When it comes to museums, an immersive experience including a delicious meal is one of the last things you’d expect. However, that’s exactly what this one-of-a-kind museum in small town Idaho delivers. This place does way more than simply display our state’s history for people to read about. Instead, they put on an entire experience in which visitors will feel like they’ve traveled back in time to the days of the Oregon Trail. You may even get the chance to eat in a covered wagon! This immersive experience is far from your typical museum visit, so definitely add it to your to-do list!
Hiding out in the small town of Montpelier is the National Oregon/California Trail Center. It may sound like your typical historic museum, but you'll soon find that it's anything but.
Visitors at The Center won't just learn about the history of the Oregon Trail era, they'll actually live it. Through an entertaining and unique re-enactment, you'll see what it was really like to take the long journey westward.
Get a small taste of the epic 2,000-mile trail in just a single hour when you visit The Center. You'll begin your journey at a replica of an old timey gun shop and mercantile where you'll learn all about the tools and supplies you need to stock in your wagon for survival on the trail.
Next, you'll hop into simulated wagon train and set off on the long journey. A wagon master guide will be there to inform you all about what life on the trail was like, with a highly detailed interpretive set acting as an authentic backdrop the whole time.
This experience is meant to completely immerse you in the world of the Oregon/California trail. During your time at The Center, you'll be asked to make life and death decisions and by the end of your visit you'll have a good idea of whether you would've survived or not.
However, the experience doesn't end there! The museum is also home to a super unique themed dining experience, in which visitors can enjoy an evening meal inside an actual chuck wagon.
A professional chef and staff prepare and serve delicious cuisine, all while large screen monitors reflect the scenes of the trail. Sounds pretty cool, right? Keep in mind that this is a special experience that is reserved for large groups only, and it is not a functioning restaurant.
Simply put, the National Oregon/California Trail Center will put you in the shoes of the trail's earliest emigrants. The one-of-a-kind immersive adventure is a blast from beginning to end, and it even includes a healthy helping of state history!
Learn more about The National Oregon/California Trail Center at their website here. They are open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day, except for Sunday in which they close at 3:00 p.m. instead. Address: 320 N 4th St, Montpelier, ID 83254
What do you think? Are you up for a covered wagon dinner at this immersive museum? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below! Check out more unique and informative destinations with our list of The 10 Best And Most Unusual Museums In Idaho.
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