PRESS CONTACT                            
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations 
303-866-3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us 

History Colorado Summer Road Trip Pairings:
Lost Highways: Dispatches from the Shadows of the Rocky Mountains
History Colorado’s critically acclaimed podcast, Lost Highways: Dispatches from the Shadows of the Rocky Mountains, is the essential playlist for any summer road trip across the Centennial State. Learn why hairpin mountain turns and “lands where the columbines grow” aren’t the only thing Colorado is known for. Listen as our expert hosts and distinguished guests unpack why ‘A Wild Horse Isn’t Just A Horse, Of Course’ or how Cathay Williams chopped off her hair, put on men’s clothes, and enlisted as a Buffalo Soldier. With four seasons full of exciting, informative, and sometimes absurd Colorado history, your trusted car companions may even stay awake for the whole ride. Tune in anywhere you listen to podcasts and learn about our state’s overlooked histories as you pass through it this summer. 

Black History Trail: History Colorado’s Mobile Guide to Black History
Looking to experience Colorado’s history first-hand? Download the History Colorado app and explore the Black History Trail which highlights African American histories in Colorado through virtual and in-person guided experiences. The Black History Trail connects sites, places, and stories across the state – paired with History Colorado’s robust collection – to tell the stories that have been disregarded and undertold. The stops along the Trail, both virtual and physical, are broken down into four different regions, each containing historic places along with individuals whose stories exemplify aspects of the Black experience in Colorado. Regardless of where you are in Colorado, Black history is integral to the Centennial state. Download wherever you get your apps (available for iPhone, Apple, Android, and Google devices) and use this summer as an opportunity to learn more about Colorado!

Tours & Treks
If you’re unsure where to start your summer plans, let History Colorado’s Tours & Treks team curate an unforgettable experience for you! From spine-tingling tarantula migrations and flavorful Colorado chiles to a guided tour through the first National Park dedicated to the works of humanity, our team has developed adventures to fit anyone’s bucket list or summer itinerary. With each trip specially designed to inspire wonder in our past, we hope these Tours & Treks encourage you to live in the present and explore parts of the Centennial State you have yet to see. Explore the Tours & Treks events page for additional information and details!

Kids Free General Admission to All Museums
With seven museums across the state that offer free general admission to kids ages 18 and under, families looking for fun activities this summer need look no further than History Colorado. With opportunities to see historic homes, adobe forts, innovative playgrounds – in addition to a full roster of events – there’s bound to be something the whole family will love. So, prepare the caravan, grab the road trip snacks, and we’ll see you soon!

Museums Around the State
History Colorado’s museums span the state and are designed for multi-generational audiences. The museums include interactive elements and engaging narratives that immerse visitors in the history of Colorado and the American West. Our museums include:

• The History Colorado Center in downtown Denver with more than fifteen exhibits that span four floors and capture the spirit of the Centennial State.
• The Ute Indian Museum in Montrose that connects the historic and contemporary lives and culture of the Ute peoples, showing their deep traditions of adaptation and persistence.
• The El Pueblo History Museum in Pueblo which incorporates a reconstructed 1840s trading post, an archeological site, and innovative exhibitions that explore the many cultural and ethnic groups of the region. 
• Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center in Fort Garland where visitors can explore life in a nineteenth century military fort and the intersectional, complex histories of the people who lived there. 
• The Center for Colorado Women’s History in Denver, a beautifully restored historic house museum which chronicles the many contributions that women have made to the Centennial State.
• Trinidad History Museum in Trinidad featuring several sites – the Bloom Mansion, Baca House, and heritage gardens – that exemplify Southern Colorado lifeways throughout the 19th - 21st centuries.
• The Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin in Leadville which depicts Western life in a Colorado mountain town through the 19th century silver mining boom.

Last but certainly not least amongst History Colorado’s offerings is the true Colorado gem that is the Georgetown Loop Railroad. Located 45 miles west of Denver, the Georgetown Loop Railroad is one of Colorado’s most authentic living museums and historically immersive experiences. Offers include daily train rides, mine tours, gold panning demonstrations, and night time ghost tours that explore the haunted history of Colorado’s mines. 

New Exhibitions and Attractions:
New Demonstration- Mud Futures with Ronald Rael | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | Begins July 7, 2023
Ronald Rael’s audacious architectural imagination intersects with explorations of identity, geography, ancestry, and the future. In Mud Futures, award winning artist and professor of Architecture at UC Berkeley, Ronald Rael uses modern-day innovation to reimagine the 7,000-year-old technology of adobe. Rael will be 3-D printing objects out of more than 10,000 lbs. of clay, straw, and sand on the front porch of the History Colorado Center in downtown Denver. This adobe printing demonstration taps into Rael’s roots in Colorado’s Conejos County and challenges the viewer to think differently about materials, space, and borders, while also showing how ancient technologies might be adapted to solve current building challenges and provide answers for our future. Visitors are invited to witness his work in progress on July 7 - 9 or come visit it after its completion. 

