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Museums
 Astor House Museum
Located in Golden, the
Astor house was built in 1867 by Seth Lake, a man who had become
rich from the mining activity around Golden City. Lake "spared
no pains or expense" in making his new hotel "the handsomest as
well as the most substantial hotel building in Colorado." He
used horse-drawn stone barges to move the stone necessary to
make the walls of the hotel 18 inches thick.
The Astor House was built next door to the Territorial Capital
where Senators met until the following year when the Legislature
moved to Denver City.
The once hotel now serves as one of the few museums portraying
turn-of-the-century frontier boarding house life. For more
information call (303) 278-3557.
 Black American West Museum
The Black American West
Museum & Heritage Center's mission and goals are the
interpreting, collecting, housing, displaying, exhibiting, and
preserving of historical artifacts, documents and other
memorabilia which tell the history and relate the stories of
Black men and women who helped settle and develop the great
American West. This approach allows visual artistic inculcation
of the rich and colorful contributions of Black pioneers in the
western United States. We tell it like it was! Little Known
Facts:
Nearly a third of cowboys in the building of the American West
were black.
Black families came West in covered wagons; established
self-sufficient all-Black towns, filling every job from barber
to teacher, state legislator to doctor.
African Americans were some of the West's earliest millionaires,
owning much of the West's most valuable real estate and many of
its prominent businesses.
One of the first gold discoveries in Idaho Springs, Colorado was
made by Henry Parker, a Black mine owner.
Blacks were also military heroes, taking San Juan Hill with
Teddy Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War. It is a little
known fact that the all-Black 10th Cavalry should really be
credited with that victory.
Yes African American people played a major role in the settling
and shaping of the American West. Yet, until now, this story has
gone virtually untold. From the early fur trade until today, the
museum's exhibits document this history, with a special emphasis
on Colorado and early Denver. It is a story not found in history
books, but we tell it like it was.
 Byers-Evans House Museum
Presented by the Denver
History Museum
This luxurious home was built in 1883 by the Rocky Mountain News
publisher William Byers. The home was then sold to William Gray
Evans, an officer of the Denver Tramway Company.
Guided tours take visitors through the elegant residence, richly
filled with original Evans family furnishings. Also, a short
film features the careers of these two pioneer Denver families
and the city they built. For more information call (303)
620-4933
 El Pueblo Museum
Named for the site's
original trading post, El Pueblo features colorful exhibits of
Indian, Mexican, and American Life.
Highlighted are the trapping and trade era, ranching and
agriculture, and industrial development by nineteenth century
immigrants of the Colorado frontier. Located within Pueblo on
first avenue and Grand avenue. For more information call (719)
583-0453.
 Golden Pioneer Museum
Pioneer artifacts from
Golden and Jefferson County tell the story of how the West was
won and how its people lived. Focusing primarily on the years
1859 through 1930, the museum is dedicated to protecting and
preserving the memorabilia of the era. Popular
items in the museum include; the first galvanized bath tub in
Golden, pictures of the city's first citizens, American Indian
doll collections, mining implements, clothing, furniture,
household items and military accessories. For more information
call (303) 278-7151.
 Healy House Museum
Discover two of Leadville's
earliest houses for a glimpse of western life in a booming
silver-mining camp. James V. Dexter's surprisingly plush 1879
log cabin and August R. Meyer's 1878 Greek Revival clapboard
house (now called Healy House feature lavish Victorian
furnishings collected in Leadville, including objects belonging
to H.A.W. and Augusta Tabor.
You and your family can tour at your own pace and have all your
Leadville questions of yesterday and today answered by
knowledgeable staff. Ask for our children's tour, designed to
make your family's visit a memorable experience.
This museum also features a gift shop, which has a full
selection of books on Colorado and the West as well as a unique
selection of Victorian gifts. For more information call (719)
486-0487.
 National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
Located in Boulder,
Colorado just off of Highway 93 on the south side of the city.
The NCAR complex is home to a educational resource center,
outdoor weather trail, supercomputing center, interactive
science exhibits, self-guided or guided tours. This is your
chance to visit a national laboratory where scientists study
weather and climate issues affecting the earth. For more
information call (303) 497-1174 or 1850 Table Mesa Drive,
Boulder, Colorado.
 Natural History Museum
The Denver Museum of
Natural History has all kinds of exhibits to broaden your
horizons. So Many Adventures in One Place!
Travel Back in Time
Set your clocks back millions of years and journey through the
history of life on Earth in Prehistoric Journey. From tiny
trilobites to giant dinosaurs, this mega-exhibit brings you
face-to-face with strange landscapes and fascinating creatures –
a whole ancient world to discover!
Ancient Cultures & Natural Treasures
Step into the past with mummies
and artifacts from Egypt and other ancient cultures.
Go Wild
Visit your favorite creatures in their diverse habitats. From
seaside cliffs to savannas to swampy marshes, the award-winning
dioramas take you there.
Hall of Life
How does your body do the amazing things that it does? Find out
all about the human body in the Hall of Life, an extensive,
interactive experience that's an adventure for everybody.
IMAX
Don't just watch movies, experience them! The IMAX Theatre is 5
stories tall and is sure to put you on the edge of your seat!
For more information call… (303) 322-7009 or (800) 925-2250.
 Territorial Prison Museum
The territorial prison in
Canon City opened its doors for business in 1871. The
institution has witnessed 77 executions, had riots bring the
city into a national spotlight and housed famous criminals such
as Alfred Packer (the only man convicted of cannibalism).
Exhibits include the actual hangman's noose of the last man
executed by hanging in Colorado, confiscated inmate weapons and
contriban, the gas chamber, historic photographs depicting life
behind bars and a Federal Bureau of Poisons display.
The prison museum preserves and presents the history and
evolution of western prisons. For more information call… (719)
269-3015.
 Trinidad Museum
Santa Fe Trail Museum, The
Baca House, Bloom Mansion, and the Historic Gardens are all
located in one spot. Four attractions in one visit!
Step back in time at the Trinidad History Museum, a unique
complex overlooking the Santa Fe Trail. Historic photographs,
family possessions, and commercial goods evoke the lifeways of
the early inhabitants of the southeastern Colorado in the Santa
Fe Trail Museum, which extends behind two distinguished hilltop
residences.
The Baca House was built toward the end of the Santa Fe Trail
era in 1870. Later purchased by Felipe and Maria Dolores Baca,
the adobe home blends Hispanic folk art with Victorian
furniture.
Next door stands the Bloom Mansion, the Victorian home of cattle
baron Frank Bloom and his wife Sarah. Constructed in 1882, the
house, which is French in design, is filled with ornate
furnishings. Brick pathways wind through a landscape of century
old trees, historic gardens filled with herbs and vegetables of
the Hispanic Southwest, and recreated Victorian flower beds. For
more information call (719) 846-7217.
 Ute Indian Museum
The Ute Indian Museum,
located in Montrose, offers one of the most complete collections
and exhibits featuring the Ute people of Colorado. Among the
most noted figures in Ute history included are Chief Ouray and
his wife Chipeta, Ignacio, Colorow, and Buckskin Charlie.
Dioramas, changing exhibits, and programs bring the history and
culture of these American Indians together for all to learn from
and enjoy.
The Grounds of the museum include the Ouray Memorial Park,
Chipeta's grave, a native plants garden,
and an outdoor display honoring the Dominguez-Escalante
Expedition of 1776.
During your visit, inquire about the various museum festivals
and programs during the year, and stop by the museum store which
features Indian Arts and Crafts and a great selection of books
on Colorado and the West.
For more information call (970) 249-3098.
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