Discover the history of Telluride's railroad grade from the Denver Rio Grande to the Galloping Goose, as well as the Ames power plant and the region's electrifying past!
Everyone knows that the United States won the Space Race and sent a man to the Moon, but many people don't know that modern rocketry got its start in World War II. Join us on Tuesday, March 24, 2:30 p.m., at the Wilkinson Public Library to learn more about the fascinating history of rocket science! […]
The Museum will be closed beginning Wednesday, March 25 and will re-open Thursday, May 28! Look for some revamped displays and interpretation when we reopen in May!
Join the Museum and other area partners at the Wilkinson Public Library for El día de los niños (Children's Day), an annual celebration of children, families, and reading. Visitors will also meet other families, learn about local educational resources, and connect children to the world of learning. The Museum will have a historical-themed photo booth […]
Museum re-opens for summer on Thursday, May 28! Our summer hours: Monday - Saturday, 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. (Thursdays open until 7:00 p.m. - Locals get in free!)
Join us for a one-of-a-kind experience exploring the history of Telluride with local story teller Ashely Boling! Learn more about the people, the history, and the architecture that make Telluride so special. Tour starts at the Telluride Historical Museum. Purchase tickets online or call us at (970) 728-3344. Click here to purchase tickets!
Join us for our exhibit opening of the Museum's 2015-16 annual exhibit, Forces of Nature: Telluride's Prehistoric Journey! Refreshments and a behind-the-scenes tour included - Free and open to the public. More about Forces of Nature: Telluride's Prehistoric Journey What was Telluride like before there were people? Before the ski resort, the mines and even […]
Join us for a unique look into Telluride history and the iconic people who lived, worked, and were buried here. The meeting place of this event has changed. Tours will now meet at the Museum at 1:00. Those who still wish to meet at Lone Tree Cemetery may do so. The tour group will arrive […]
This talk will focus on fossil, sedimentary, and chemical evidence for a massive reef-killing extinction that occurred 360 million-years-ago during the Devonian period. This evidence is contained in strata that occur in western and southwestern Colorado, and promises insights into what happens after a major ocean acidification event. James Hagadorn is […]
Deep Springs College was founded by L.L. Nunn after he brought hydroelectricity to Telluride and the world. Jackson Newell is President Emeritus of Deep Springs and the author of “The Electric Edge of Academe: The Saga of Lucien L. Nunn and Deep Springs College,” a look at the life and legacy of an irrepressible innovator. […]
Join local geologist Todd Brown for a hike up historic Tomboy Road and learn about the immense geological forces that created the Telluride Valley. Meet at the Telluride Historical Museum. Tickets are $20 or $15 for Museum members. For tickets or information, call (970) 728-3344 or email lucas@telluridemuseum.org The hike will be about 5 miles […]
Stop by the Museum after the Fourth of July Parade and enjoy a rootbeer float and free admission!
In 2011, Sylvan Bald stumbled upon two exposed dinosaur fossils near Telluride while on a hike. After working with a paleontologist and other local experts, Sylvan helped piece together the story of these bones. Sylvan has recently published “The Ice Blue Bones of Telluride: A Discovery Story”, a children’s book chronicling his find. Sylvan will […]
See Telluride as you've never seen it before! Join local historian Rudy Davison for an enlightening trek up Bear Creek and beyond to the historic Nellie Mine. Hikers should be in good physical shape and prepared for several hours of hiking at a moderate pace. Food and water are recommended. The tour will depart from […]
"Tough Men in Hard Places: A Photographic Collection" The mines in southwestern Colorado were in trouble and needed cheap, reliable electric power to keep running. This is the story of innovative solutions to solve the problem using alternating current electricity and the incredible effort, tenacity, and toughness of the men who overcame formidable obstacles to […]
"Tough Men in Hard Places: A Photographic Collection" The mines in southwestern Colorado were in trouble and needed cheap, reliable electric power to keep running. This is the story of innovative solutions to solve the problem using alternating current electricity and the incredible effort, tenacity, and toughness of the men who overcame formidable obstacles to […]
Join local mining historian Rudy Davison for a trek to this historic mill above Telluride!
Ores to Metals: The Rocky Mountain Smelting Industry James Fell discusses his book, a comprehensive treatment of the smelting industry of Colorado. Packed with fascinating stories, statistics and mining data, Ores to Metals details the people, technologies, and business decisions that have shaped the smelting industry in the Rockies. The location of this event has […]
James Fell discusses his book, a comprehensive treatment of the smelting industry of Colorado.
