Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
We're working to fix a technical issue causing problems with our broadcasts. We'll have it resolved as soon as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Montana politics, elections and legislative news

Lawmaker: Sell State's Art To Fund New Museum

"Herd Bull," a bronze bison skull sculpture by artist Benji Daniels on display in front of the Montana Historical Society in Helena, MT.
Eric Whitney
/
Montana Public Radio
"Herd Bull," a bronze bison skull sculpture by artist Benji Daniels on display in front of the Montana Historical Society in Helena, MT.

Montana's Historical Society has been asking state lawmakers for help to build a new building for years. In the last legislative session it narrowly missed getting the okay to issue bonds for construction. Now, a Republican lawmaker is proposing it sell off parts of its collection to pay for a new museum.

As state lawmakers debate larger budget and infrastructure bills, Billings Representative Dennis Lenz is proposing letting the Historical Society sell art and other objects to generate up to $50 million for construction:

"If there are items that have less historical value, less likely to tell the story of Montana, are artists, or historical things that are less Montanan, maybe better suited in someone else's museum and maybe don't tell our story. To enable the museum, by selling those items off, to build a new museum."

Montana Historical Society Director Bruce Whittenberg says he appreciates what Lenz is trying to do with House Bill 594, but says it’s a bad idea:

"It would be a violation of public trust, it would be a violation of every code of conduct and ethics. It would cost us accreditation, it would cost us donations. There would be so much pain involved with this, it is even hard to imagine."

Governor Steve Bullock has asked lawmakers to approve just over $27 million in bonds to help cover the cost of the proposed heritage museum, which comes with a total price tag of about $44 million.

But Representative Lenz says the Republican controlled Legislature is generally opposed to bonding, and so would be unlikely to support Bullock’s proposal.

Whittenberg disagrees with Lenz's assessment of state lawmakers' appetite for bonding.

The first hearing for HB-594 is Thursday morning.

Corin Cates-Carney manages MTPR’s daily and long-term news projects. After spending more than five years living and reporting across Western and Central Montana, he became news director in early 2020.
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information
Related Content