Unseen Missoula Historic Downtown Guided Walking Tours!

Unseen Missoula, a program of Heritage Missoula from the Downtown Missoula Partnership, offers education-based, guided walking tours to showcase Missoula’s unique history. The program aims to connect Missoulians and guests to our community, foster cultural identity, and promote heritage experiences for all.

Thousands of people have enjoyed the guided tours and connected to the program through social media since its inception. The public tour season begins in April and continues through October, but private tours run year round. Experience Missoula’s heritage through these unique and exciting guided walking tours!

2026 Tickets Coming Soon!

Public Tours Available May – October

Private Tours Available Year Round

Email [email protected] or call 406-543-4238 with any questions & to schedule a private tour

Thank You to our 2026 Unseen Missoula Sponsors!

 

Basements & Back Alleys

April - September

Bricks & Brothels (formerly Carnal Enterprises)

April-September

Hotels & Hooligans

April - September

Lower Rattlesnake & Greenough Park

April-September

Screams & Spirits

October: Chilling Stories from Missoula's Haunted Past

Heritage Missoula

A Program Developed From the Heritage Interpretive Plan

Meet Our Tour Guides!

Sophia

Unseen Tour Guide
View Bio
Sophia Etier is a Public Historian, specializing in the history of Western Montana red light districts. Sophia has presented at a number of events, including the 2023 Montana History Conference and the 2024 University of Montana-Western Tedx Talk Conference. Her current research focuses on Montana's marginalized communities between 1880 and 1940.

Steve

Unseen Tour Guide
View Bio
Steve Bixby is a recently retired small business owner and self-proclaimed history nerd, with a multitude of interests including early Missoula, the history of fire lookouts, anything relating to antique cars.  When not touring the downtown streets and alleys, he can be found volunteering at the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula or enjoying Montana’s great outdoors.

Kali

Unseen Tour Guide
View Bio
Kali grew up as an U.S. Army brat moving from state to state and fell in love with the Missoula area after graduating from the University of Montana with a B.A. in History, a minor in Political Science, and a certificate in Public History. She currently consults and volunteers for Bonner Milltown Historical Center and Museum and was an associate producer of the PBS documentary “Hidden Stories: Montana’s Black Past”. Recently graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Master’s degree in History, she is passionate about sharing Missoula’s fascinating downtown history.

Quinn

Unseen Tour Guide
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Quinn Huisman is originally from southern Minnesota where he grew up and went to school. After graduation, Mr. Huisman spent four years at the University of North Dakota working toward his B.S. in Civil Engineering. After working as an engineer, he made a move to Missoula, Montana where he enrolled at the University of Montana and earned his Masters of Mathematics Education. He is now in his fourth year at Arlee High School where he teaches High School Mathematics and Coaches Football, Basketball, and Track. In his free time, he enjoys a wide variety of outdoor activities that are provided by beautiful western Montana.

Janet

Unseen Tour Guide
View Bio
Janet Frey is a retired geologist with a keen interest in Missoula history, both geological and anthropological. She will happily spend hours researching historical information for new stories to share on Unseen Missoula tours. In the rest of her spare time, she is usually hiking, gardening, or spending time with her family in Missoula and the Bitterroot valley.

Dani

Unseen Tour Guide

Unseen Missoula FAQs

  1. How many tours are there?
    • Unseen Missoula features FOUR TOURS April-September! Basements & Back Alleys, Hotels & Hooligans, Bricks & Brothels (formerly Carnal Enterprises) and Lower Rattlesnake & Greenough Park. Each tour is unique and covers different characteristics of Missoula’s heritage. All tours are offered year round for private tour.
  2. Where do we meet?
    • Each tour has a designated starting location that can be found under each tour. Please plan to arrive a few minutes prior to your tour’s start time to ensure a prompt departure.
  3. Can I get something to eat or drink before, on, or after the tour?
  4. Where do I park?
  5. How many tickets can I buy?
    • You can buy as many as you’d like, depending on availability. Our capacity for each tour is 16 people, so if you have a group larger than 10 please call (406) 543-4238 or email [email protected] to schedule a private tour.
  6. What if I need to cancel? Can I get a refund?
    • We understand that things come up! We will refund the purchaser up to 24 hours before the tour. If there is an extreme circumstance, please call our offices at (406) 543-4238
  7. What if my kid is 4 years or under – do they have to pay?
    • Kiddos 4 years of age and under get to come along for free!
  8. What are the prices?
    • Ticket prices are $18 for public tours and $20 for a private tour.
  9. How long are the tours?
    • The tours are between 90 minutes and 2 hours and cover about a mile and a half on foot.
  10. When should you schedule a private tour?
    • We ask that private tours be scheduled at least three weeks in advance to ensure we can accommodate your group and secure available tour guides.
    • Private tours are available year round & require a minimum of 10 people per tour.

 

Unseen Missoula Guidelines

Please help us create a great experience for everyone by keeping a few things in mind:
• Silence your cell phone before the tour begins
• Leave pets at home
• Stay with your guide and let them know if you need to step away
• Wear comfortable walking shoes
• Most importantly, enjoy yourself and have a fantastic time!

Unseen Missoula: September 2017

In September 2017, the Missoula Historic Preservation Commission hosted a one-time tour called the “Unseen Missoula” tour. The tour featured three of Missoula’s historic locations: the underground steam tunnels, a Cold War-era bomb shelter, and The Bluebird Theater. The organizers expected a turn-out of 75 participants. However, over one thousand Missoulians came out to take this tour. See what started it all below!

Contact Unseen Missoula

Tour Development Partners