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

History Colorado, the new name for the Colorado Historical Society, was established in 1879. As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and an agency of the State of Colorado under the Department of Higher Education, History Colorado offers the 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. 

A Transformation is Taking Place

The Colorado Historical Society has a proud history. It 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, the Colorado Historical Society exerts a significant economic, cultural and civic impact and continues as a vital entity to the progress and development of Colorado.

But, times are changing. And with that change we have adopted a new name, History Colorado, as well as a new identity in order to be more relevant to more people. There are many notable things planned as part of this transformation. Among them, the new History Colorado Center, a vibrant place where people will be able to experience Colorado history from an entirely new perspective, will open in 2012. It also will be a source of civic connection and a place for statewide dialogue. In addition, we will work to bring educational programming to Colorado communities in new, exciting ways while the role of our regional museum sites strengthens. A new marketing campaign will increase awareness, heighten interest and broaden participation with History Colorado. Once the transformation is complete, History Colorado will reach people of all ages and backgrounds, in all parts of the state.

A New Era

As the organization undergoes a transformation to prepare for the needs and expectations of a 21^st century audience, History Colorado’s new headquarters and museum—the History Colorado Center—is currently under construction at 12th and Broadway in Denver’s Golden Triangle Museum District. Designed by Tryba Architects, managed by Trammell Crow Company and constructed by Hensel Phelps Construction Company, the History Colorado Center will be a new 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. The History Colorado Center will house new 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.