Review: Idaho State Museum, Boise, Idaho

After more than four years of renovation and rethinking, the Idaho State Museum reopened in October of 2018. It was worth the wait. Working with historians and other scholars, indigenous tribes, public officials, and community members engaged through around-the-state meetings, the Idaho State Historical Society (the state agency responsible for the Idaho State Museum) has created a compelling and curiosity-invoking exploration of Idaho's history. The museum bears the burden of multiple objectives. It must promote Idaho while also critically interpreting its history, and it must engage studious guests while also entertaining less attentive visitors. These objectives are admirable, but the museum at times stumbles under that weight. Despite that, in its emphasis on interactions between Idaho's diverse peoples and diverse landscapes, the Idaho State Museum tells interesting stories and creates new opportunities for interpreting Idaho's past.