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Art Museums & History Museums in Boulder County, Colorado
Agricultural Heritage Center: Farming at the turn of the 20th century. 8348 Ute Highway 66, west of Longmont, open the first Saturday of each month through March, then Friday-Sunday beginning in April. “Crafts and Trades of Olden Days” is May 18, 10am-4pm. 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 BOULDER HISTORY MUSEUM In celebration of Boulder’s 150th anniversary, “Only in Boulder” runs through May 23. On the first Sunday of every month, the museum offers free admission and free ice cream on the porch. March 20 is the 5th Annual Retro Ski Day at Eldora Mountain Resort, with live music, trivia and a costume contest. The museum also presents “Boulder Conversations with Extraordinary People,” a special lecture series held monthly at the Chautauqua Community House. Speakers include Nobel Laureate Tom Cech on March 9 and Olympic champion Frank Shorter on May 4; see website for complete schedule and ticket information. BOULDER MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART (BMoCA) See website for museum events like lectures, demonstrations and classes. Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum 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; Thirsty 3RD Thursdays is a happy hour and music gathering the third Thursday of every month at 5:30pm. See website for details. CARNEGIE BRANCH LIBRARY FOR LOCAL HISTORY Boulder’s original library building houses historic Boulder County photographs and manuscripts. Children’s Museum of Denver 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. Special events include “Bunny Trail EggVenture” April 3; see website for more details. COLORADO HISTORY MUSEUM The Colorado History Museum closes for good on March 28. All permanent exhibits will eventually be moved to the new History Colorado Center being built a block south; it’s scheduled to open in late 2011. In the meantime, the museum is open regular hours with free admission. The temporary exhibit “Allen’s True West, with works by muralist Allen True, runs through the museum’s closing date. Colorado Railroad Museum CRM’s sprawling, 15-acre museum grounds offer railroad cars and equipment; a roundhouse with visitors’ gallery for observing restoration work; a main building in the style of a 1880s depot; a reference library with 10,000 railroad-specific books; general store; and picnic area.Check online for special spring events. CU ART MUSEUM The new “green” Visual Arts Complex, slated to open by the end of 2009, will house the expanded CU Art Museum and the Department of Art and Art History. Check the website for updates. CU HERITAGE CENTER Located in the University of Colorado’s original building, the Heritage Center preserves CU history in seven themed rooms, including the Architecture Gallery, the Distinguished Alumni Gallery, the President’s Room, and CU in Space. “Americans in a Changing China: 1920-2008” runs through Feb. 26. CU MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 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. The BioLounge is a changing exhibit space with a coffee/tea bar. Lectures, children’s activities and other events are listed below.
DENVER ART MUSEUM 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 the website for information on lectures, tours, family activities, films and more.
DMMDT’s mission is to preserve, exhibit, collect and interpret the visual arts using miniatures, dolls and toys. 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 DMNS features outstanding permanent exhibits, popular touring exhibits, an IMAX theater and the Gates Planetarium. Visit the website for current schedule. ESTES PARK MUSEUM Estes Park Museum collects, interprets and preserves local history and presents four temporary exhibits each year in addition to its permanent collections.
GOLDEN OLDY CYCLERY The owner of this museum has re-enacted Thomas Stevens’s 1885 ride, on a Penny-Farthing bicycle, from Liverpool to Tehran. Displays include more than 60 classic bicycles and 70 recorded readings of Victorian cycling poetry. The library houses over 120,000 pages of pre-1900 cycling journals. Open by appointment. GOLDEN PIONEER MUSEUM Since 1939, this museum has been the repository of all things Golden, from Native American artifacts to antique musical instruments and vintage clothing. LAFAYETTE MINERS' MUSEUM Refurbished 1890s coal miner’s home with displays of mining equipment and period household items. Open Thursdays and Saturdays 2-4pm, or by appointment. LEANIN' TREE MUSEUM OF WESTERN ART Some 250 paintings and 150 bronze sculptures make this museum one of the world’s largest private collections of contemporary Western American art. Don’t miss the sculpture garden. Open 8am-5pm weekdays; 10am-5pm weekends. Little Thompson Valley Pioneer Museum Housed in an 1893 blacksmith shop, the museum preserves Berthoud’s past through interpretive exhibits, school tours, lecture series and historic home tours. Open Wednesday-Sunday, 1-5pm or by appointment. LONGMONT MUSEUM & CULTURAL CENTER An outdoor courtyard and four exhibit spaces encourage visitors to explore Longmont’s history and culture, including the achievements of Vance Brand, an Apollo astronaut and Longmont native. Be sure to explore the new permanent history exhibit that spans 14,000 years of Longmont and Front Range history.
LOUISVILLE HISTORICAL MUSEUM 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. LOVELAND MUSEUM & GALLERY The 28,000-square-foot museum hosts history exhibits, arts classes, workshops, poetry readings and more, while the 4,000-square-foot gallery features regional, national and international exhibitions, including “Twirling Dalí’s Mustache: Local Artists Go Surreal,” through Feb. 14. LYONS REDSTONE MUSEUM Gift shop and regional genealogy displays, housed in an 1881 redstone schoolhouse. Open daily June-September. Nederland Mining Museum Learn about hard rock mining, the tungsten boom and present-day conservation techniques at the museum. The historic Gillaspie House, built in 1907, displays clothing, accessories and furnishings found in typical early Nederland homes. Open weekends, May-September. Niwot Old Fire house Museum 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, which operates the museum. Call Anne at 303-665-6932 for information. ROCKY MOUNTAIN QUILT MUSEUM 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. Please note the new location, just a few doors down from the previous one.
WOW! (WORLD OF WONDER) MUSEUM Nonprofit children’s museum offers interactive science and art exhibits, classes, performances and workshops for children 1-11 and their families.
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