Meet Enos Mills in person as presented by storyteller and biographer John Stansfield.
Meet Enos Mills in person as presented by storyteller and biographer John Stansfield.
Join us for the 12th Annual Feasting on History, a benefit for the Telluride Historical Museum, on Saturday, August 29th from 6:30PM to 10PM at La Piazza del Villaggio in Mountain Village. Tickets prices are Museum Lover at $275 and Museum Friend at $200 both include VIP admission to An Evening with Ken Burns […]
Join us for this special film screening of episode 5 of The Civil War and discussion with award-winning, documentary film director Ken Burns. Episode 5: "The Universe of Battle" focuses on Gettysburg, the costly battle that turned the tide of the Civil War. Click here to purchase tickets Ken Burns has been making documentary films […]
Join us for a night of trivia and fun for the September Art Walk! No need to put together a team, Museum trivia is an individual sport. This will be an open house event with wine, snacks, prizes and more!
At the end of the last Ice Age, North America was populated by mastodons, woolly mammoths, lions, tigers, one ton sloths, camels, and other exotic animals. As humans began to populate North America, most of these megafauna went extinct.
The Museum will close on Thursday, October 15 for the Fall off season, and reopen on Tuesday, December 1. Please call (970) 728.3344 or email anne@telluridemuseum.org to schedule private tours or appointments.
A seasonal spin on our Lone Tree Cemetery Tours: the history and legends of Telluride’s past come to life in the dramatic (and historically accurate!) ambiance of lamp light. The tour will meet at Lone Tree Cemetery near the gated pedestrian entrance on Colorado Ave. at 6:00 p.m. Dress warmly and bring a flashlight. Tickets can be purchased over […]
Bring your courage and your friends for a haunted journey through Telluride's former hospital ... if you dare. Saturday, October 31 from 7-9pm at the Telluride Historical Museum. Tickets are $10 or $5 for students and can be purchased at the door.
The Museum reopens on Tuesday, December 1 for the Winter season. Winter hours are Tuesday - Saturday 11am-5pm. Thursdays until 7pm and locals are admitted free!
Discover the hardships, innovation, and tenacity of the women caught up in Colorado's Gold Rush.
“To Sleep Or Not To Sleep . . . That is The Question.” Enjoy a guided snowshoe tour with local naturalist Dalen Stevens. We will observe how wild creatures adapt to survive in a harsh winter environment. The tour will last about 4 hours, so please bring warm clothing, a lunch, and water-resistant footwear. Snowshoes […]
Dr. McHugh discusses our local fossil record and how it fits into global events and evolution and what makes our part of the story unique.
A FREE Show-and-Tell Storytelling Event Enjoy the stories told and objects shared from your community, or share an object yourself! Want in on the action? 1. Bring an object with you. It should be able to fit through the door. 2. Presenters are chosen at random by drawing. There is a chance that you won’t […]
150 million years ago, Telluride was in the middle of the original Jurassic Park!
Come learn the history of Telluride's popular drinking establishments, hear and share stories from days of yore, and enjoy great refreshments and even better company
Join us for this two-mile downhill snowshoe tour along the Ridge Trail, as Telluride Adventure Center guide Eric Jorgensen discusses how fires, logging, agriculture, and mining in the area have influenced the forest we see today and how contemporary decisions set the trajectory for the forests of the future! Participants meet at 10:30am at the Telluride […]
Join us on Tuesday, March 15th for our first-ever Ski History Pub Crawl in Mountain Village. Stops will include Palmyra at the Peaks, Poachers, Tomboy Tavern, and Tracks. Come learn the history of skiing in Telluride, hear and share stories from days of yore, and enjoy great refreshments and even better company. Tickets are $35 […]
The Aldasoro Ranch was founded by Basque sheepherders who established their historic and beautiful ranch outside Telluride. Their habit of carving on Aspen trees gives us a glimpse nearly a hundred years later into the lives of the Basque sheepherders of the San Juan Mountains. Join Telluride Adventure Center guide John SirJesse for an exclusive […]
A FREE Show-and-Tell Storytelling Event Enjoy the stories told and objects shared from your community, or share an object yourself! Want in on the action? 1. Bring an object with you. It should be able to fit through the door, and it does not have to pertain to Telluride. 2. Presenters are chosen at random […]
The Museum will close on Friday, March 25 for the Spring off season, and reopen on Thursday, June 2. Please call (970) 728.3344 or email anne@telluridemuseum.org to schedule private tours or appointments.
