Press Release

Beat the heat! Final weekend to see "The American Soldier" and "All Aboard Colorado!" exhibits; kids 12 and under get in free at the History Colorado Center

Labor Day weekend at the History Colorado Center abounds with activities for all ages.

DENVER— Activities for all ages abound this Labor Day weekend at the History Colorado Center as the  The American Soldier and All Aboard Colorado! exhibits come to a close. Entry into these exhibits is included in the cost of general admission, and children 12-years-old and under continue to receive free museum admission through Sept. 30 when accompanied by an adult (two children per each paid adult that registers in the History Buff program).

This weekend also concludes the museum’s special summer of military history, with programs that highlight Colorado’s rich military heritage; active duty military and their families get free admission as part of the Blue Star Museum program through Sept. 2.

On the horizon is Living West, which opens November 23 and is the second phase of the History Colorado Center’s opening! 

At the History Colorado Center, family friendly, hands-on exhibits connect you to what was with what’s next. Check out the museum’s innovative “Time Machines” on the Great Map of ColoradoDestination Colorado, where you can explore life in a farming community circa 1920; discover the heart, art and whimsy of Colorado’s capital city in Denver A to Z; or soar off a virtual ski jump, explode dynamite in a historic mine, trade goods at a historic fort and more in Colorado Stories.

Don't miss these exhibits before they close September 2!

The American Soldier
In this national traveling exhibit, 116 photographs capture unforgettable images of American soldiers, from the Civil War through the War in Iraq. The American Soldier conveys the danger and frustration, humor and beauty, victory and loss of soldiering. Visitors also have a rare opportunity to see a display on loan from the Center for American Values that highlights the four Congressional Medal of Honor recipients from Pueblo—Colorado’s own “Home of Heroes.” See this special and moving exhibit before it's gone. Sponsored by EADS North America, the North American operations of EADS, the second largest aerospace defense company in the world. Sponsored and presented by Business of Entertainment, Inc., Cyma Rubin producer, curator. Sponsored locally by The Anschutz Foundation.
 

All Aboard Colorado!
Union Station presents All Aboard Colorado!, where you can stoke your inner engineer by exploring a modular train display courtesy of the Colorado and Great Western Modular Railroad and the Platte Valley & Western Railroad Club. Marvel at this 1,200-foot layout while little ones spend time on a kid-size train table creating their own engineering feat.

Labor Day Weekend Special Activities:

  • Jeff Lowdermilk: Following My Grandfather’s World War I Diary: Aug. 31, 1 – 2 p.m. Following the entries in his infantryman grandfather’s diary, author and photographer Jeff Lowdermilk traveled across Europe photographing landscapes, cemeteries, and monuments.
  • Balkan Folk Dance Performance: Aug. 31, 11:30 a.m. – noon. Free with museum admission.
  • Lincoln Hills: Memory Kitchen Museum Theater Show: Aug. 31, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. In Colorado Stories, actress Lonnie McCabe portrays Linda KaiKai Tucker, an African American woman who grew up in 1940s Denver.  She draws attention to segregation in the city, and joyously proclaims the merits of Lincoln Hills, an African American resort community in Gilpin County.  Tucker recalls childhood in Lincoln Hills as she stands by her kitchen stove.  Free with museum admission.
  • Veteran’s History Walking Tour: Sept. 2, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.  Lincoln Park, a section of Civic Center named for our sixteenth president, holds memorials to those who’ve served in other capacities too.  Join us for a walking tour of the park and its environs.  Call (303) 866-2394 to make a reservation.
  • Meet a World War I Soldier: Sept 2, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.  American soldiers played an important role in World War I.  Re-enactor Sven Hillring portrays an American Doughboy, and will tell you the life of a World War I soldier.  Free with museum admission.  

Out and about exploring Colorado over Labor Day weekend? Stop to visit one of our many statewide museums: 
Visit HistoryColorado.org/museums for hours, location and information on each museum.

 

  • Byers-Evans House Museum – 1310 Bannock St., Denver:  The Byers-Evans House was home to two notable Denver families and is one of the city’s most historic landmarks. Visit the Byers-Evans House Gallery, now showing Frank “Pancho” Gates: Seven Decades of a Central City Artist.
  • El Pueblo History Museum – 301 N. Union, Pueblo: Explore the city’s history and the region’s many cultural and ethnic groups. The property includes a re-created 1840s trading post and plaza, and the archaeological excavation site of the original 1842 El Pueblo trading post. 
  • Fort Garland Museum & Pike's Stockade – 29477 Highway 159, Fort Garland:  Legendary frontiersman Kit Carson once commanded this fort. Tour original adobe buildings, including infantry and barracks, a Buffalo Soldiers exhibit and historic dioramas. From the fort, visit Pike’s Stockade, where Zebulon Pike and his men camped in the early 1800s.
  • Fort Vasquez Museum – 13412 U.S. Highway 85, Platteville:  Go inside this reconstructed adobe fur trading fort from 1835 and follow the paths of founders Louis Vasquez and Andrew Sublette. 
  • Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin – 912 Harrison Ave., Leadville:  Leadville was home to the legendary Baby Doe Tabor, who clung to the Matchless mine long after her beloved Horace watched his fortune vanish. Includes a free guided tour of the Healy House Museum, which looks out over another kind of wealth – the historic and scenic treasures of this storied mining town.
  • Trinidad History Museum – 312 East Main, Trinidad: The Baca House and Santa Fe Trail Museum will be open by donation.  Guided tours of the Baca House take place every half-hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Santa Fe Trail Museum is open until 4 p.m. Enjoy a stroll through the Baca-Bloom Heritage Gardens, open free of charge year-round.
  • Ute Indian Museum – 17253 Chipeta Rd., Montrose:  Experience one of the most complete collections of Ute Indian artifacts in the nation.

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About History Colorado

History Colorado connects people to the stories, places and heritage of Colorado's past that provide perspectives on today and inspire our choices for tomorrow. Through exhibits, collections, educational experiences, and archaeology and historic preservation programs throughout the state, History Colorado, a Smithsonian Affiliate, brings history to life for audiences of all ages. Headquartered in the History Colorado Center in Denver’s Golden Triangle Museum District, find out more about History Colorado on Facebook (www.facebook.com/HistoryColorado), on Twitter (@HistoryColorado), our website, HistoryColorado.org, or call us at 303-HISTORY.

 

Media Contact:
Rebecca Laurie, PR Director
(303) 866-3670
rebecca.laurie@state.co.us