Boulder Museum of
Contemporary Art (BMoCA)
1750 13th St.
Boulder
303-443-2122
bmoca.org
With its displays of innovative contemporary art, the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art is sure to satisfy the desire for visual appeal. See the website for museum events like lectures, demonstrations and classes. Admission is just $1 for adults, seniors, students and educators, and free for members and children under the age of 12.
Boulder History Museum
1206 Euclid Ave.
Boulder
303-449-3464
boulderhistory.org
Founded in 1944, this private, nonprofit museum brings the history of Boulder alive with its collection of more than 45,000 objects donated by Boulder families and a variety of programs and community events. Free admission for members and children under the age of 5.
Butterfly Pavilion
6252 W. 104th Ave.
Westminster
303-469-5441
butterflies.org
Butterfly Pavilion is home to over 5,000 animals including 1,600 butterflies. A day at this place is sure to be a fun and educational event the whole family will always remember. And don’t forget to hike the trails on the property. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., year round.
Carnegie Branch Library
for Local History
1125 Pine St.
Boulder
303-441-3110
boulderlibrary.org/carnegie
A great place to study and research local history, Boulder’s first library building holds historic Boulder County photographs and manuscripts for community use. More than 200,000 photographs and 700,000 historic documents are housed at the Carnegie Library for Local History.
Children’s Museum of Denver
2121 Children’s Museum Drive
Denver
303-433-7444
mychildsmuseum.org
The Children’s Museum of Denver started in 1973 in a converted school bus. Now, the museum’s exhibits include a real fire truck. Its interactive playscapes, daily programming, story times and special events are geared toward children up to age 8.
CU Art Museum
Visual Arts Complex
1085 18th St.
Boulder
303-492-8300
cuartmuseum.colorado.edu
Galleries feature both changing and permanent exhibitions. The museum also offers a collection study center. The building itself is an environmentally sustainable design created by Kallman, McKinnell & Wood and OZ Architecture in Denver featuring water-saving and energy-efficiency strategies.
Denver Art Museum
100 W. 14th Ave. Parkway
Denver
720-865-5000
denverartmuseum.org
A piece of architectural art itself, the Denver Art Museum showcases collections of Western American, American Indian, Asian, oceanic, European and American art, textiles and photography. Check the website for ongoing events that showcase current exhibitions, including this summer’s highlights. Admission is free on the first Saturday of the month.
Denver Museum of
Nature and Science
2001 Colorado Blvd.
Denver
303-322-7009
dmns.org
The Ice Age, butterflies, Egyptian mummies, the human body and space — the Denver Museum of Nature and Science offers plentiful galleries for people of all ages to explore the past, present and future. Get up close to gems and think big at the IMAX theater, or even bigger in the Gates Planetarium.
Denver Zoo
2300 Steele St.
Denver
720-337-1400
denverzoo.org
Leopards and rhinos and zebras, oh my! The Denver Zoo is home to nearly 3,500 animals representing 650 species from around the world. Through naturalistic habitats and conservation programming, the zoo is working to keep the world’s animal inhabitants happy here and in their wild homes.
Lafayette Miners’ Museum
108 E. Simpson St.
Lafayette
303-665-7030
cityoflafayette.com
The Lafayette Miners’ Museum is housed in the home of coal miner William E. Lewis, who offered his house up as a meeting place for miners during a strike. The museum now preserves the pioneer heritage of Lafayette, including a “school room” with pictures, trophies and memorabilia of the town’s schools. Open 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, Thursdays 7 to 9 p.m.
Leanin’ Tree Museum
of Western Art
6055 Longbow Drive
Boulder
303-530-1442, ext. 4299
leanintreemuseum.com
This museum holds more than 250 paintings and 150 bronze sculptures, making it one of the world’s largest private collections of contemporary Western American art. The museum is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.
Little Thompson Valley
Pioneer Museum
224 Mountain Ave.
Berthoud
970-532-2147
berthoudhistoricalsociety.org/pioneermuseum.htm
Relics of Berthoud’s beginnings — and history as a booming agricultural town — are on display in the Little Thompson Valley Pioneer Museum, located in a historic blacksmith shop. The museum is open Thursdays through Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m., and every third Wednesday of the month.
The Longmont Museum
& Cultural Center
400 Quail Road
Longmont
303-651-8374
ci.longmont.co.us/museum
The Longmont Museum & Cultural Center explores history from Native Americans to NASA astronauts in a collection that spans 14,000 years. Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.
Louisville Historical Museum
1001 Main St.
Louisville
303-665-9048
The four buildings of the Louisville Historical Museum are home to artifacts and photographs of the history of settlers and miners in Louisville. Open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Lyons Redstone Museum
340 High St.
Lyons
303-823-6692
lyonsredstonemuseum.com
The Lyons Redstone Museum has displays on local history and genealogy. Monday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sundays 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Nederland Mining Museum
At the traffic circle in Nederland (Highways 119 and 72)
303-258-0567
Ore samples, machines and tools used in hard rock mining and the tungsten boom are on display at the Nederland Mining Museum. Open Fridays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., June through October.
University of Colorado
Museum of Natural History
1030 Broadway
Boulder
303-492-6892
cumuseum.colorado.edu
In total, the museum houses a collection of more than 4 million objects used for researching and studying anthropology, archaeology, botany, entomology, paleontology and zoology. Check out their website for more information on K-12 and adult educational programs and activities, including lectures, family days and guided tours. The exhibition galleries are open to the public seven days a week, free of charge.
University of Colorado Heritage Center
1600 Pleasant St.
Boulder
303-492-6329
cuheritage.org
Located on the third floor of the University of Colorado’s Old Main and operated by the CU Boulder Alumni Association, the CU Heritage Center features exhibits exploring the history of the university. Attractions include the President’s Room, Distinguished Alumni Gallery and the Athletics Room, which showcases trophies from CU’s many victories. Open Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Walker Ranch
303-678-6200
Located off of Flagstaff Road about 7.5 miles west of Boulder, Walker Ranch offers visitors a plethora of outdoor opportunities, including fishing, hiking and horseback riding. Purchased by James and Phoebe Walker in 1882, Walker Ranch is home to the restored homestead of the Walker family. While the homestead is closed to the public most of the year, visitors can tour the site and watch costumed volunteers demonstrate the daily life of a pioneer ranch during special events. For information, contact Boulder County Parks and Open Space.
Wow! (World Of, Wonder) Museum 110 N. Harrison Ave. Lafayette,
303-604-2424,
wowchildrensmuseum.org
This nonprofit children’s museum features interactive science and art exhibits, classes, performances and workshops for children 12 and under.
