Montana Learning Center

Home
United States
Helena, MT
Montana Learning Center

Call Directions Website

The MLC has proudly been serving students and teachers since 1984.

The Montana Learning Center inspires curiosity and empowers learners through immersive STEM experiences that connect science, nature, and discovery at Canyon Ferry Lake and beyond. The Montana Learning Center at Canyon Ferry Lake is a non-profit organization providing educational enrichment through critical thinking with the goal to inspire our next generation to do extraordinary things for the betterment of society.

10/04/2026

- 🌌 What do you get when you mix deep-space telescopes, clear Montana skies, and absolutely no sleep? A pretty spectacular night at the Montana Learning Center! 😴🔭✨

We just pulled an all-nighter imaging the cosmos, and here’s a little sneak peek of what’s to come. This is just ONE raw, unprocessed 180-second frame from our 14-inch astrograph, capturing the incredible Pacman Nebula (NGC 281).

Located about 9,500 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia, the Pacman Nebula is a vast cloud of glowing hydrogen gas where new stars are actively being born. Its nickname comes from the dark dust lanes cutting into the glowing nebula, giving it a familiar Pac-Man-like shape. 👾🌟

And remember—this is one raw frame. 🤯

There’s a lot more data waiting to be stacked and processed, so stay tuned. We can’t wait to show you what emerges when all those hours under the stars come together!

Clear skies… and now, maybe, some coffee. ☕🌠

, , , , , , , , ,

10/03/2026

- 🎥🐦 Well hello there!

A White-breasted Nuthatch stopped by the Montana Learning Center Bird Cam and made sure to get very familiar with the camera. 😂

These little acrobats are famous for scampering headfirst down tree trunks while searching for insects and seeds—but today, this visitor had one important mission: snack first, camera close-up second.

With that crisp white face, blue-gray back, and curious personality, the White-breasted Nuthatch is a fun Bird Cam guest.

Keep watching—you never know who will swoop in next! 👀🌻

, , , , , , ,

09/30/2026

- 🌌 Have Planetarium, Will Travel! 🚀

Why take a field trip to the stars when we can bring the stars to YOU? ✨

The Montana Learning Center’s Mobile Planetarium is hitting the road for the 2026–2027 school year, bringing an out-of-this-world experience right to your school! 🪐🔭

Our giant inflatable dome transforms your gym or other large indoor space into a window to the universe—giving students an immersive journey through the night sky, planets, stars, and beyond.

📅 We’re actively booking school visits for 2026–2027! Dates can fill up, so now is a great time to get your school on our travel schedule.

🚀 Have Planetarium, Will Travel.
🌎 Your school. Our universe. One unforgettable experience.

Learn more and book a visit:
https://montanalearning.org/planetarium/

, , , , , , , ,

09/29/2026

- ✈️ Since 2016, the Montana Learning Center has been proud to collaborate with the Montana Department of Transportation – Aeronautics Program to bring aviation education to Montana teachers through STEM in the Rockies – Flight Edition!

This partnership has helped give educators an unforgettable, hands-on professional learning experience—connecting classroom STEM concepts with real-world aviation. Teachers explore the science, technology, engineering, and math behind flight and even have the opportunity to take to the skies alongside FAA-certified flight instructors. 🛩️

For nearly a decade, this collaboration has helped educators experience aviation in a way they can carry back to their classrooms, inspiring students to see new possibilities in STEM, aviation, and future careers.

We’re grateful to MDT Aeronautics for their continued partnership, support, and shared commitment to creating meaningful learning opportunities for Montana educators.

Here’s to many more years of helping learning take flight! 🌄✈️

, , , , , , , , ,

09/28/2026

- When teachers have opportunities to have fun, try new things, laugh, and enjoy the people they work with, that positive energy finds its way back into the classroom.

Teaching is hard work. It takes patience, creativity, flexibility, and a whole lot of heart. That’s why it’s important to make space for the good stuff, too—building relationships, making memories, trying something new, and enjoying the journey along the way.

Sometimes the best professional learning happens outside the classroom and comes with a little adventure! ✈️😎

Happy teachers bring positive energy into their classrooms—and that’s something worth celebrating. ❤️

, , ,

09/27/2026

- When teachers get the chance to experience learning in a way that’s adventurous, hands-on, and unforgettable, that excitement doesn’t stop with them. ✈️🏔️

At the Montana Learning Center, we believe powerful professional learning should spark curiosity, build confidence, and remind educators what it feels like to discover something new. Those moments travel right back to the classroom—where teachers turn that renewed excitement into inspiration for their students.

