also be purchased for display in the ICE age exhibit. Visitors will gain an understanding of the importance of fossils from public and private lands.