Mission

As the designated steward of Colorado history, we aspire to engage people in our State’s heritage through collecting, preserving, and discovering the past in order to educate and provide perspectives for the future.

Who We Are

Welcome to History Colorado, a twenty-first-century historical society. Established in 1879, History Colorado is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and an agency of the State of Colorado under the Department of Higher Education. We offer public access to cultural and heritage resources of Colorado, including statewide museums and special programs for individuals and families, collection stewardship of Colorado’s historic treasures, educational resources for schools, students and teachers, services related to preservation, archaeology and history, and the Stephen H. Hart Research Library.

History Colorado’s statewide activities support tourism, historic preservation, education and research related to Colorado’s rich western history, offering the public unique opportunities to interact with Colorado history through its network of museums which offer engaging exhibitions and special programs for adults and children.

Through our education programs, we work with schools across the state to provide classrooms and teachers with important resources and curriculum related to Colorado history, and offers local communities resources that help them to enrich historical-related community based programs.

Through the State Historical Fund historic preservation grants program, History Colorado has awarded millions in competitive grants to all 64 counties across Colorado, which has resulted in a more than $1.5 billion impact on Colorado’s economy.

As the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation handles the processing and documenting of statewide archaeological and historic preservation related projects. 

Our Past, Our Future

History Colorado has cared for the historic treasures of the state for more than 130 years and has directed over a quarter of a billion dollars in grants for statewide preservation and education to all regions of the state. Through our various offices, programs and services, History Colorado exerts a significant economic, cultural and civic impact and continues as a vital entity to the progress and development of Colorado.

In 2012, we opened the History Colorado Center, a vibrant place where people experience the past from entirely new perspectives. Located at 12th and Broadway in Denver’s Golden Triangle Museum District, this award-winning building was designed and constructed by an all-Colorado team: Tryba Architects, Trammell Crow Company and Hensel Phelps Construction Company. For more information about the project visit our News Room.

The History Colorado Center is a dynamic tourist destination, a hub for learning, a thought-provoking center for civic conversation, and an environment that encourages an inspirational journey into the future by understanding the past. History Colorado is a Smithsonian Affiliate, and Smithsonian Affiliations Director Harold Closter described the History Colorado Center as “the first great history museum of the twenty-first century.” The building  houses core and traveling exhibitions, education/public programs, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, the State Historical Fund, the Stephen H. Hart Research Library, and other History Colorado functions. 

Through the History Colorado Center, we bring educational programming to Colorado communities in new, exciting ways.

Looking forward, History Colorado's Strategic Plan serves as an overarching guide to our mission, five-year vision, objectives, performance measures, evaluation of success in meeting benchmarks, and strategies. For more information about our Strategic Plan, email our Executive Office.