Summer visitors can soon immerse themselves in Telluride’s past at the Telluride Historical Museum (THM). The Museum will reopen for normal summer operation on June 3rd and will be open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (with free admission on Saturdays for locals.) Historical walking tours, led by local guide Ashley Boling, will be available twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1PM beginning June 4th. Along with these walking tours the museum has several “Hike into History” events planned including; a basic wilderness response route, a look into Ophir Town history, and a behind the scenes tour of local trails with Telluride Mountain Club.
THM is excited to present their newest annual exhibit “You Are Here: Opportunity, Exploration, and Endurance in the San Juan Mountains.” Featuring an array of incredible, rare, historic maps, this new display explores how the American Southwest came to be navigated, understood, and exploited. These maps tell the story of the various groups who left their mark on this landscape, and how, in turn, the landscape shaped people’s experiences and helped chart the course that led us to where we are today.
Have you ever considered the many names and identities of where you live or the places you visit? The wilderness that the native Utes call the “Shining Mountains” has undergone profound changes over the past 500 years. Maps have long served as a way to document the history of human society by representing the world as we perceive it. Beyond providing a sense of place or direction, maps are a form of communication. They can claim territory, plot a journey, or describe the land, its resources, and inhabitants. In short, all maps have a story to tell.
Molly Daniel, Curator of Collections and Exhibits, points out that; “The thirteen rare maps featured in this exhibit are equally beautiful works of art and fascinating historical artifacts. To experience them all together, up close and personal, is almost like taking a time machine through the San Juan Mountains over the past 500 years. Maps can reveal so much about our evolving understanding of geography, history, politics, nature, and art, so they’re really a perfect primary source to learn about and contextualize this place where we live, work, and play.”
“You Are Here: Opportunity, Exploration, and Endurance in the San Juan Mountains” will open to the public with a free opening reception on June 6th, 2024 at 6pm. Refreshments will be provided and all are welcome to come celebrate the new exhibit.
The exhibit will be on display at the THM from June 6th, 2024, through the close of the 2025 winter season (early April 2025).
