Museums
Art Museums & History Museums in Boulder County, Colorado and Surrounding Area
See also Boulder Art Fairs and Arts & Events: Galleries
3091 California St., Denver; 720-242-7428. This museum was founded in 1971 to protect, preserve and disseminate the contributions of black people in the Old West. Exhibits include a tribute to the town of Dearfield, a black pioneer town founded in 1910 just east of Greeley. There is also a bookstore and frequent children's programs.
Boulder County Parks & Open Space Museums
303-678-6200. Agricultural Heritage Center: Farming at the turn of the 20th century. 8348 Ute Highway 66, west of Longmont, open Friday-Sunday beginning April 1. 303-776-8848. James F. Bailey Assay Office Museum: Where miners took ore samples to see if they had struck it rich. 6352 Fourmile Canyon Drive, west of Boulder, open third Saturdays April-October, 303-776-8848
Harbeck-Bergheim House, 1206 Euclid Ave., 303-449-3464. “1968 in America” is on display through the end of the year; it’s a traveling exhibit meant to help us understand the importance of the year 1968 in the history of our country. Admission to the museum is free on the first Sunday of each month.
Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art (BMoCA)
1750 13th St. (next to Dushanbe Teahouse), 303-443-2122. BMoCA hosts three new exhibitions this fall, each running from Sept. 29 to January 29: Zach Reini: Suburban Lawns; Amanda Marie Ploegsma: Purity & Credence; and Thomas Scharfenberg: Obvious Invisible. Admission to BMoCA is free during the Boulder County Farmers’ Market.
Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum
710 10th St., Golden, 303-996-2755. Located in downtown Golden, this one-of-a-kind museum introduces visitors to the world of mountain and rock climbing. The first Wednesday of every month, the museum hosts the sPEAKers Series at 7pm.
Broomfield Veterans Memorial Museum
12 Garden Center, Broomfield, 303-460-6801. Nine exhibit rooms showcase permanent and temporary exhibits that honor the men and women who have served in the armed forces. The museum also hosts talks and other special events. Open Saturdays 11am-4pm and by appointment.
Carnegie Branch Library for Local History
1125 Pine St., 303-441-3110. Boulder’s original library building houses historic Boulder County photographs and manuscripts.
2121 Children’s Museum Drive, Denver, 303-433-7444. Offers interactive playscapes, daily programming, storytimes and special events for children up to age 8. On the first Tuesday of every month, admission is free from 4-8pm.
On Bannock Street between 12th and 13th avenues, Denver, 720-865-4317. In 2004, Patricia Still donated her late husband’s collection to the city of Denver for the establishment of the Clyfford Still Museum. When she herself died in 2005, she also left the city her own collection of his abstract expressionist paintings, bringing the total number to nearly 2,400 works. In keeping with his wishes, the museum cannot sell any of the art, nor can it have an auditorium or restaurant. The new museum, which opened in November, is a two-story, 28,500-s.f. structure dedicated solely to exhibiting the artist’s works.
1300 Broadway, Denver, 303-866-3682. The new History Colorado Center opens April 28. In the meantime, check the website for other Colorado Historical Society sites and museums around the state.
17155 W. 44th Ave., Golden, 303-279-4591. CRM’s sprawling, 15-acre grounds offer railroad cars and equipment; a main building in the style of a 1880s depot; a reference library; general store; and picnic area. SCFD Free Days are Jan. 7, March 3 and May 5.
CU Art Museum & Visual Arts Complex
1085 18th St., 303-492-8003. The CU Art Museum’s five brand-new, state-of-the-art galleries host exhibits, tours and lectures all year long.
Third floor of Old Main, CU campus, 303-492-6329. Located in the University of Colorado’s original building, the Heritage Center preserves CU history in nine themed rooms, including the Architecture Gallery, the Distinguished Alumni Gallery, the President’s Room, and CU in Space.
Henderson Building, Broadway at 15th Street, 303-492-6892. The premier natural-history resource in the Rocky Mountain region, the museum houses millions of geology, archaeology, paleontology and zoology specimens, five galleries, a nature photography section, and more. Every Saturday is Family Day, with hands-on science and art activities from 1-4pm.
100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway (on 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock), Denver, 720-865-5000. DAM makes its fabulous array of art and artists available to everyone with First Free Saturdays, offering free general admission to Colorado residents on the first Saturday of the month. You can also join the “Untitled” party on the last Friday of the month and enjoy art, music, performances and refreshments from 6-10pm. Call or check online for information on lectures, tours, family activities, films and more.
- Xu Beihong: Pioneer of Modern Chinese PaintingThrough Jan. 29:
- March 25-July 8: Yves Saint Laurent: The Retrospective
- April 20: DAM Uncorked Wine Tasting
Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls and Toys
1880 Gaylord St., Denver (just west of City Park), 303-322-1053. The museum’s extensive collection includes permanent exhibits like miniature houses, trains and planes, and antique dolls; temporary exhibits change every three months. Open Wednesday-Sunday.
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, 303-322-7009. DMNS features outstanding permanent exhibits, popular touring exhibits, an IMAX theater and the Gates Planetarium. The bilingual exhibition “T.Rex Encounter” runs through Jan. 8, paired with a DinoMAX double feature on the IMAX screen.