New Exhibition- REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | Opens July 22, 2023
Starting July 22, 2023, visitors to the History Colorado Center will be able to journey from peak to peak, pinnacle to spire, and creek to creek alongside John Fielder, the premier landscape photographer of the Centennial State. Renowned for his conservation efforts, Fielder has collaborated with History Colorado to curate REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place which takes visitors to a location that few have ever experienced, a location Fielder feels is the most sublime in all of Colorado. With a combination of well-worn equipment and breathtaking photography, REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place uncovers how Fielder survived nature’s disregard for a photographer’s comfort, embraced the incredible solace to be found in spaces of complete vulnerability, and captured the magic of the moment.

REVEALED: John Fielder’s Favorite Place opens to the public on July 22 at the History Colorado Center. The History Colorado Center is located in the heart of Downtown Denver and is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Kids 18 and under receive free admission.

New Exhibition- More Than Place: Colorado, Women, and Land | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | On Display Now!
El Pueblo History Museum's newest exhibition, More Than Place: Colorado, Women, and Land, expands our understanding of the integral and often invisible roles played by women in shaping the lands of the Centennial State. Covering 1832 to modern day, More Than Place: Colorado, Women, and Land recalls the histories of Indigenous keepers of the land, Mexican land grantees, homesteaders – including the Black homesteaders of Dearfield and The Dry – and first generation Japanese Americans who tended large gardens and worked in the agricultural fields of Otero County. Through a series of panels, visitors to El Pueblo History Museum can explore how land ownership gave some women social and economic power but often at the expense of Indigenous populations who were being dispossessed and pushed from their traditional homelands. Open through December 30, 2023, More Than Place is an exhibition you won’t want to miss. 

New Attraction- Naturescape Playground | Montrose, CO
Ute Indian Museum | Open Now!
The Ute Indian Museum’s newest addition, the Naturescape Playground, promises playful and innovative learning for all ages. Inspired by the living histories of the three Ute Tribes, the Naturescape instills respect for the natural environment, fosters an appreciation for outdoor stewardship, and deepens an understanding of the rich culture of the Ute people. Having just opened in June 2023, the playground serves as just one of many not-to-miss learning opportunities to see this summer at History Colorado sites. 

New Exhibition- buffalo soldiers: reVision | Fort Garland, CO
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center | Now on Display!
Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center’s newest exhibition, titled buffalo soldiers: reVision, is a partnership with eight independent artists that explores the complicated legacy of the all-Black Army regiments established in 1866 following the Civil War. Featuring a diverse set of artistic creations ranging from prints – which layer historical photos and documents with contemporary drawings – to poetry which evokes the emotional toil of this part of our shared history, buffalo soldiers: reVision presents a chance to reconcile some of the most difficult aspects of Colorado’s past while also looking toward the future of historical interpretation and how museums can tell more inclusive and representational histories.

July Events:
Elder Oral History Workshop & Photo Scanning | Denver, CO
Bob Ragland Branch Library | July 1, 1 - 4 p.m.
History Colorado is committed to preserving, sharing, and weaving the stories of Black communities into the greater Colorado record. This workshop includes a review of the basics of oral history work, instruction on how to use the necessary technology, and a discussion of the processes for donating an elder’s history to the state’s collection. This workshop is free and open to the community, but reservations in advance would be appreciated. 

Low Sensory Morning | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | July 8, 8 - 10 a.m.
The History Colorado Center is happy to open its doors for families who prefer a lower sensory museum environment. The museum will be closed to the general public, attendance limited, and sounds in the exhibitions turned down to ensure an accessible experience for all. Come and enjoy! Admission is free and space is limited, so an RSVP is required.

Fort Collins Museum of Memory - Agriculture, Beetworkers, & Immigrant Story | Fort Collins, CO
Fort Collins Street Facilities | July 8 & 22 12 – 2 p.m.
History Colorado’s Museum of Memory Initiative is seeking and identifying collective memories of the immigrant experience through workshops on July 8 and 22 in Fort Collins. Partnering with Betty Aragon-Mitotes – a community leader, founder of Mujeres de Colores, and co-founder of Museo de Las Tres Colonias – the Museum of Memory Initiative continues to expand and preserve the histories of Mexican American, Hispanic immigrant, and Betabelero (sugar beet workers) communities.

