There's no better way to learn about history than to step right into it, and you can do exactly that at the Museum of the Mountain West in Montrose, Colorado. One of the best museums in Colorado, this museum is unique in that it is not simply a building full of exhibits, but rather, it is a recreation of an Old West town that has been created by moving historic buildings to the property. There are 28 historic buildings on this site, and you can tour them on a self-guided or docent-led tour. You can go inside them and see what it was like to live in the Rocky Mountains a century or more ago.

The Museum of the Mountain West is wonderful! This museum's mission is "to educate children and adults in the history and culture of the American West through the collecting, historic preservation, stewardship, restoration, and display of historical buildings and artifacts," and it does all of the above so well!

This museum is on six acres. On the property, you'll find 28 historical buildings to view and explore.

The museum also has over half a million artifacts in its collection.

When you walk around the property, you'll see historic buildings including a general store with a post office, a carriage works, a jail, a Chinese laundry, a gunsmith, a hotel, a saloon, a schoolhouse, and more.

These buildings were all collected from various locations around Colorado and other states nearby and were moved to this property to be a part of the museum.

There's also an indoor area that's set up like a row of shops that you can explore. You can visit doctor's and dentist's offices from long ago, plus an old mercantile and general store.

Each of these is filled with the items you might expect to see if you were visiting them long ago.

The doctor's and dentist's offices contain the types of instruments and medicines they would have used way back when.

There's an old schoolhouse that you can visit, too.

You can see some authentic historical cabins.

There are also a few homes from around the turn of the century that you can view and explore.

The interiors of all of these buildings are set up as if they are still in use.

You'll feel like you stepped right into the past.

You'll be amazed by all the incredible, historical things that you see at the Museum of the Mountain West.

There are even some old vehicles parked outside.

The staff at this museum is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They'll be more than happy to take you on a tour to show you around. If you prefer, you can take a self-guided tour instead.

This place is really fantastic. It's the best way to learn about the history of the mountain west!

As you can see, the Museum of the Mountain West is very special and unique. You'll get a feel for the past when you take the time to explore it, and you're sure to leave with some new knowledge about the mountain west that you didn't have before you arrived. Plan a visit today to the Museum of the Mountain West - you'll be glad that you did, and your experience at this museum will likely stay with you for a good, long while.

Looking for more interesting museums in Colorado? Check out our Museums in Colorado page for more ideas.