Reviews of Heart Mountain Interpretive Center (Museum)

Bobbi Borgoyne

What a history lesson this was from those interned at the camp. A horrible thing to do to American citizens.

Frank Salwolke

Very informative about our history

Jess McConnell

Well worth a visit to this important part of American history. I grew up about 20 miles away and was fortunate to have parents to exposed me to this location at a very early age. Will often visit when I drive though the area.

Jaime Johnson

Really enjoyed this center. It has sites outside that you are able to walk up to. There are many facts and statements from people who had been at heart mountain in 1942. There is a room to show the space a family had during their stay. Also some beautiful paintings by a lady within the camp. I had no idea this center was here, drove by it to attempt to hike heart mountain, needs more signs and advertisement. The outside walkway sets up a good visual of the layout the camp had. The hospital building is still standing, you can walk up to it but can't go in. It's only $7 for adults. I would definitely recommend if ever in the area.

Kanny Dua

A very easy to see center that gives a good insight into the history of the Japanese internment during WW2 as well as the racial discrimination leading up to it.

Lawrence Todd

Outstanding overview of one of darkest times in US history, a striking reminder to not let it happen again.

Amy Hopper

Great tribute and memorial to the Japanese-Americans who were taken from their homes and unjustly confined during World War 2.

Gabriel Matthews

Was a bit of a Incestuarial

Trent Koehn

Very informative

Mike Zook

An incredibly moving experience. The Interpretive Center is amazing, and rich with depth and details you won't find this side of the Smithsonian.

Stephen Caldwell

It was a beautiful, touching place that everyone should see.

Nancy Douglas

Moving

Megan Ribelin

This place was very well done and well worth your time. Very interesting. Obviously very heartbreaking. I am so glad people are keeping our history alive so that we can learn from our mistakes. There is a little movie, then the museum, and then a little walk at the top on the hill. You can easily do the whole thing in less than 3 hours.

Heather Ward

Very informative about a dark time in American history.

Bob Alexander

A moving experience. If you are stopping in Cody on your way to Yellowstone, this is well worth the visit. A short 12 miles away from Cody. Give yourself about half a day to take it all in.

Ted Lapis

Our national monument to shame, is worthy of your time, and your children’s time. We must not forget what fear, and racism do to nations. Heart Mountain Interpretive Center shows both our foibles, and the human spirit’s ability to soar. Honoring the “better Angels of our nature,” gives me hope for our future.

Talian Kretschmar

Sad history. Museum is well worth stopping by.

Fred Hopkin

Wonderfully laid out and designed. Tells a sad story of our nation's history in a respectful way without being overly dramatic or judgmental. I live here but had never taken the time to visit. I'm so glad I did. It's worth the time it takes to see it. Some museums take forever and contain too much. You can cover this in about an hour and a half. From the visitor's center you can drive a half mile to the actual location where some of the original buildings still stand.

Ed Joseph

Moving but definitely one sided. Japan ruthlessly tortured and murdered thousands of Americans. There is no doubt that subversive Japanese were in the US prior to Japan bombing Pearl Harbor. While it's unfortunate these people were sent to camps, they were no where treated like the Nazis treated Jews.

Marcella Derthick

A fascinating look into a scary and shameful time for America. The camp shows the time line of the Japanese internment during WWII and has wonderful displays of how people were taken from their homes with only what they could carry and the rooms they were forced into at the camp. The tour also describes day to day life in the camp and how the Internees did their best to maintain a normal life. Well worth the visit.

Trish Musich

Very nice and VERY interesting!! A SAD bit of history!!!!

Jolene Velarde

This place was amazing!! The staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The entire experience was somber but the displays were exquisite. I highly recommend looking at the outbuildings and the memorial further up the road. It is DEFINITELY worth the drive and the visit.

Lavon Price

This place is humbling and a need to see by all.

David McGill

Great historical opportunity, We learned quite a lot of what the Japanese Americans suffered due to our internal fears. Excellent now and it appears to be growing toward an even better future presentation.

Jason Winget

Well done museum. Sobering. Surprising it was in this area, a well hidden historical fact of the area.

gina steele-jorgensen

It is a history that needs to be told, hopefully it will never happen again. Amazing how people can be so terrible to one and another.

Polly Linn

They've done a great job of making this a sensitive, touching and educational museum about the lives and history of the people who were brought here involuntary.

sheryl jasso

Thought provoking

Michael Hirsch

Eyeopening, very well made exhibition. Can advice everybody who visits the area to come here and get some important history lesson.

Debbra Hinzman

SAD NFL VERY educational

Sean Zitek

Lots of history here, history that gets forgotten about.