See showtimes for Phipps IMAX Theater (303-322-7009)
8306 Highway 287, 1 mile south of Longmont, 303-776-2520. A collection of beautifully restored antique automobiles, including a 1915 Stanley Steamer, plus phonographs invented by Thomas Edison, antique musical instruments, and late 19th- and early 20th century farm equipment. Open weekends June through August.
200 4th St., Estes Park, 970-586-6256. Founded by volunteers in 1962, the Estes Park Museum collects, interprets and preserves local history and presents four temporary exhibits each year, in addition to its permanent collections. See “Stanley: An Estes Park Legacy,” on exhibit through early 2012. Through April 17, see “Fluttering Butterflies: From the Net of Dr. Wiest.” Check online for a schedule of classes, lectures and children’s events. Check the website for a schedule of classes, lectures and children’s events.
923 10th St., Golden, 303-278-7151. GHM operates three historic sites in Golden: the Astor House Museum, Clear Creek History Park and the Golden History Center. Check online for details about each site and special events.
‘The Intruder’ ©Ken Bunn Monumental Bronze 2003. Image courtesy Ed Trumble and Leanin’ Tree Museum and Sculpture Garden of Western Art
228 Mountain Ave., Berthoud, 970-532-2147. Housed in an 1893 blacksmith shop, the museum preserves Berthoud’s past. Open Wednesday-Sunday, 1-5pm or by appointment.
Longmont Museum & Cultural Center
400 Quail Road, Longmont, 303-651-8374. An outdoor courtyard and four exhibit spaces encourage visitors to explore Longmont’s history and culture. A permanent history exhibit spans 14,000 years of Longmont and Front Range history. “Street Cred: Graffiti Art from Concrete to Canvas” runs through Feb. 19.
1001 Main St., Louisville, 303-665-9048. Owned and operated by the city of Louisville, this museum features three historic buildings with an extensive collection of coal-mining artifacts and old photographs. The smallest building re-creates a miner’s home. Pick up a map of the Louisville Downtown Historical Walking Tour. Open every Wednesday and the first Saturday of each month, 10am-3pm.
500 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland, 970-962-2410. The 28,000-square-foot museum hosts history exhibits, art classes, workshops, poetry readings and more, while the 4,000-square-foot gallery features regional, national and international exhibitions.
338 High St., Lyons, 303-823-5271. Gift shop and regional genealogy displays, housed in an 1881 redstone schoolhouse. Closed October-May.
At the Denver branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, 1020 16th St., Denver. The brand-new museum is free, but offers “a billion dollar experience” as it showcases all things money through displays of historical currency and interactive exhibits like “Design Your Own Money.” Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm except, of course, bank holidays.
At the traffic circle in Nederland (Highways 119 and 72), 303-258-0567. The Mining Museum is located in the historic County Stone Garage and contains artifacts and equipment used by area miners. The historic Gillaspie house, built in 1907, displays clothing, accessories and furnishings found in typical early Nederland homes. Open weekends May through September, 11am-3:30pm.
Niwot Old Fire House Museum
Second and Franklin avenues, Niwot. Original 1910 fire shed where the chemical firecart (now on display out front) was once stored. Open only during community events, or on walking tours given by the Niwot Historical Society. Call Anne at 303-665-6932 for information.
1213 Washington Ave., Golden, 303-277-0377. A museum dedicated to the art of quiltmaking and quilt preservation, RMQM continues to expand its permanent collection of quilts. The museum presents 10 exhibits a year, highlighting different styles, histories or themes.
- Stars! A Study of 19th-Century Star Quilts by the American Quilt Study Group; Out of This World: Contemporary Star QuiltsThrough Jan. 21:
Sandstone Ranch Visitor Center
3001 E. Ken Pratt Blvd., Longmont, 303-774-4692. Historic homestead property includes hands-on displays inside the circa-1880 house plus educational exhibits in the ice house, tool shed and barn. There’s also a nature trail with a scenic overlook. Open Tuesdays 9am-noon during the winter, then second and fourth Saturdays, 10am-2pm, beginning in March.
5020 Chaparral Court, Gunbarrel, 303-516-9565. Features 40 prize sports cars plus a reconstructed shop. Open Saturdays 10am-4pm.
Spirit of Flight Center & Museum
At the Erie Municipal Airport, 2650 S. Main St., Erie, 303-460-1156. Nonprofit center displays hundreds of aviation items and artifacts that represent the past, present and future of flight. Open weekdays 10am-2pm and weekends and evenings by appointment.
Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver, 303-360-5360. Housed in a historic 1930s-era Air Force hangar, the collection includes a newly restored MK36 thermonuclear bomb, a space station module, a diorama of a moon base, a collection of model airplanes, and memorabilia from Lowry Air Force base. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm.
11611 Jasper Road, Erie, 303-828-4568. Artifacts, equipment, photographs and displays related to the history of the Erie area, plus a restored farmhouse dating back to the mid-1870s. Open Saturdays May through October, 10am-2pm, and by appointment.
110 N. Harrison Ave., Lafayette, 303-604-2424. Nonprofit children’s museum offers interactive science and art exhibits, classes, performances and workshops for children aged 1-11 and their families. A new interactive exhibit called “SunSational Energy & Science” focuses on solar science and the importance of solar power.
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