The Museum reopens on Thursday, June 2 for the Summer season. Summer hours are: Monday-Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Sunday, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Thursdays until 7:00 p.m. (Locals get in free!)
A living history presentation featuring Chautauqua speaker Steve Lee, who will be telling the incredible story of Otto Mears
Join collector Dirk dePagter for a guided tour of our 2016-2017 annual exhibit Treasure Maps: Cartography of the American Southwest.
Enjoy the stories told and objects shared from your community, or share an object yourself!
Explore the ruins of this overlooked and hard-to-find gem.
Come to the Museum after the Fourth of July Parade and celebrate with root beer floats and free admission!
Join Alec Jacobson as he talks about his work documenting overfishing in Lake Victoria.
Explore the stomping grounds of the Tomboy Bride with one of Telluride's premiere experts in mining history. Rudy Davison, longtime resident and mining historian, will be leading this combination jeep and hiking trip up to Tomboy Mine. From the mine complex, the tour will embark on foot into the surrounding high country, searching for the […]
The Telluride Historical Museum cordially invites you to attend its 50th Anniversary Golden Gala Fundraiser Thursday, July 28th, 2016 at the Peaks Resort and Spa, 136 Country Club Dr., Telluride, CO 81435 Cocktails: 6:30 pm | Dinner: 7:30 pm | Dancing: Till 11:00 pm Formal Golden Attire Encouraged Tickets: Museum Friend $150 ~ Museum Lover […]
Empires of the Light The gripping history of electricity and how the fateful collision of Edison, Tesla, and Westinghouse left the world utterly transformed. In the final decades of the nineteenth century, three brilliant and visionary titans of America’s Gilded Age—Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and George Westinghouse—battled bitterly as each vied to create a vast […]
Join us for this special film screening of episode 5 of The National Parks: America's Best Idea and a discussion with award-winning, documentary film director Ken Burns.
Tuesday, August 30th 2016 5:00 pm -7:30 pm Members: 35 Non-members: $40 Meet at the New Sheridan! Crawl Stops: New Sheridan, Oak, OB's and The Buck Honor Telluride’s drinking history with a Historic Pub Crawl. The crawl kicks off with stories of Telluride’s drinking hey day at The New Sheridan bar. From there, crawlers head […]
On Wednesday, September 21 at 6:00pm at the Telluride Historical Museum will be hosting the final installment of their summer lecture series in conjunction with its 2016-2017 annual exhibit, Treasure Maps: Cartography of the American Southwest. John Christy and Gabe Lucisano, a surveyor and a cartographer, respectively, have worked together for 35 years over countless projects to […]
Join local photographer Audrey Mann on a tour through Telluride’s historic alleys. Please bring your preferred camera and a basic understanding of its use. Participants will learn: the basics of photo composition, how to select the best photo of a shoot, history of the Telluride’s alleyways and the sheds that adorn them. Participants’ photos will […]
Red Light and Recreation Walking Tour Wednesday, October 5th 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Meet at the Telluride Historical Museum $20 members | $25 non-members During the heyday of Telluride’s mining era, life was by no means all work and no play. Join Executive Director Kiernan Lannon and award-winning poet Kierstin Bridger on a tour […]
Historic Architecture Tour Wednesday, October 12th, 2016 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Meet at the Museum Join architect and longtime local George Greenbank for this behind the scenes tour of Telluride’s historic architecture. George shares his extensive knowledge of and experiences with the structures that make Telluride unique. $10 members | $15 nonmembers admission to […]
The Museum will be closed for the offseason beginning on Friday, October 14th. We will reopen on Tuesday, December 6th. We look forward to seeing you in the winter!
The Museum re-opens for the winter season on Tuesday, December 6th. Our winter hours will be Tuesday through Saturday, 11AM-5PM. We'll be open late - until 7PM- on Thursdays. Thursdays are also locals free day! We look forward to seeing you at YOUR museum.
