Museum of the Fur Trade

Discover the history of the fur trade in the U.S.

The Museum of the Fur Trade is located in Chadron, Nebraska, home to the Crazy Horse Memorial. This museum illustrates the daily life of fur traders and Native Americans in its early days. The first business in the New World was the North American fur trade. They have over 6,000 artifacts on display, and general admission is just $6 per adult. The museum is open daily May 1 through October 31 from 8 am to 5 pm. During the off-season, they accept visitors on an appointment-only basis.

Visitors can watch the introductory video, admire the displays, and learn the historically accurate story of how the fur trade impacted the European immigrants and the Native American cultures throughout North America. The museum has accurate reproductions of an early trading post on-site and thousands of well-preserved artifacts. Among this original collection includes the oldest known point blanket from 1775. They also have some firearms owned by Kit Carson and seeds obtained directly from Native Americans over 125 years ago. Each season, new exhibits are added, and the collection continues to grow. If you're driving through northwestern Nebraska, stop by the Museum of the Fur Trade.