Livingston Depot Foundation

Operation of museum approximately 7,000 visitors come to the museum each year, a combination of local residents and tourists on their way to or from yellowstone national park, located about 50 miles south of the town of Livingston. Museum admission fees are sold at the door and by annual membership fees. Admission revenue from 2023 was 12,725, and gift shop sales were 6,575. The museum hosts traveling art and history exhibits, as well as permanent exhibits. The Depot festival of the arts showcases artists and craftspeople from across the country to over 10,000 visitors and is held in conjunction with the annual roundup rodeo (the biggest event of the year in town). Students from schools, homeschooling groups, and summer camps explore the exhibits through guided tours and activities. Museum curriculum uses primary sources to relate to both the permanent and seasonal exhibits. One unit lets students examine how this region's agricultural economy is connected through the railroad to global marketplaces.

Building preservation/community event center the organization raises funds to preserve this historic and iconic former railroad Depot through rentals of auxiliary buildings, fundraising events, and providing a venue for community celebrations and events. The organization was formed in 1985 to restore and maintain the building in perpetuity. The buidling was designed by reed & stem, the original architects for new york's grand central station. Several large-scale infrastructure projects have been undertaken through the years in order to preserve the iconic building as the anchor of the historic downtown district. Beginning in 2018, an hvac system upgrade has been providing more energy efficiency. The foudation completed an upgrade of single pane windows to increase efficiency in accordance with best practices in historic preservation. 172,076 of this 200,000 project was completed in 2022 with an aniticipated completion in early 2023. In december of 2022, the Foundation obtained 151,600 in federal funding through the american rescue plan act and the city of Livingston to address water and sewer infrastructure needs, including restoroom accessibility throughout the historic property. Additional fundraising and design work commenced in 2023 to improve health, safety, and accessibility for the community while continuing to preserve the Depot for the future. The building has served as a welcome center for visitors to yellowstone park for over a century. Summer travelers use its central location to launch their visits to the park and shop in downtown Livingston. Many nonprofits use the building to gather or raise funds, including big brothers/big sisters of park county, Livingston hospice care, the park high school jazz program, loaves and fishes, montessori island school, Livingston healthcare, and Montana conservation voters. The building also offers a local and low-cost option for professional conferences, including the park county special education cooperative, Montana professional photographers association, and community health partners. Annual events include light up livingston-the lighting ceremony for over 10,000 in Depot park, and the lighting of the memorial tree each year in conjunction with the hospice program. The Depot park is also a key link to a bike path that connects bicyclists from the north side of town to a path that stretches miles down paradise valley towards the park. It serves as the first stop of many bicycle tour groups, further increasing traffic and commerce to downtown businesses.