During your visit to this Colorado history museum, hands-on and high-tech exhibits will take you back in time connecting what was to what’s next. Start or end your time at the History Colorado Center in Café Rendezvous. Be sure to stop by the Museum Gift Shop to browse items unique to Colorado.
Exhibits
Living West
The History Colorado Center’s core exhibit, is a 7,000 foot space that explores the many ways Colorado’s fierce, yet fragile environment has shaped human history and how human choices have shaped the land. Explore life in Mesa Verde through History Colorado’s impressive collections of ceramics, basketry and other archaeological finds. See what the epic “Black Sunday” of the 1930s was like in Dust Bowl Theater. Take a 4 minute journey from Denver to Breckenridge to explore the changing mountains. Additional displays explore Colorado’s ecosystems.
Destination Colorado
Meet the settlers who homesteaded and settled the town of Keota along the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy rail line, the Prairie Dog Special, during the early 20th century. In Destination Colorado you can enroll in Keota’s high school and have your yearbook picture taken, shop in the town’s general store, or take a virtual ride down an old dirt road in a Model T Ford. Outdoors, milk a model cow, collect wooden eggs in the barn, or climb into the barn’s hayloft for a look around.
Colorado Stories
Colorado Stories is an exhibit featuring eight media and artifact rich galleries that explore the ways in which Coloradans create community. Packed full of adventure, the exhibit will take you from the top of the Howelsen Hill ski jump, to the depths of a silverton silver mine. You can trade with Kit Carson at Bent’s Fort, learn about the resilience of Colorado’s American Indian tribes, or see what life was like in Amache, a relocation center for Japanese Americans during World War II.
Denver A to Z
Learn about the people, places and moments of Denver in Denver A to Z. See digital “throwdown matches” between Denver icons such as Mary Elitch, Molly Brown, John Elway and Tom Shane. A sculpture of "barrel man" Tim McKernan pays tribute to Denver’s spirit for sport. A reproduction of Lawrence Argent’s Blue Bear provides a unique photo opportunity. Beer bottles from local breweries line one wall of the exhibit honoring another growing Denver tradition, past and present.
Dining and Shopping at the History Colorado Center
Dining at Café Rendezvous
Start or end your visit to the History Colorado Center at Café Rendezvous, located off the main lobby. Café Rendezvous’ menu features hot entrées, soup, salad and traditional grill favorites including hot sandwiches. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are also available.
Shopping in the Gift Shop
Be sure to stop by the History Colorado Center’s Gift Shop, located in the main lobby. Gifts and souvenirs including books, toys, jewelry, DVDs and CDs unique to Colorado are available to purchase.
- The History Colorado Center regularly hosts temporary exhibits.
- The History Colorado Center is ADA compliant. Complimentary wheelchairs are available to checkout from the information desk in the museum.
- Do not forget your camera. There will be exciting photo opportunities during your visit to the History Colorado Center. Please note that the use of tripods is prohibited and additional photo restrictions may apply in certain exhibits.