The Boone County History & Culture Center spans 3 acres within Frank G. Nifong Memorial Park.
Our campus includes the Walters History Galleries, Montminy Art Gallery, the Boone History Village, the River-Horse Pavilion, and the historic Maplewood House, Columbia’s most beloved 19th-century home. Together, these spaces invite visitors to explore Boone County’s past, experience its living culture, and connect with the stories shaping the community today.
Explore:
The Montminy Gallery
The Montminy Gallery is an art gallery inside of the Boone County History & Culture Center, dedicated to connecting people, ideas, and history through compelling visual art experiences. While the gallery maintains its own identity and exhibitions, it is fully part of the Center’s mission and campus.
Endowed by former University of Missouri art professor Tracy Montminy, the gallery was established to preserve and share the artistic legacy of Tracy and her husband, Pierre Montminy, while also serving as a dynamic space for rotating exhibitions by diverse, established, and emerging artists. Through thoughtfully curated exhibits, educational opportunities, and community-centered experiences, The Montminy Gallery invites visitors of all ages to engage with art as a way to inspire curiosity, creativity, and connection.
Historic Maplewood House
The Historic Maplewood House is a centerpiece of the Boone County History & Culture Center’s grounds, set within Historic Nifong Park and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1877 by Slater Ensor Lenoir and Margaret Bradford Lenoir, members of Boone County pioneer families, the Italianate-style home reflects both refined design and the practical needs of a working farmstead.
Constructed with bricks fired on site and local lumber, Maplewood evolved over time as generations adapted the house with modern conveniences, while preserving its distinctive character. Restored as a bicentennial project and opened to the public in 1976, the home offers a window into daily life, architecture, and community history in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Boone County.
Guided tours are available by appointment from April through October.
Henry “Hank” J. Waters III Digital Imaging Lab
The Henry “Hank” J. Waters III Digital Imaging Lab preserves and shares Boone County’s visual and documentary history through one of the most significant community photography collections in the nation. Housed at the Boone County History & Culture Center, the lab is dedicated to digitizing more than 500,000 historic photographs and early county records for public access and long-term preservation.
The photography collection spans from the late nineteenth century through 1970 and reflects the people, places, and everyday life of communities across Boone County. In addition to photographs, the lab digitizes Boone County’s earliest court records, beginning in 1821. Powered largely by dedicated volunteers, this ongoing effort ensures that fragile originals are preserved while making local history widely accessible through searchable digital archives.
Explore the collections to discover Boone County’s past through images and records that bring history to life.
Boone History Village
Boone History Village offers visitors a walk through more than 200 years of Boone County history. Established in 2005, this thoughtfully planned village brings together historic structures native to Boone County, each representing a distinct era and way of life from 1818 through 1930.
The village includes the Gordon-Collins Log Cabin, Easley General Store, Ryland Farmhouse, and McQuitty House, all carefully relocated to the site for preservation and historical education. Together, these buildings tell the story of early settlement, commerce, agriculture, and community life in Boone County.
Guided tours provide meaningful context and interpretation, allowing visitors to explore how everyday people lived and worked across generations.
Tours are available by appointment from April through October.
History Galleries
The Walters History Exhibit Galleries highlight the rich history of Boone County in 5,500 square feet of dynamic exhibit space. Established in 1990 through community support and a major donation from Columbia resident Raul Walters in honor of his parents, Bucky and Lala Walters, the galleries feature two main exhibit halls named in the family’s honor. Open year-round, the galleries host rotating exhibits that typically change every 4 to 12 months, offering fresh insights and stories with each display. Visitors can explore artifacts, photographs, and interpretive exhibits that illuminate the people, events, and culture of Boone County across time. The Walters History Exhibit Galleries provide an engaging, ever-changing experience that connects the county’s past to the present for visitors of all ages.
River-Horse Pavilion
River-Horse Pavilion is home to the historic rivercraft Nikawa, one of the few vessels to cross the continent on inland waterways since the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804–06. Piloted by Boone County resident and author William “Least Heat-Moon” Trogdon, Nikawa completed an epic journey across American rivers before being donated to the Historical Society in 1995, along with related artifacts and documents. Open at all times for self-guided tours, the pavilion features maps and interpretive displays that trace the routes of Trogdon’s voyage and celebrate the spirit of adventure along the Missouri River. Visitors can explore this unique collection to learn about the challenges of inland navigation, the history of river travel, and the enduring curiosity and courage that continue to inspire explorers and historians alike.
Genealogy Library
The Genealogy Library, operated independently by the Genealogical Society of Boone County and Central Missouri (GSCM), is housed within the Boone County History & Culture Center. Serving family historians for over 50 years, GSCM is dedicated to furthering genealogical research and promoting interest in family history across central Missouri. The library offers a rich collection of records, publications, and resources for both casual and professional researchers. Open Thursday through Saturday from 12–4pm and staffed by volunteers, the library welcomes visitors to explore its holdings in person or request research assistance for a small fee. GSCM also hosts monthly meetings and educational workshops, fostering connections among genealogists and supporting ongoing discovery of family histories across the region.
