Idaho State Historical Society

Idaho State Historical Society The Idaho State Historical Society is an extraordinary system of cultural and historic resources. Join us today!

The Idaho State Historical Society is comprised of the Idaho State Museum, Idaho State Archives, Idaho State Historic Preservation Office, and Historic Sites Program. We seek to inspire, enrich and engage all Idahoans by leading the state in preserving, sharing, and using history and cultural resources relevant to today to inform and influence the future.

Join the team at the Idaho State Historical Society! We are hiring an open full-time classified position for a Maintenan...
06/03/2026

Join the team at the Idaho State Historical Society! We are hiring an open full-time classified position for a Maintenance and Operations Supervisor.

The Maintenance and Operations Supervisor plans, directs, and performs skilled maintenance and repair of historic sites and statewide buildings and properties including the State Archives and ISHS Administration located in the Idaho History Center, Idaho State Museum, Bureau of Reclamation building, Table Rock, Historic Assay Building, Old Idaho Penitentiary (OIP) and OIP campus and historic buildings, and ISHS historic sites properties throughout the state. This position will also lead skilled trade areas.

Apply today at history.idaho.gov/careers. This job posting closes June 15.

As Idaho approaches the 50th anniversary of the Teton Dam collapse, Idaho Experience presents a powerful new documentary...
06/01/2026

As Idaho approaches the 50th anniversary of the Teton Dam collapse, Idaho Experience presents a powerful new documentary examining the devastating failure that forever changed eastern Idaho.

“The Teton Dam Disaster” shares the lasting impact of one of the worst engineering disasters in U.S. history, remembering the lives lost and the communities forever changed.

“The Teton Dam Disaster” premieres June 4 at 8:30 p.m. on Idaho Public Television.

Idaho’s story lives on through the traditions, celebrations, and communities that bring people together year after year....
05/29/2026

Idaho’s story lives on through the traditions, celebrations, and communities that bring people together year after year.

In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the Idaho State Historical Society is proud to honor the 2026 Esto Perpetua Award recipients, recognizing festivals, organizations, and community traditions that strengthen civic life and carry Idaho’s history forward across generations.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees:
• American Dog Derby, Ashton
• Paul Bunyan Days, St. Maries
• Chief Lookingglass Pow-Wow, Kamiah
• Grangeville Border Days, Grangeville
• Idaho Days, Franklin
• Idaho Veterans Parade, Boise
• Jaialdi, Boise
• Shoshone-Bannock Indian Festival, Fort Hall
• National Oldtime Fiddlers’ Contest and Festival, Weiser
• Wagon Days, Ketchum
• Wallace Fall for History Festival

Join us as we celebrate these incredible Idaho traditions at the 2026 Esto Perpetua Awards Ceremony on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the Idaho State Museum in Boise.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m. | Program begins at 5:30 p.m.
Ticket purchase includes a summer BBQ, reception, and no-host bar.

Tickets are $30 and available through May 31. Seating is limited.

Learn more and purchase tickets at history.idaho.gov/events.

The Idaho State Historical Society is now accepting applications for the Community Enhancement Grant Program.This progra...
05/22/2026

The Idaho State Historical Society is now accepting applications for the Community Enhancement Grant Program.

This program supports Idaho organizations working to preserve, interpret, and share the state’s history through projects like:
• Collections management
• Educational programming
• Public access improvements
• Interpretive enhancements
• Heritage tourism initiatives

Grant awards range from $500 to $2,500 with a required 1:1 match. Applications are open to eligible Idaho nonprofits, tribal governments, and local government entities.

Since 2008, the program has invested more than $540,000 into communities across Idaho.

Application deadline: July 1, 2026 at 5 pm

Learn more and apply: history.idaho.gov/grants/ceg

Questions? Email [email protected]

Happy National Bike to Work Day! 🚲Long before it was a trend, Merle Wells made it a statement. Idaho’s former State Hist...
05/15/2026

Happy National Bike to Work Day! 🚲

Long before it was a trend, Merle Wells made it a statement. Idaho’s former State Historian was known for riding his bright pink bicycle to work and around town, dressed sharp in a suit and topped with a cowboy hat. Equal parts bold, practical, and unmistakably Idaho.

