10 Things To Do in Butte
Butte, Montana, may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of unforgettable getaways, but it should be. This former mining boomtown is full of surprises, from historic brick streets and colorful characters to fantastic food and culture. The Copper City has reinvented itself countless times, and that resilience is part of what makes it so remarkable today.
Butte’s story began in the 1860s, when it was little more than a rough-and-tumble mining camp, pulling gold and silver from the surrounding hills. Those deposits quickly dried up, but along the way, miners struck something even more valuable: copper. As telephones and electric lights spread through cities like New York and San Francisco in the late 1800s, demand for copper exploded, and Butte’s mines helped power a newly electrified world.
Today, the legacy of that boom is everywhere. From hearty comfort food like pasties to neon-lit bars and headframes in the distance, there’s truly nowhere else quite like Butte. And while most of the copper mining may have dried up, Butte still lives up to its reputation as the Richest Hill on Earth.
1. Trolley Tour
Rule number one of any good city trip is to take a tour. That way, you have a bit of a sense of the place, you know a bit of its story, and you have a ready-made list of “I need to check that out” places. The Butte Trolley, which runs daily during the summer, does all that and more. Hosted by a local history expert, the two-hour tour introduces riders to many of the locales that will be featured later on this list, including the notorious Berkley Pit. This tour earns bonus points in our book, since it’s actually in a trolley, and the streets of Uptown Butte tend to run straight up and down, which is perhaps what happens when a city is built on the Continental Divide.
2. World Museum of Mining
When it comes to understanding what built Butte, the best place to start is the World Museum of Mining. This huge, open-air museum lets you step straight into the city’s heyday, with a village of historic buildings re-creating a 1890s mining camp, hundreds of mining artifacts and machinery on display, and most impressively, the museum is built above the Orphan Girl Mine itself. As you wander past old storefronts, view artifacts, and climb a headframe, you will see just how much work and grit it took to pull copper from the ground. If time allows, take the tour that goes 100 feet below the Earth’s surface in the mine for an even more immersive look at what life was like beneath Butte.
Please note that there are two ticketing options at the World Museum of Mining, and you do not need to purchase both of them. General admission tickets provide access to explore the museum’s mineyard, but do not include access to the underground tour. The tickets for the underground tour include general admission access plus, of course, the tour of the Orphan Girl Mine. These tend to book up fast, especially during the summer, so it’s recommended to book those as far in advance as possible.
3. Copper King Mansion
To move from the hardscrabble and exhausting world of copper mining to the excessive opulence of the mine owners, head to the Copper King Mansion. The mansion was built for W.A. Clark in the 1880s and features 34 rooms, Tiffany stained glass, intricate woodwork made of rare, imported wood, a grand staircase that was displayed at the 1904 World’s Fair, and hand-painted frescoes created by a team of live-in French artisans. At the time the mansion was built, it cost around half a million dollars, which is an enormous sum of money, but also represented about half a day’s income for Clark.
Today, the house is a gorgeous Bed & Breakfast, allowing visitors to quite literally live like a Copper King in turn-of-the-century Butte. The Copper King Mansion also offers daily tours for those who just want to take a peek into the old world, complete with stories about the Clark family and life in Butte at its peak.
4. Butte Brewery & Headframe Distillery
When the sun dips behind the headframes, Butte’s breweries and distilleries step into the spotlight. If you love microbrews, then you definitely want to check out Butte Brewing Company, which brings its own unique flair to the world of beer, in a relaxed, no-fuss atmosphere that feels distinctly Butte, in the best way. Just across town, Headframe Spirits carries that same local pride into its small-batch spirits and creative cocktails, all inspired by the city’s mining past and tight-knit community. Grab a pint, or sip something stronger, and raise a glass to the Richest Hill on Earth.
5. Thompson Park
If you want to get out of town and stretch your legs in the heart of the Rockies, Thompson Park is the place to go. Located just south of Butte on Highway 2, the backbone of the park is a 4.5-mile stretch of the old Milwaukee Railroad. From this main trail, 25 miles of interconnected trails branch off, tempting hikers and bikers in every direction. You’ll find plenty of great loops and picnic areas, including access to the Continental Divide Trail.
6. Silver Bow Drive-In Theatre
For an old-school, nostalgic night out, head to the Silver Bow Drive-In Theatre during the warmer seasons. There aren’t many drive-in movie theatres around anymore, and a visit to the Silver Bow Drive-In will make you wonder why not. The two-screen theatre features new releases Friday through Tuesday with a wide range of concessions, including some of the best popcorn you can find! At just six bucks a ticket, the Drive-In is an absolute must. Check their website for showtimes and hours, here.
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Read Blog Post7. Pekin Noodle Parlor
Though discriminatory laws prevented Chinese immigrants from mining during Butte’s heyday, the town nonetheless was home to a vibrant Chinese community. Today, one of the few remaining buildings from the old Chinatown houses Pekin Noodle Parlor, the oldest, continuously operating, family-owned Chinese restaurant in the world. The Pekin has been serving up chop suey, lo mein, and other classic Chinese comfort foods in the same upstairs location, marked by its iconic neon sign out front, for over 100 years. Inside, you’ll find a bustling kitchen, a cozy bar, and a series of bright orange, partitioned booths that create a unique and private dining experience. Recognized by national news outlets and awarded the James Beard “American Classic” award in 2023, Pekin Noodle Parlor offers a fantastic meal and a window into Butte’s Chinese-American history.
8. Mother Lode Theatre
Originally built as the Masonic Temple during Butte’s post-World War I boom, the auditorium was converted into a movie house during the Great Depression, and was eventually reimagined as the Mother Lode Theatre in 1996. Today, this beautifully restored historic venue is one of the best places in the state to catch live entertainment and traditional movies. Its ornate interior, great acoustics, and intimate feel make it a favorite stage for the Butte Community Concert Series, Butte Symphony, Montana Repertory Theatre, Orphan Girl Children’s Theatre, and a rotating lineup of touring performances. If you’re looking for a night out that combines local culture with classic theatre charm, checking the Mother Lode’s event calendar is a must.
9. Cleveland Market
For a break between museums and mine tours, the new Cleveland Market offers an easy place to refuel, regroup, and shop in Uptown Butte. Housed in the historic Cleveland Building, originally built in 1916, it brings fresh food, coffee, and local shopping together under one roof. On the main floor, you’ll find The Local, a coffee shop and cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and grab-and-go options like salads, sandwiches, burritos, wraps, plus a soup and salad bar. Just down the hall is Dancing Rainbow Natural Grocery Store, Black Dog Creamery, and Work in Progress, a leather shop owned by a local artist that also features work from other Montana makers, from soap makers to screen printers. You’ll also find a vintage and home-goods shop and a handful of other small businesses, making Cleveland Market a convenient one-stop spot in Uptown Butte.
10. Our Lady of the Rockies
One of the most unusual attractions in a town of unusual attractions, Our Lady of the Rockies, is nearly impossible to miss. Standing 90 feet tall and perched atop the eastern ridge above town, this concrete statue of Mary was built as a tribute during a difficult chapter in Butte’s history. You can spot her from almost anywhere in town, but those who want a closer look can take a bus tour up the mountain to the base of the statue for extraordinary views of Butte and the surrounding valley.
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