Jen Nelson

This place is absolutely incredible. Such a moving, emotional experience walking through here and reading all the stories. This is a part of history whose story must be passed on from generation to generation so that it, or anything even close to it, never happens again.

pb45utube

Great guides, very informative displays and videos

Amanda Hopsecker

A great place to visit and learn a piece of history so important to so many people.

Laura Roman

Absolutely moving. Wonderful educational family stop in the area

Lou Soto

Great place to see history and learn of our past where we were wrong about people

Peggy Sue Jones

Today, the Twins, decided it was high time to find out what Heart Mountain Interpretive center was all about. As we parked and entered the Center, we were greeted by a guide who gave us information regarding the Center and what we would be seeing. We watched an old movie that gave insight on what had taken place all those many years ago. As i left the theater, my heart felt heavy that a President, who should have been protecting these 'Americans' rights, chose instead to do just the opposite and destroyed many lives in the process. Much information is contained in the Center and, at a cost of just $7 (senior), you can learn a great deal through murals, short movies, as well as talking to the staff. The most interesting part of the day was standing between a couple of worn down barracks, and walking the worn trails so as to get pictures of the hospital, a guard tower and get a feel of a part of history that I pray never happens again! **Highly Recommend

David Cote

Emotional experience. Sacred ground. You could spend several hours and not be able to see everything. You do not need to rush through, more a spiritual experience.

Lorenzo Berlanga

Very nice cabin for home base. The feeling of the wilderness of Wyoming but only 10 miles from the entertaining city of Cody. The staff is friendly and helpful.

Janet Marie Haddix

Great history

sue damon

Everyone should know the history of what we did to these people. Plan on spending about 2 hours here.

Andres Rivero

An incredibly well-done and thoughtful site commemorating the Japanese American. Internment camp experience. So important for our country's history.

Rob Huntsinger

Wow ...

Dale Swain

Good historical study. Very complete. Plan on 2 to 4 hours.

BARRIUS COCKENR

Awesome I love to visit these places my second camp I visited next to manzanar

Rod Kasai

A lot has changed since my last being here in the 80's, with a museum and memorial walk, it was good to see a lot of white folks stopping by to see the injustices done by the U.S. government because of fear and paranoia, the same thing must not happen again. IMPEACH NOW!

Chesney Keffer

Very interesting and informative.

zoomddy

An excellent, if small, museum dedicated to the thousands of American citizens imprisoned by their government during World War II. The exhibits are informative and interesting, and the staff is very knowledgeable. Well worth a trip

Carol Copeland

Great place to teach a part of history few people understand. Especially good place for school kids.

Benjamin Galagan

This center is a fantastic place of information... I had been wanting to come here for years, and now that I finally have, o want to come back! The center is very clean and easy to maneuver... A lot of people forget that this center is a here, which is a bummer, because this is an important piece of not only the wars history, but our states history as well... Thank you for being here and for honoring and informing people of what happened here.

Douglas Nelson

Spectacular peice of history a must see.

Stephen Gillette

Another chapter in our history that has been forgotten.

Stan Zimmerman

Informative

Bryan Kelley

This site is a must visit if you are nearby.

Brian David Carrico

Great piece of history. Very well Don museum.

Craig Williamson

A powerful look at a difficult episode of American history. Don't miss this!

Bill Hanson

OMG! You have to here. Unbelievable story. Brings involuntary internment of Japanese Americans at start of WWII home like a hammer blow. One of best interpretative centers I've visited in my 68 years of life. Go!

Dewey Smith

A great history of an embarrassing situation in U.S. history.

Michael Lafreniere

Every American should visit this place at least once or know its history.

Michael Baldes

The reason they have this museum is to remind people of our history, good or bad.

Dan Milroy

It told the story of the internment from the Japanese perspective. The presentations were blunt, but not like a 2by4 to the head

Merle Craner

Heart breaking history that was never taught. I am glad some of our darker moments haven't been completely eradicated. This was a 30 minute stop that turned into 4 hours.

Alma Bicknese

A sad chapter in US history. Once you see this place it is hard to forgive those like Trump who say they supported concentration camps in US

Don Phelps

Well documented and detailed. Very informative.

Mary Campbell

Fascinating history still relevant today.

Andy Feenstra

Very interesting and convicting, worth the trip.

Janet Denney

Good display of historical facts. Do not miss the memorial at the top of the hill. Norm Maneta was actually in this camp during WWII. We need good, accurate museums like this one.

Hank Pridgeon

Very nice visitors center. -4 outside so we chose not to walk the grounds.

Jared Jones

Awesome place for a field trip the people were very very helpful in telling what the places were and showing us what they were and what they went through and the Japanese cultures to very wonderful place to to go for family

Whitney Booth

I wish we had more time at Heart Mountain. They have done a great job of illustrating the steps leading up to and the life at a Japanese-American Internment Camp.

Hroller McKnutt

Very moving history of a horrible travesty of justice

Tod Windsor

Wonderful!

