The Miracle of America Museum in Polson, Montana, is home to a lot of Americana. Located just outside of Glacier Park, this eclectic collection of “things” is a Montana tourist attraction that’s entertained visitors from 50+ countries!
What’s in the Miracle of America Museum?
Gils Mangle, owner of the Miracle of America Museum, is a collector extraordinaire. The most amazing thing about the Miracle of America isn’t the volume of the collection (although artifacts fill the museum’s 40 buildings), but rather its diversity.
Part of this attraction is open air museum on four acres of land. The fully set up and stocked buildings range from a saddle and harness repair shop to a blacksmith and machine shop to Santa’s workshop.
A large main building contains many important parts of the collection. Here, artifacts are labelled and displayed in settings like the ice cream parlor and the Big Boys Tonka truck. All of it, though, is Americana.
What Americana means?
Americana is a collection of “things” of any sort that are representative, or even stereotypical, of American culture as a whole. Nostalgia is often a component, as we look back on earlier eras with fond memories. Patriotism is another element, as is historical context.
An easy way to sum up Americana is as cultural symbols.
Some believe that Americana represents that nostalgia for small town life, when as they say, “life was simple.” So, a lot of Americana is associated with some quintessential element of the American experience.
The museum’s collection is so enormous, it’s hard to describe. So, here are 25 things that make the Miracle of America Museum great.
Small Sample of Things in the Miracle Of America Museum
1. See a mint 1953 Harley Davidson motorcycle and sidecar.
2. Flash back to “Happy Days” with a fully restored soda fountain, including red stools and all the original glasses, plus signs like Peppermint Flake Ice Cream (before my time!) and Karamel Pecan Ice Cream (would love to try this one).
3. Full page advertisement for the 1942 Safticycle — modern, low-cost transportation, or in modern terms a bicycle with a small engine on it.
4. All the equipment you need to make your own home brewed moonshine from the copper pipes to the kettles.
5. Polson Police Car #2 from the 1950s.
6. Imagine riding on the 1890s ladies tricycle.
7. Walk around and try to figure out the tools inside the 1500 sq. ft. blacksmith shop.
Fast Fact: 8. A Cushman Air-Drop motor scooter was used during WWII — it had two hooks for a parachute to be attached and was pushed riderless out of the plane (not sure how the parachute opened though!).
9. Check out various different juke boxes from the Golden Age.
10. Decide whether the dentist’s chair and tools are really helpful or just instruments of torture.
11. Fast Fact: Yarn winder measured the revolutions by carved wooden gears inside and made a snapping noise for each revolution.
12. Collection of harps and music.
13. Chicago Coins Fantastic Motorcycle Racing Thrills and Spills arcade machine.
14. Rollins Gas Station and Modern Cabins — cabin office building, gas pumps and car from 1930s.
15. Drink Nehi Beverages sign (never heard of them where I’m from).
16. Ever used “Gunk?” See a gallon can of Harley Davidson motorcycle Gunk cleaner.
17. Dozens of WWII shells and missiles.
18. Early 1900s steam tractor — wow, is it big!
19. Red & White Grocery store sign and lights.
20. Measuring stick for gas tanks for Model T gas tanks — instructions: Place measuring stick vertically in gas tank and compare wet spot to the column. For 1 of 4 different shaped Model T gas tanks.
21. Ford Emergency Kit (for Model Ts) containing 1 spark plug, 1 tire repair kit, 1 tail lamp bulb, 2 head light bulbs supplied by Ford Motor Company.
22. Full track sno crawler made by the Glacier National Park maintenance shop using a 1938 Ford Flathead engine and running gear.
23. Vintage snowmobiles including brands like Ski-Doo, Manta, Scorpion, Mercury, Polaris Mustang, Arctic Cat Kitty Kat and Evinrude.
24. A John Clarke sculpture carved from a single piece of wood that depicts a dramatic incident involving a mother bear, her foot caught in a trap, two cubs by her side and an advancing, rifle-toting hunter.
24. Old time fully stocked general store.
25. Toys! Hundreds of little girls dolls from china dolls to barbie dolls. Boys’ toys, including matchbox die-cast cars and trucks (remember those little cars the kids used to leave all over the house that hurt your bare feet when you stepped on them?). Collection of 12 vintage toys dating back to the late 1800s (includes wooden toys, china figurines, and storybooks).
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
As you can probably guess, picking a favorite exhibit here was a lot like throwing a dart at the wall and seeing where it landed!
