Explore the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot

When I mention to people that I visited the Idaho Potato Museum, I get some weird looks. An entire museum dedicated to potatoes? How interesting can that be? Their reaction is still better than when I mention to people that I’ve explored the Museum of Clean as well. While there may be some unique museums out there, the Idaho Potato Museum is worth a stop if you’re driving through Blackfoot on your way to Yellowstone National Park – or another venue.

Here’s a rundown on what you can expect during your visit. And if you read to the end, you’ll find out about a free gift for out-of-staters visiting the museum.

Directions and Tickets to the Idaho Potato Museum

The Idaho Potato Museum is located on Main Street in Blackfoot, Idaho. That small Idaho town is located midway between Pocatello (25 miles south) and Idaho Falls (28 miles north). From I-15, take exit 93 and head east until you reach Main Street. Head north two blocks and the museum will be on your right.

The museum is open is open Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. between September and May. June through August, the museum is open Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets to the Idaho Potato Museum can be purchased on-site. There is no option to purchase tickets online in advance of your visit. Ticket prices are $6 for adults (13+), while children (5-12) are $3 – Children four and under are free. Tickets for seniors, AAA and military are $5.50. After purchasing your ticket in the gift shop, you can head through the door and into the museum portion of the building.

Read the History of the Idaho Potato

The first large room of the Idaho Potato Museum is all about the potato. There’s the history of the potato and why Idaho has become famous for the vegetable. But in addition to the vegetable itself, there’s also display cases showing off the marketing efforts around the potato. Who knew there were so many things all about potatoes.

While in the large room, you won’t want to miss seeing the Guinness Book of World Records holder for the largest potato crisp. Keep in mind, a potato crisp is not a potato chip. Think Pringles brand chips, only one the size of a large baking sheet. Do you think you could bake up a potato crisp that’s bigger than this one on display?

Another interesting area was a small room where they had a documentary playing about how McDonald’s selects the potatoes for their famous fries and then how they are made. It was quite fascinating. I also heard an interesting quote while watching the video:

People are like potatoes. They come in all different colors, shapes and sizes.

One of the most popular spots in the museum, at least for my young nieces and nephews who were with us, was the potato cellar. They loved watching the talking couch potatoes sing their song. It was a simple song to remember, since the only word was “Potato”, repeated over and over again… ad nauseam.

Learn What it Takes to Farm Potatoes

After wandering through the history of the potato and through the potato cellar, you get to learn all about the farming of the potato. You can start by putting on some virtual reality goggles and looking around the potato field. It’s always fun to see things like that in action and really immerse yourself in the environment.

RELATED ARTICLE: Visit the Museum of Clean in Pocatello, Idaho

After that, you can start to explore the vehicles, trailers and machines that are used in the potato farming process. You can see the machines that pull the trailers, sort the potatoes and much more. Kids love to see tractors, and the little signs help you understand what you’re looking at. The small TV screens nearby are showing how the machines are used in the process. It’s quite educational.

One display case was super interesting. It was a collection of potato mashers through the years. They’re very much like potatoes and come in all different shapes and sizes. I recognized a few I’d seen in my grandma’s kitchen – and they were usually the culprit when it came to not being able to open or close the drawer they were in. 😉

Explore the Kids Center for Fun and Games

If you’ve got young kids with you, I recommend taking them up to the loft area where they can interact with several hands-on activities around potatoes. You have the classic Mr. Potato Head you can play with, along with a Mrs. Potato Head.

There’s a short video you can watch about a book that I was tempted to try and find – Potato Chip Science Book. If my kids were younger, I think they would love to explore some of the science projects found in that book.

RELATED ARTICLE: Best things to do at Red Fish Lake in Idaho

My niece loves to draw and color, so she found a seat in front of the computers and started to color her own potato. There are some other potato-related games on the computers, so kids can explore their creativity.

Grab a Bite to Eat at the Potato Station Cafe

After exploring the Idaho Potato Museum, it’s time to grab a bite to eat and taste what all the fuss is about with the Idaho potatoes. The Potato Station Cafe serves up a variety of potato products. We enjoyed some Silver Dollar potatoes, along with some waffle fries. Other menu items include a baked potato in a variety of formats (toppings), tater tots, and potato soup.

But if you’re looking for something on the menu that isn’t potato related, you can try the chili and cheese, or even the ice cream. But as the name implies, that majority of the menu us potato-related.

Take a look at their full potato menu so you can plan your meal before your visit.

The Idaho Potato Museum has the look for a historic train station. And while we were enjoying our potatoes, a train came driving by on the tracks that are about 15 feet from the cafe. The young kids (and yes, even the adults), paused from their food to watch the train go by.

BEFORE YOU GO: While driving north on I-15, we saw a billboard about the Idaho Potato Museum. It read, FREE TATERS FOR OUT-OF-STATERS. We asked about it during our visit and were directed to the gift shop. Sure enough, we got a free package of dehydrated hashbrown potatoes. So be sure and ask about your free taters before you wrap up your visit to the Idaho Potato Museum.

The Details

Address: 130 NW Main St, Blackfoot, ID 83221

How long to spend: Plan on about 45-60, unless you plan to enjoy lunch during your visit – then add 15-30 minutes depending on what you decide to order.

Cost: Adult (ages 13+) tickets are $6, while children (5-12) are $3 – Children four and under are free. Tickets for seniors, AAA and military are $5.50.

Hours: Between September and May, the Idaho Potato Museum is open Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. June through August, the museum is open Monday-Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Website: https://idahopotatomuseum.com/

Phone: (208) 785-2517

PIN THIS