Because when teachers are excited to learn, students feel it too. 💙

Here’s to learning that takes us to new heights!

, , , , , ,

09/26/2026

- For 10 years, Chris Gillette has been an important part of the MLC—and we’re lucky to have his experience, steady hand, and friendship. ✈️

A retired commercial pilot with an incredible 45-year flying career, Chris continues to share his knowledge as our part-time flight instructor. Whether he’s helping someone get comfortable behind the controls of the flight simulator, answering aviation questions, or simply passing along stories and lessons from decades in the cockpit, Chris has a way of making learning both approachable and memorable.

But Chris brings much more than aviation experience to the center. For the past decade, he’s been a true friend to the MLC—dependable, generous with his time, and always willing to step in when we need a hand.

Pictured here, Chris is doing what he does best: sharing his experience and helping someone discover the excitement of flight. 🛩️

A huge thank-you to Chris for 10 years of instruction, friendship, and support at the MLC. We’re grateful for everything you’ve bring to the center—and for always being there when needed.

Here’s to 45 years in aviation, 10 years strong with the MLC, and plenty more time in the “cockpit” ahead! ✈️💙

, , , , , , , , , , , ✈️

09/25/2026

- Since 2014, The Boeing Company-Helena has been more than a partner to the Montana Learning Center—they’ve been a steady supporter of our mission and an important part of the experiences we’re able to provide for students and teachers across Montana. 💙✈️

Their generous support over the years has helped make camps, educator programs, hands-on STEM activities, and unforgettable learning opportunities possible. That kind of long-term commitment makes a real difference. It gives us the ability to keep creating experiences that spark curiosity, build confidence, and help participants imagine what their own futures might look like.

Boeing-Helena also brings that support to life by opening its doors to our campers and teachers. Facility tours give participants a firsthand look at advanced manufacturing, engineering, precision, teamwork, and the many careers that bring STEM to life every day.

For a student, seeing those possibilities up close can turn an abstract idea into something real. For a teacher, it can provide new inspiration to take back to the classroom. And for us, it’s a wonderful reminder of what can happen when a community partner chooses to invest not only in programs, but in people.

We are deeply grateful to Boeing-Helena for more than a decade of generosity, collaboration, and belief in the work of the Montana Learning Center. Their support has helped us reach more learners, create more opportunities, and continue inspiring the next generation of thinkers, makers, problem-solvers, and explorers. 🚀

Thank you, Boeing-Helena, for continuing to invest in Montana’s students, educators, and future. We’re proud to have you as part of the MLC family.

, , , , , , , , ,

09/24/2026

- ✈️ Teachers are taking learning to new heights—literally!

At STEM in the Rockies - Flight Edition, educators aren’t just learning about aviation from the ground—they’re climbing into the cockpit and helping fly the airplane, right alongside FAA-certified flight instructors! 🛩️🙌

It’s hands-on learning at a whole new altitude. Teachers get a firsthand look at the science, math, technology, and engineering that make flight possible—and come away with new ideas and inspiration to bring the excitement of aviation back to their students.

A huge thank you to Montana Department of Transportation-Aeronautics for supporting this incredible opportunity for Montana educators. From classroom concepts to cockpit controls, this is STEM education with some serious altitude! 🌄✈️

Up, up, and educate!

, , , , , , ,

09/23/2026

- Since 2014, we’ve been proud to collaborate with the Helena Mineral Society—bringing together rocks, minerals, skilled hands, and plenty of curiosity. 💎🪨

HMS members have generously shared their knowledge and experience through workshops and programs over the years, helping participants discover that a rough-looking rock can hold something pretty spectacular inside.

Pictured here are two Helena Mineral Society members lending their expertise during their fall cabochoning workshop at the MLC. From choosing a stone to shaping, grinding, and polishing it into a finished cabochon, club volunteers help make the process approachable, hands-on, and a whole lot of fun.

There’s something especially satisfying about watching a stone transform right in front of you—and even better when you have experienced rockhounds nearby to share tips, stories, and a little encouragement along the way. ✨

A huge thank-you to the Helena Mineral Society for more than a decade of partnership, volunteer support, and helping people see the beauty beneath the surface. Here’s to many more years of making Montana rocks shine! 💎⛏️

, , , , , , , ,

Address

7653 Canyon Ferry Road
Helena, MT
59602

Telephone

+14064753638

Website

http://www.montanalearning.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Montana Learning Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your school to be the top-listed school/college in Helena?