The Idaho State Historical Society operates two venues that showcase the state’s history and are available for events—the Idaho State Museum and the Old Idaho Penitentiary. The museum features a menu of exhibits attendees can explore, while the penitentiary dates to 1872 and is just one of four territorial prisons in the U.S. open to the public today.
“Through exhibitions, artifacts, and educational programming, the museum helps Idahoans and visitors understand our story,” says Christina Leet, events and rental coordinator at the museum. Gathering spaces here include the Idaho Room for up to 210 theater-style; the Gem State Gateway room (the lobby), available after-hours for up to 103 attendees; two adjoining classrooms for smaller groups of up to 60 theater-style; and the outdoor Pioneer Village, a pavilion and garden area that can be added to classroom rentals.
The penitentiary is available for events and private tours for groups of more than 10 people. “During its 101 years of operation, the prison saw escapes, scandals, and the effects of Boise’s transition from the ‘Wild West’ to a mid-20th-century capital city,” explains Alexandra Polidori, interpretive specialist and events and rentals coordinator at the penitentiary. Individual meeting spaces here include the Shirt Factory Building, the Women’s Ward, and the auditorium, among others. Full buyouts can be arranged on a case-by-case basis.
