Things to Do in Butte, United States: Walking Guide

Looking for things to do in Butte, Montana? This former mining city brings together copper-mining history, grand Victorian architecture, historic neighborhoods, and stories from the many communities that shaped life in the Rocky Mountains. A self-guided visit reveals both the city’s industrial past and the people who lived alongside it. Neywo offers a free audio guide for Butte with 11 narrated places.

What to See in Butte

Our Lady of the Rockies

High above Butte, Our Lady of the Rockies is a 90-foot statue of Mary rising from the Continental Divide. Its base stands about 8,510 feet above sea level and approximately 3,000 feet above Butte, making the figure visible from a considerable distance. It is illuminated at night.

The idea for the statue began in 1979 with Bob O’Bill, a Butte resident, as a tribute to the Virgin Mary after his wife recovered from cancer. The dedication later expanded to include all women, especially mothers. The statue stands on private land.

Copper King Mansion

The Copper King Mansion, also known as the W. A. Clark Mansion, is a 34-room Victorian residence built in Butte between 1884 and 1888. It was created as the Butte home of William Andrews Clark, one of Montana’s three famous Copper Kings.

Its Romanesque Revival exterior gives only part of the story. Inside, the mansion contains fresco-painted ceilings, parquet floors made from rare imported wood, gas and electric chandeliers, hand-carved fireplaces and stairways, and stained-glass windows. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

The mansion is also connected with the story of Clark’s daughter, Huguette, whose life is recounted in Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune.

World Museum of Mining

The World Museum of Mining occupies the site of the Orphan Girl, an inactive silver and zinc mine. Chartered in 1964 as a nonprofit educational corporation, the museum opened in July 1965.

The grounds provide a setting for exploring a historic mining operation and include 50 buildings spread across about 22 acres. Copper and zinc were identified as the most common ores found in the mine, giving the museum a direct connection to the materials that shaped Butte’s history.

Butte–Anaconda Historic District

The Butte–Anaconda Historic District is one of the most extensive historic areas in the United States. The National Historic Landmark District extends across parts of Walkerville, Butte, and Anaconda and contains nearly 6,000 contributing properties recognized for their historic significance.

The designation began in 1961, when it focused only on Butte. In 2006, it expanded to include parts of Walkerville and Anaconda, as well as the bed of the Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railroad. Walking through the district offers a broad view of the built environment created by the region’s mining era.

Silver Bow County

Butte is the county seat of Silver Bow County, founded in 1881. The county has a distinctive administrative identity because the city and county governments consolidated in 1977 to form the single entity of Butte–Silver Bow.

This history helps explain why Butte and its surrounding county are closely connected in local government and civic life.

Burton K. Wheeler House

At 1232 East 2nd Street, the Burton K. Wheeler House presents a more modest side of Butte’s history. Built around 1923 as a working-class home, it was the longtime residence of Burton K. Wheeler, a Montana politician who lived from 1882 to 1975.

Wheeler ran for United States vice president on the Progressive Party ticket in 1924. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand

The Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand provides a viewpoint in Silver Bow County, about one and a half kilometers northeast of Butte. From here, the landscape opens into valleys, plains, and grassy ground, offering a way to connect the city’s industrial story with its surrounding terrain.

Dumas Brothel

The Dumas Brothel preserves an unusual chapter of Butte’s social history. Founded in 1890 by French-Canadian brothers Joseph and Arthur Nadeau, it was named after Delia Nadeau, Joseph’s wife, who was its nominal owner.

Miners from Butte’s copper mines were among its patrons, and the business continued through changes of madams and pressure from authorities. It finally closed in 1982. At the time, it was described as the longest-operating brothel in the United States, remaining open for years after prostitution became illegal.

Mai Wah Museum

The Mai Wah Museum explores the history of Asian people in the Rocky Mountains. Its collections and story are presented through two historic buildings on West Mercury Street: the Wah Chong Tai building and the Mai Wah Noodle Parlor building.

Together, they provide an important perspective on the communities and experiences that formed the region beyond its better-known mining narratives.

Shaffer’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

Shaffer’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic building and a distinctive part of Butte’s built heritage. Its name connects the church with the African Methodist Episcopal tradition and adds another layer to the city’s religious and community history.

St. John’s Episcopal Church

St. John’s Episcopal Church is the oldest standing church in Butte, Montana. Its presence offers a direct connection with the city’s early development and its historic architectural landscape.

Explore Butte with a Self-Guided Walking Tour

Neywo’s Butte audio guide includes one walking tour: “Copper Kings and Hidden Histories: A Walk Through Butte.” The route covers 5.47 km, takes about 113 minutes, and includes seven narrated stops: Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand, Burton K. Wheeler House, Dumas Brothel, Butte–Anaconda Historic District, Copper King Mansion, Shaffer’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Mai Wah Museum.

Download Neywo to explore Butte independently. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule. Narration is available in 11 languages.

Butte is part of Montana in the United States. You can also continue exploring the region with guides to Anaconda or Bozeman.