Museum Basics: Increasing Access to Collections
Online | July 12, 5 - 7 p.m.
Tickets ($25 - $325) and additional information are available here.
The Museum Basic Series continues with the how, who, what, and where questions of increasing access to collections. This class is one of the three remaining Museum Basic events this year and options are still available for individuals, students, and organizations to sign up for the full series. For any questions or additional information, please contact Mark Nelson at HC_Museumbasics@state.co.us.

Victorian Tea and Top Hats | Leadville, CO
Healy House Museum & Dexter Cabin | July 14, 1 - 4 p.m.
Join us for a Victorian themed tea time and sprawl-about at the Healy House! Don your finest Victorian garb, indulge in a scone, and enjoy the historic setting of the Healy House porch and lawn with friends and family. This free event includes tea and goodies, with tours of the museum available for the price of admission ($10 for adults and free for kids 18 and under.

Natural Dye Workshop | Pueblo, CO
El Pueblo History Museum | July 15, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Tickets ($35 - 50) and additional information are available here. 
Looking for a new hobby? Hoping to learn a new skill? Join the El Pueblo History Museum, as well as natural dye expert Deborah Martinez-Martinez, for a beginners guide to natural dyes! During the workshop, experience the vibrancy produced from organic materials like cochineal, chamiso, and natural indigo while designing your own wool hank and silk satin scarf. All necessary materials are provided in the workshop so you’re sure to leave with a gorgeous, handcrafted souvenir. 

Summer Saturdays at the Trinidad History Museum | Trinidad, CO
Trinidad History Museum | July 15, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Enjoy the grandeur of summer in the Southern borderlands of Colorado at the Trinidad History Museum. This free, accessible, and family-friendly event is highlighted by making masterpieces with paint made from fresh produce and brushes crafted from yucca fibers! Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to the Trinidad History Museum Team at (719) 846-7217.

History Buff Day - UIM | Montrose, CO
Ute Indian Museum | July 22, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
RSVP and additional information for event activities are available here.
Join History Colorado to celebrate young History Buffs around the state! Starting at the Ute Indian Museum for the first in-person event of the year, use the free History Buff membership to learn about Ute culture, discover the new Naturescape Playground, explore Montrose to its fullest, and, of course, hang with Billy the History Buff! The event is free with general admission (and members like History Buffs are free), but plan on RSVPing to the event in advance.

Have a Colorado fourth grader who isn’t a History Buff member yet? Sign up here for your free membership– granting you (and 5 other people) access to all History Colorado locations around the state! 

The Wonders of the Whittier Neighborhood Walking Tour | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | July 29, 9 - 11 a.m.
Tickets ($30 - 40) and additional information are available here.
Every neighborhood is constructed not just of sidewalks and houses, but stories and cultural significance waiting to be shared. Join us on a walking tour of the Whittier neighborhood where we’ll hit the sidewalks to talk about Buffalo Bill, beer, architecture, pop-ups, lost schools, racial reckonings, and more. Named for a poet and abolitionist, this white, middle-class neighborhood is among the first streetcar suburbs created in Denver and has undergone numerous changes to its cultural and economic makeup over many decades. This tour will require a moderate amount of walking on streets, trails, and stairs. For additional information or questions, please contact Ani Steele at ani.steele@state.co.us. 

Colorado Day! | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | August 1, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
The Centennial State celebrates its 147th birthday with a free event at the History Colorado Center! Arts and crafts, live music, snacks, living history demonstrations, and alpacas are just the tip of the snow cone at this carnivalesque gathering– plan on bringing your friends and family to experience it all!

Community Museums Celebrate Colorado Day! | Across Colorado
All six of History Colorado’s Community Museums | August 1, times vary by site
In celebration of Colorado’s 147th birthday all of History Colorado’s community museums will be hosting free days for the public. With sites around the state there is sure to be a location within driving distance where all Coloradans can go to celebrate the anniversary of Colorado’s statehood. Visitor hours and locations for all of History Colorado’s museums can be found here.

Candlelight: Celebrating Colorado Day | Denver, CO
History Colorado Center | August 1, 7 - 8:05 p.m.; 9:15 - 10:20 p.m.
Tickets ($35 - 65) and additional information available here.
Celebrate the Centennial State’s 147th birthday through the awe and tranquility of a candlelight concert. With two showings at 7:00 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., the multi-sensory musical experiences performed by the Range Ensemble string quartet band will undoubtedly leave you inspired. From classic jams like “Rocky Mountain High” by John Denver to “Colorado Bluebird Sky” by String Cheese Incident, the Colorado Day setlist has something in mind for everyone. Prepare to view music in a whole new light: this is one summer night you won’t want to miss. 

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 143-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado. 

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado