Entry No. 10 — the Helena file — filed under: oddities
Curiouser and Curiouser
Retired Carroll College philosophy professor Barry Ferst opened this storefront the same day he stopped teaching, filling it with the 'urban folk art' he builds at his home workshop. The walls carry framed historic photos and 1940s comic covers, while interactive box-sculptures made from Barbie dolls, 1950s toy rockets and other castoff Americana have moving parts you can fiddle with. A taxidermy jackalope (white rabbit with hooked antlers) presides over the room and is pointedly not for sale. It's less a store than one man's walk-in cabinet of curiosities.
The story
The exact day Barry Ferst wrapped up his career teaching philosophy at Carroll College, he didn't head off to a quiet retirement. Instead, he unlocked 429 North Last Chance Gulch and opened a walk-in cabinet of curiosities. It turns out that decades spent pondering life's grand abstract questions translates naturally into building interactive, slightly unhinged kinetic assemblages out of castoff Americana.
Ferst crafts his 'urban folk art' in a home workshop under the moniker Ferstbilt Industria before lugging it down to the storefront. The walls are dense with framed historic photographs and 1940s comic book covers, but the real draws are the box-sculptures. He repurposes mid-century debris—1950s toy rockets, dismantled Barbie dolls, abandoned gears—into mechanical dioramas. Overseeing the whole strange operation is a taxidermy jackalope (a white rabbit sporting hooked antlers) that sits pointedly on display with a strict 'not for sale' status.
What it's like
Stepping inside feels less like entering a commercial art gallery and more like stepping into the whirring brain of an eccentric tinkerer. Ferst doesn't want you standing around with your hands in your pockets; the kinetic sculptures are built to be manipulated, so expect to turn cranks and flip switches to bring the mechanical junk-art to life. Because it's a one-man show run entirely on Ferst's terms, schedule certainty is a myth—doors are generally open Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturday from late morning into the afternoon, but you'll want to ring 406-438-8736 beforehand to verify he's actually there.
The move: Tumble down the rabbit hole on a Saturday afternoon, taking turns cranking the handles on Ferst's kinetic junk-sculptures and arguing over which is the strangest.
📍 Before you go Limited posted hours (roughly Thu/Fri afternoons and Saturday late morning to afternoon); call 406-438-8736 to confirm before going, as it's a one-person operation.
- 📍 Helena
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 429 N. Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Gulch Distillers — Walk a single block down Last Chance Gulch after cranking Ferst's kinetic sculptures to grab a small-batch spirit distilled from local Montana grain.
- Birdseye Glass Craft — Keep the hands-on art theme going by ducking into the basement beneath Ten Mile Creek Brewery for glassmaking.
- The Rathskeller at the Montana Club — Trade Ferst's whimsical cabinet of curiosities for subterranean history in a basement speakeasy tucked beneath the 1905 Montana Club.
Good to know
Can I buy the taxidermy jackalope?
No. The antlered white rabbit presides over the shop as a permanent mascot and is explicitly not for sale, though many of Ferst's kinetic folk art pieces and assemblage boxes are.
Are you actually allowed to touch the artwork?
Yes. Interactive engagement is the entire point—many of the box-sculptures feature handles, cranks, and mechanical parts specifically designed for visitors to turn and fiddle with.
When is Curiouser and Curiouser open?
Hours are limited and somewhat fluid, generally focusing on Thursday and Friday afternoons and Saturdays from late morning to afternoon. Since Ferst operates the shop solo, call 406-438-8736 before dropping by.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: montanaseniornews.com · ferstbiltindustria.wixsite.com · briandambrosio.substack.com · ktvh.com · helenair.com
last checked: 2026-06-24