Idaho's Mammoth Cave & Shoshone Bird Museum Of Natural History — Attraction in Idaho

This was one of the worse museums I've visited. While I understand that infrastructure in the desert can suffer, I can excuse that if the museum collection itself is good. However, this was not. Upon arrival, you're met with dilapidated buildings, trash, and overall run down architecture. The taxedermied specimens, fossils, and archeological artifacts should be huge draws; these are anything but. The taxedermied specimens are little more than rotting flesh. Egregious examples being the Grey Wolves, Bobcats, Giraffe and many more who show signs of darkened, stapled together patchworks of hide, and stretching to compensate for horrid frames. These animals, due to the poor care, would've been better off left alone in the wild to let nature take its course, rather than to rot. Secondly, the archeological artifacts seem mashed together in incomprehensible fashion, and remain dirty, sun damaged, and poorly displayed. From Tibetan Buddhist busts shoved under shelves, to Zulu warrior garb terribly framed and badly sunburnt, to endless amounts of stone tools and Native American artifacts being shoved in every nook and cranny. These artifacts are "displayed" with little to no signage. The signage which is there is badly water damaged, and/or shoved into a corner. Printing off or dredging up some new infographs from Google would be free and easily would change the miserable state of the artifacts. Thirdly, and most egregiously to me, the fossils. Mammoth bones lying everywhere, some broken on the floor or otherwise; fossilized sea stars resting with broken chunks on precarious ledges; modern animal skeletons strung from the ceiling improperly cleaned and untreated, and showing signs of decay and breakage; and rare bird/insect fossils seemingly thrown together randomly. There are also improperly labeled fossils, which I could overlook as none of them seem to have been done properly. Finally the cave. It seems interesting, yet the trash throughout, the copious graffiti on the signage, and the apathetic upkeep of the cave trails, really turn off the enjoyment of what could be a really cool part of the museum.

I have too many complaints and critiques to lay about all of the artifacts, especially the fossils to list in this review. However, it is saddening to see how these items are kept.

I've read all the other comments, and the levels of coping coming from the owner in an attempt, to seemingly invalidate all the dissenters is sad. The staff were extremely nice, but they seem to be in desperate need of a curator. With some simple cleanup and reorganization, application for any funding or grants whatsoever, and some modicum of design enhancement by using something like DK book descriptions for display signage, or even free Google images and Wiki printouts would all VASTLY improve the state of this collection, and greatly improve the Museum. However, judging by the prior replies, I expect these critiques and issues to fall...

Eclectic doesn't mean good. I can tell that this museum was created as a labor of love, however in all the time that they've been open, it would have been nice for them to plan and accomplish some renovations. Perhaps apply for grants or funding, or even take the time over the off-season to clean and organize this entire place.

This was a depressing experience. There are amazing and rare fossil specimens just lying on the floor, or on a table, dry and untreated, and hundreds of once beautiful pelts and animals which have been so neglected that their taxidermy is rendered terrifying! There is so much in this museum, that there is no room to display most of the items, meaning that fossils, bones, pottery and taxidermied animals lie in heaps that are dirty, dry and crumbling, and covered in cobwebs. It's really quite sad to see such amazing art pieces and artifacts go to waste. This uncleanliness unfortunately also comes with a very pungent smell.

The cave could be better maintained with the proper funding. I would suggest an application for a grant that would help to provide informative signage. Maybe even investing in some lighting on the inside of the cave for a better experience, or some railing and a garbage can. Sadly, there is trash strewn all about the inside of the cave, and graffiti on the walls as well.

Altogether a very sad and disappointing trip. We could tell that this place probably needed a museum curator and some extra staffing, but the manager and receptionist told us that they were fully staffed and only hire in the springtime. I don't quite understand why the staff either can't or won't take the time to clean up the trash and dilapidated buildings on the property, even in the seven months that the museum and cave are closed. It would make a world of difference, and in the long-run save money by hiring more staff, fixing the place up, and attracting more business! Again, strange, sad and disappointing, and I can't see why anyone would come back to see it a second time except to experience the oddity and bizarreness again. Thankfully, the staff...

FYI: Bring CASH or check. No plastic! A couple hours east of Boise, this very rustic tourist stop is off the beaten path. It is not visible from the road, so keep your eye out for the GIANT sign that says CAVE. There is a better gravel road just north of the sign. The one at the sign is a bit rough, but will get you there too or at least to the better graveled road. It is a mammoth of a cave, but you will also see the bones of mammoths as well as many other weird and fascinating items. “10 out of 10, I would do it again!” say the teenagers. 😉 $10 each, an hour of fun and exploration. A great family activity that included a relatively easy, self guided, hike with light lamps provided. The museum was FILLED will enough stuff collected over a lifetime. The kids were freaked out, super excited, amazed, and mesmerized at the collection of things to see. The dust collecting on each of the items will set your allergies on fire. It is a place that appears to have been there a LOOOOONG time. Richard, the owner, was accommodating to our visit as we swooped in 15 minutes before closing. We took in the mammoth cave hike and his life’s adventures assembled and on display in his self built wooden, circular, museum structure. Peacocks and baby peacocks could be seen roaming freely on the property. The kids will greatly appreciate the oddity! Hey, did you know it was once used as a bunker for the military and it housed enough food for 8,000 people. It was interesting, unique and the kids said they wanted to come back again. 😳 “It’s a must stop they say. Give it 5 stars.” Everyone chitter, chattered all the way home about the...