With 28 Historic Buildings On Site, This Small Town Museum In Colorado Is A True Hidden Gem
By Christy Articola|Published June 12, 2023
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Christy Articola
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Christy Articola has lived in Colorado since 2013 and considers herself a Centennial State enthusiast and expert through and through. She's based in Denver metro, but over the past decade, she has traveled to every corner, river, village, park, town, and city in the state and continues to explore it deeper and further whenever she can. Christy simply can't get enough of Colorado, and loves sharing all her adventures with you through Only In Your State! She graduated with a degree in journalism from Fordham University and is thrilled to be working as a full time travel writer for this and other sites - she finally found her perfect niche - and is so grateful for that.
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!
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.
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.
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