Steven Castle

Very informative, interesting...

Robert Salazar

Learned much about a part of American history I hope is never repeated.

Jenni Sampson

An expertly curated collection of historical and cultural legacies that effectively weave together a compelling story of our country's complicated history. Includes tactile and audio-visual elements so the content is both immersive and relevant. By far the most important thing you can see in Cody, MT.

Robert McCormick

A sad piece of our history.

Mark

Very informative history about the mass round up of Japanese American citizens and non citizens being rounded up and imprisoned in relocation camps. I bet not many locals in the Cody, Powell and Clark areas have visited this historical landmark.

Brian Kuykendall

jk

Washbucket

This should be a stop if you are by Yellowstone. It's about 15 minutes outside of Cody. It has troves of information about every aspect of Japanese citizens and non-citizens who were legally here (and anyone who looked Japanese) being illegally round up and put in concentration camps just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. They were held there for three years just because of political propaganda and their suspected race without regard to citizenship or immigrant status.

Daniel Allred

I learn something new about this time in history every time I visit.

Jeff Harrits

This interpretive center provides basic and personal information about the camp and why Japanese Americans were sent here. It describes the conditions they lived under and offers a view of how the lives of those who lived here were impacted. The displays are well done. Give yourself plenty of time to absorb all the information.

Shellie Whitman

The Japanese Spirit of perseverance despite internment was heartwarming. Knowledgeable staff. Much of the property is now privately owned. Well-displayed. Worth the stop!

Karl Hutchison

If you visit Cody, WY you must drive ot to this museum. Amazing story.

Betty Mereness

Great displays and very informative and educational.

Wendy Gale

Heart Mountain is a high quality, must-see stop for all Americans. The museum expertly captures a difficult time in US history and efficiently conveys the lessons to visitors.

Bobbie Kerns

Well done interpretation of a part of American history but it made me so sad to think of the thousands of Japanese (many of whom were American citizens) who were held as prisoners here for three years during WWII.

Michael Roman

Wow. A powerful experience. The exhibits handle the topic of internment camps in the US very well. I would highly recommend making this a stop on your trip.

FCR NP

This is one place that Americans and people of Asian descent, not just of Japanese ancestry, should visit. Very humbling experience.

Michael Cooley

This was an informative, educational, and historic place to visit and learn about the pows we held in our own country. I learned a lot. Was a very sad time in our American history.

Tom Neely

Makes one wonder what else this government will do to any of us

Tom Anderson

If you don’t know that much about our war with Japan and the reaction of some of our people, you need to see this. It’s shocking.

Michael Gundlach

Really informative, and a time in our history we shouldn’t forget.

Anthony Bachtiar

Heart Mountain Interpretive Center Never imagine seeing the place like this before. It's a kind of detention camp of Japanese people in USA land at the world war, especially after the Pearl Harbour attack and along with the Pacific war. A history about the mass rounds up of Japanese American citizens and non citizens in all over the USA being rounded up and imprisoned in relocation camps. Even in the story I read there, they had been treated humanely as a political inmate but Freedom is the most essential thing in life and there's no place like home. A bitter pill to swallow wherever there's a war between leaders countries and armies. Then all the citizen should take those pain even they do not know anything about the cause of war and why they fight one another. Now this place becomes a historical site and one of the museums in Cody.

Trina White

The history here is something worth educating oneself on. Certainly we do not want History to repeat it self. You can go through in about an hour or take much longer to really read and experience the place. Just imagining what life was like here in 1943-1945 , cold and harsh world.

Mervis Reissig

Excellent historical truth about what happened to our Japanese immigrants and citizens in WW2.

Mike Vanosdall

Great presentation, a must see! Depicts a heartbreaking part of American history not widely taught in our schools. Plan on spending a couple hours in the interpretive center plus additional time to hike the trail or drive up to the hill top to see part of the old infirmary.

Brittany McDaniel

Such an amazing experience. Definitely worth the short trip out of town.

Tatiana

An amazing and very thorough exhibit! The drive is definitely worth it, this is a very emotional and thought provoking experience I think everyone should experience and learn more about

Cindy Mackelprang

This interpretive display & museum was very disheartening but so educational & informative. We can't stand the fact that our own government treated our own citizens the way they did. Very touching & emotional. Every American should see this to understand our own history as terrible as it was! We can't get over the fact that the Japanese were good enough to go to war but not good enough to be free! What a disgrace! Well worth spending an afternoon!

Gary

Great place. Pays a good tribute to the Japanese held in camp.

Sky Kemmerling

Great food and service

Kathy Liska

Very informative, short film, able to walk around area

Sharon Dibble

An incredible experience!

Brian Meissner

Such history in the strangest corners of our country. Things that shouldn't be forgotten *ahem* current politics...

