Our View: Dinosaurs are good for business

Dinosaur Trail representatives met in Havre this weekend. The group represents the museums from around the state that are partially or entirely dedicated to showing off dinosaur bones.

Sixty-five million years ago, dinosaurs roamed the area that is now Montana, and there is at tremendous fascination among the public with these prehistoric creatures. Thousands flock to the museum that have dinosaur remnants.

While many art and history museums are concentrated in the big cities, many small towns in Montana house dinosaur museums — places like Ekalaka, Havre, Malta, Glendive and Rudyard.

That means museums can educate people about dinosaurs, but they can also be an economic driver in the town.

If more people come to dinosaur museums, they are more likely to have lunch in town, buy gas in town and maybe stay overnight in a hotel.

About 40 percent of those who visit the museums are from out of state, which is especially good for businesses. Out-of-state visitors are more likely to want to eat, recreate and sleep in town.

Montana's tourism development people have done a good job of attracting people to see the museums. They have a passport program that encourages people to visit the eight major museums.

And some of the museums have launched their own marketing programs especially aimed at attracting young people to see the wonders of dinosaurs.

The H. Earl Clack Museum at Holiday Village Mall is not primarily a dinosaur museum. Visitors are treated to a host of interest local history.

But there are interesting things about dinosaurs there, and we hope they can cash in on some of the interest in dinosaurs.

There are challenges ahead. Last year there was a slight decline in the number of visitors to dino museums — in Havre that was because the museum was moving from one end of the mall to another.

But the museums seem to realize that they are not competing with one another. It's not Malta vs. Havre vs. Ekalaka. By working together and advertising Montana as a haven for dinosaur lovers, all of Montana's museums will benefit.