Today, that iconic pink bike is part of the Idaho State Historical Society’s permanent collection, preserving the story of a man who truly rode to his own beat.

On July 4, 2026, Idaho will make history. On our country's birthday, the national America250 Commission will bury a time...
05/12/2026

On July 4, 2026, Idaho will make history. On our country's birthday, the national America250 Commission will bury a time capsule at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, PA. The National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Library of Congress invited all US states and territories to submit one document and one object for this momentous occasion, and Idaho jumped at the opportunity. Nestled amongst other metal, ceramic, and natural objects will be a polished Idaho star garnet—our state gemstone. This, along with a letter from Governor Brad Little, will remain buried in a stainless-steel capsule until July 4, 2276.

Time capsules let us choose what we want future generations to know about us, like a national “message in a bottle” for America’s 250th birthday. Idaho's America250 planners intentionally chose the star garnet to represent the Gem State. This stone's star only shines when held to the light, symbolic of the way studying history reveals new meaning when we take the time to really look and examine the past. By placing this gem beneath Independence Hall, we are, in a sense, tucking a piece of Idaho into the nation’s foundational bedrock and, with it, sending forward a quiet message that history does not sit behind us; it anchors us in the present and prepares us to make better decisions about the future, no matter how distant that future may seem.

05/09/2026

Today we honor and remember Governor Dirk Kempthorne and his lasting legacy on the state of Idaho. From championing Idaho’s state parks system to supporting early childhood education, Governor Kempthorne will be remembered as a dedicated and hard-working public servant who cared deeply for the people of Idaho.

To learn more about his years as governor through photographs and historical records, explore his collection at the Idaho State Archives Research Center.

https://idahostatearchives.libraryhost.com/repositories/7/resources/4224

Photo citation: AR2/30 Box 50 Folder 67 (Idaho State Archives)

The Idaho State Museum, a division of the Idaho State Historical Society, has an open full-time classified position for ...
05/06/2026

The Idaho State Museum, a division of the Idaho State Historical Society, has an open full-time classified position for a Venue and Rental Coordinator.

The Facility Scheduling Coordinator, with the working title of Venue & Rental Coordinator, is responsible for promoting, orchestrating, and facilitating the use of spaces within the Idaho State Museum.

This work includes providing a high level of client support, scheduling and finalizing contracts for facility use, logistics and setup/take-down of venue spaces, communicating with vendors and service providers; on-site coordination; troubleshooting A/V and other equipment, and working proactively to secure rental booking to maximize use of available dates and increase revenue. This position is also responsible for venue coordination and logistics for internal agency and museum meetings, programs, and internal agency and museum events held at the Idaho State Museum.

If you are a state employee, please apply through opportunities in Luma. More information at history.idaho.gov/careers.

Application deadline is May 10, 2026, at 11:59 pm Mountain Time.

We had a great time honoring the history and legacy of the Boise Meridian Initial Point today as part of our America250 ...
05/01/2026

We had a great time honoring the history and legacy of the Boise Meridian Initial Point today as part of our America250 in Idaho celebration. Join us tomorrow at the Old Idaho Penitentiary for more surveying history, hands-on activities, and vendor booths!

Did you know the Old Idaho Penitentiary has its own podcast?From inside the Old Pen comes Behind Gray Walls, a podcast e...
04/29/2026

Did you know the Old Idaho Penitentiary has its own podcast?

From inside the Old Pen comes Behind Gray Walls, a podcast exploring Idaho history, true crime, and the lives of the inmates who once lived here. Written and produced by ISHS staff Anthony, Skye, and Samuel, the series takes its name from inmate Patrick Charles Murphy’s biography and brings a deeply human lens to the past.

Each episode pairs the stories of one male and one female inmate, digging into their lives, crimes, and time behind bars. Some stories will sound familiar. Others will surprise you.

More than 13,000 men and 217 women passed through these walls. Their stories are waiting.

108+ episodes available now. Start listening wherever you get your podcasts.

Address

2205 Old Penitentiary Road
Boise, ID
83712

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+12083342682

Website

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