MtnsR4Me

Had no idea the U.S. had these internment camps. Lots of history here

Lance Eliazar

Very informative, solemn. A piece of U.S. History that is dark but emanated hopefulness and determination and strong spirits. I'm glad to have learned more about that period. Staff is great.

Patricia Vandaveer

Great exhibits to help kids understand and interact with history! Highly recommend!

kelvin g

Very helpful

Kevin Brunnemer

Interesting

Lael Beckwith

Very interesting, if troubling historical information.

Jonathan Oberlin

Awesome museum. Not much left of the actual camp. Museum is top notch and really gives you an in depth look at what life was like at heart mountain. A+ to whoever put this together, hats off!

Sheila Catterall

What a revelation to deal with—subjecting other human beings to suffering due to differences in looks. We continue to persecute, and this center reminds us of how we must stop!

Jodie Ludvigson

Very good

Robert Kaczanowski

Part of US history not taught in schools that pride, prejudice and government action detaining US citizens w/o due process; stop and learn so never again repeated.

Anthony McDermott

Very emotional experience and very good history lesson.

L Ray

Really well done

Melissa Tannehill

First time visiting. Very informative.

Daniela Garcia

It is sad but true

Jan Quack

Very well done, very informative.

Jeannette Paul

Loved it

Dorothy Pirrello

A must see!

Kate Bauer

Really something to go see especially before all the buildings disappear honestly I think this should be on the Museum tour for kids as well as the Cody Museum

Tom Simpson

Wow. An amazing display of a disturbing time in American history. Glad they had the tissues. Well worth the drive and I'd suggest prioritizing this if you are anywhere in the area. The use of the first person in the displays made them more powerful. The detail about the "why and how" of these centers and this one in particular helped me sense the anguish we put our fellow Americans through.

Craig Baker

Part of an original barracks is at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Tom Brewer

Great center with knowledgeable doscents. Great experience providing insight on a very poorly handled historical event.

Andrew Livelsberger

A very moving place. Very well laid out and tells the story in a moving way. You'll learn more than you expect. Worth the time, very close to Cody. We need places like this to remind us that even the best and greatest can make monumental mistakes. Places like this remind us to learn from the mistakes of our ancestors.

Denis LeBlanc

Extremely well-behaved done exhibits about the largest WWII Japanese internment camp.

Mark Schumacher

Well done interpretation of a sad time in our history

Joe Hunter

We all need to remember our country's struggles. We must appreciate the sacrifices that many made. I pray this continues to honor them.

Jasmine Esmay

Very well done and educational. Great for all ages.

Keenan Webb

Heart Mountain, and other internment facilities, need to be viewed and kept alive as a reminder of what our govt did to it's own citizens so that it can't happen again. Heart Mountain is a small, but packed full museum 26th videos and helpful displays from people who were actually there to help tell the story accurately. The walking paths on top of the plateau are wheel chair accessible and also informative. It's something I'd known, but seeing the exhibits really hit home that the Roosevelt administration rounded up the Japanese similar to how the Jews were rounded up in Europe, but they weren't being rounded up for extermination. Their constitutional rights were tossed aside for no reason, there was no proof that any of them were spies.

Victoria Woebbecke

A museum tells a part of American history that shouldn't be forgotten. Thank you for your contribution and unimaginable sacrifice.

Carolyn Cuskey

Wonderful historical site preserving an important part of US WWII experience. Excellent museum with informative displays. Helpful staff.

Rick Shae

Excellent location to learn about America’s past during WWII and try to make sense of the psyche of this country and people during an extraordinarily time and period in the world. Perhaps it would teach us not to repeat the mistakes humans often make under duress or fear.

Jenny Fleek Airne

The museum is creating a first rate facility.

Brooke Bessler

Very sad history. I did a History Day project on this! : (

ronald Spomer

Lacks a lot of the truth of relocation.camps. Even Germans and Italians lived in them during WWII

Boxkicker34

I took my parents to Heart Mountain last week and it was the first time for all of us. It was a very humbling experience that I hope would never be repeated in this day and age. Exhibits follow a timeline that was very informative. I was amazed how many of the former barracks were bought up by locals and turned into houses, barns, and storage sheds. Definitely a place I will be taking further visitors to our home in Powell

Haufski762

Great place to stop in and learn about the past.

Fran Scranton

A history gem.

rex chapman

Informative. Quiet. Thought provoking.

Clayton Clark

This is a experience that everyone should have. We should never forget what we have done so as not to repeat our actions in the future.

James Quon

Story of these Japanese internment camps has to be told. It was a travesty of justice and totally against our constitution. Yet, the majority of the general population is ignorant on the entire subject. And here we are about to practice the same thing it's already in progress Now by Trump and his closing of the borders and incarcerating people.

Wes Icenogle

Awesome piece of history! Professionally presented.