Okay, so I’ll start with something I’d never heard of — a camper to add to the roof of a station wagon car.
As I discovered, autocamping started in the 1920s and was revived after WWII in the 1950s and 1960s. This particular Camp’otel was marketed across the U.S. by Sears, J.C. Penney, Western Auto and other retail stores.
Fast Fact: How did the Camp'otel work? Well the camper rested on the car's rain gutter, which was a metal drip rail around the car's roof. At night, the tent had an awning that could be let down for shade over the back of the station wagon. Kids could sleep in the car, while parents could sleep on top!
Area 51 at Miracle of America
I’m a big fan of science fiction, whether we’re talking movies or books. And nothing grabs a SF fan faster than Area 51. And while you may not think of this as Americana, these hand crafted UFOs and aliens are from the 1960s era of “alien abductions.”
The SF sculptures were made by museum owner, Gil Mangels. While there are other types of sculptures on the grounds, I particularly loved these ones along with the “examination room.”
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
We stopped in the Miracle of America Museum after taking U.S. Route 2 (US 2) through the southern end of Glacier National Park. It’s an easy, scenic drive. We left US 2 at Kalispell, heading to I-90 via US 93.
We stopped in St. Ignatious for the night, as we always prefer to check out small town motels and bars. And we weren’t disappointed. Our stay at the Sunset Motel was great, while the bar and grill where we ate has unfortunately closed.
Once you’re in town, you may also want to see the St. Ignatius Mission, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The mission was founded in 1854 by Jesuit priests. However, the current mission church was built later, between 1891 and 1893.
Who Should Visit the Miracle of America Museum?
The museum collection is eclectic — a true example of diversity! Indeed, its owner, Gils Mangle, started collecting at the age of three and hasn’t ever stopped.
While some artifacts have cards or some sort of identifying information, the vast majority of artifacts are what you see is what you get.
It’s one of those collections where you keep your smartphone handy to either look up objects you didn’t recognize or take a photo to ask somebody back home what they are.
There are various places the kids will enjoy on a family trip, starting with Santa’s Workshop. However, children are also invited to sit on a vintage tractor, climb into the cockpits of two jet planes, sit in a Korean War jeep, and more. So, rather than simulations, they get close-up to the real things.
Walking through the collection takes awhile. We spent three hours and certainly could have been there longer. So, be prepared with good footwear on the grassy walkways. Those with mobility issues may only be interested in viewing the main parts of the museum near the entrance. But here’s a map, so you can see what’s there.
How Do You Visit the Miracle of America Museum?
While Mangles’ collection started when he began collecting at the age of three, and grew as he did through purchasing interesting “things” at auctions, it’s now a non-profit corporation. It continues to grow, but now through the support of community and benefactors.
The Miracle of America Museum is located at 36094 Memory Lane in Polson, Montana.
The museum is open year-round, but you can check admission costs (they’re low!) and days open at the Miracle of America Museum website.
Keep up-to-date with what’s happening at the Miracle of America Museum Facebook page.
Take a virtual tour of the museum with the Miracle of America YouTube channel.
Plan your visit with Google maps.
Find More Museum Reviews for Montana
Check out more reviews of museum attractions in Montana on guide2museums.com.
Read More Heritage Museum Reviews
- Maple Creek’s Intriguing Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre
- Front Street Cowboy Museum: Ogallala, Nebraska
- Discover the Mormon Handcart Historic Site & Devil’s Gate in Wyoming
- See 100 Miles Across Nebraska From Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Standout Ranching History at the MonDak Heritage Center: Sidney, Montana
- New Iceland Heritage Museum: Gimli, Manitoba, Canada
- Crazy Horse Memorial & Museums: South Dakota’s Black Hills
- Myra Museum: Lustron House & More in Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Fort Cody Trading Post: Miniature Wild West Show in North Platte, Nebraska
- Miracle of America Museum: 40+ Buildings in Polson, Montana
- Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village & Museum: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
- Museum of Northern British Columbia: Indigenous Art & History in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
- Heritage Village: Museum in Weyburn, Saskatchewan
- Vermilionville: Living History Open Air Village in Lafayette, Louisiana
- Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience: New Orleans, Louisiana
- National Doukhobor Heritage Village: Veregin, Saskatchewan
- Bonanzaville: Open Air Pioneer Village Museum in Fargo, North Dakota
guide2museums.com 