Located off Capitol Blvd., Julia Davis Park is home to a multitude of Boise attractions, such as the Idaho History Museum, the Boise Art Museum, Zoo Boise, the Julia Davis Rose Garden, and more, as well as concerts and festivals held at the Julia Davis Band Shell. 

Outlining the south side of the Park is the 16-mile Boise River Greenbelt and the Boise State University campus.

Tucked within the middle of the Park is a small wood frame building, the Idaho Black History Museum.  Founded in 1995, this museum might be considered new, but it's rich in history for families and children. Currently, it is the only African-American history museum in the Pacific Northwest.

The Idaho Black History Museum was established to educate individuals on the history and the culture of African-Americans and especially African-Americans in Idaho, and to build bridges between cultures and ethnicities. The museum offers exhibits and provides educational and community outreach programs such as lectures, workshops, musical and choral performances, and more.

The museum is housed in the historic St. Paul Baptist Church building. St. Paul's is one of two African-American churches that were founded by Boiseans in 1908, and was originally constructed in 1921. When its congregation moved to a new location in 1993, the historic church building was donated to a local preservation committee to save and restore the 72-year-old structure. St. Paul Church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Make plans to visit the museum and see its permanent exhibition, "The Invisible Idahoan, 1805-present." It covers over 200 years of African-Americans in Idaho. And watch for upcoming events and festivities celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr./ Human Rights Day on January 19 and throughout the month. 

Idaho Black History Museum
508 Julia Davis Dr., Boise
433-0017
www.ibhm.org  

The Museum is open on Saturdays, 11am-4pm, and is available for special events and group tours by appointment.