Join us and the Telluride Adventure Center for a Historical Snowshoe Tour: "Navigation in the Wilds Before GPS" Sign up for an exclusive guided snowshoe tour on Saturday, January 21st. Experience the exquisite natural beauty of the San Juan Mountains while learning basic skills used by early explorers in the region that enabled them to […]
CALLING ALL FOODIES: Learn winter plant identification like you never have before. This is your chance to touch and sample some of the foods and beverages the Native Americans, early settlers and explorers depended on to live in Southwest Colorado. Sponsored by the Telluride Historical Museum and led by local naturalists John SirJesse and Connie […]
The Telluride Historical Museum hosts their first annual winter fundraiser, The Social: Craft Cocktails of the Past on February 25, 2017 Join the Telluride Historical Museum for its first annual winter fundraiser, The Social: Craft Cocktails of the Past on Saturday, February 25, 2017, at 7:00 pm! The event will take place at the Ah Haa School for […]
Celebrate the debut of the Museum's newest exhibit with refreshments and fun on June 1 from 5:30-7:30 pm during First Thursday Art Walk. All are welcome to attend this free event! Experience the wild history of the gateway to Telluride! Turning the corner towards Telluride is a magical moment. Seasons reveal either a lush meadow […]
Summer Lecture Series: The Valley Floor and Our Native Heritage Tuesday, June 20 |6:00 pm |FREE The Valley Floor’s human history began with the Nuchu, or Utes, who were the first people to visit the Telluride Valley Floor and are the area’s longest continuous residents. Join us at the Museum as former Uintah and Ouray […]
Discover the hidden history of the Valley Floor on this easy to moderate hike. The Telluride Valley Floor wasn't always the open space it is today. Evidence of the Valley Floor's previous lives still exists -- if you know where to look! Discover these forgotten stories and join us as we hunt for remnants of […]
Crawl - don’t walk - back in time!! RBG (Roma Bar & Grill) | Sheridan | Liberty Join the Telluride Historical Museum for a Historical Pub Crawl to three of Telluride’s most enjoyable bars. The crawl kicks off at Roma Bar and Grill, otherwise known as RGB. This historic bar has been home to various […]
Free Admission All Day! Root Beer Floats will be served at the Museum starting at 12:30 after the parade is over.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017 | 5:30 - 6:30 Join the Telluride Historical Museum and award-winning poet Kierstin Bridger on a tour through Telluride’s notorious, historic Red Light District. Tour begins at the Museum. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Museum. Members - $10 | Non- Members - $15
Hike into History: Blue Lake Saturday, July 15| 9:00 AM | | $20 / $15 Museum Members | Meet at the Museum This hike will take approximately 5 hours and is a strenuous hike. The route will follow the Pulaski aerial tram and later the renovated pipelines connecting Lewis Basin and Blue Lake. Participants […]
Tuesday, July 25, 2017 | 5:30pm - 6:30pm Join the Telluride Historical Museum and award-winning poet Kierstin Bridger on a tour through Telluride’s notorious, historic Red Light District. Tour begins at the Museum. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Museum.
Thursday, August 10, 2017 | 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Join the Telluride Historical Museum and award-winning poet Kierstin Bridger on a tour through Telluride’s notorious, historic Red Light District. Tour begins at the Museum. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Museum. Members $10 | Non-Members $15
Hike into History: Marshall Creek Trail Saturday, August 19th | 9:00 am| $20 / $15 Museum Members | Meet at the Museum This hike will take approximately 4 hours and is a moderate hike. The route will follow the old wagon road access to Savage basin along the lower Marshall Creek Basin, passing the north side […]
Feasting on History Join us for the 13th Annual Feasting on History, a benefit dinner for the Telluride Historical Museum, on Thursday, August 24th from 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm at the Sheridan Opera House. This annual fundraiser will be an opportunity for the Telluride community to show their support to the Museum, celebrate our rich history and heritage, […]
An Evening with Ken Burns Sunday, August 27th | 6:00pm – 9:00 pm |$25 / $20 Museum Members / $5 Students (7-17) | Palm Theater Join preeminent historical documentary filmmaker Ken Burns for a screening of an episode from his documentary, JAZZ. The screening will be followed by an audience Q&A with Ken Burns and book […]
The Fireside Chats are an annual series of free lectures in which artists, authors, performers, and intellectuals discuss local and regional history. Steve Lee as L.L Nunn A living history presentation with Steve Lee as L.L. Nunn who was the manager of the Gold King Mine and the first to successfully use long distance […]
The Fireside Chats are an annual series of free lectures in which artists, authors, performers, and intellectuals discuss local and regional history. Steve Lee as L.L Nunn A living history presentation with Steve Lee as L.L. Nunn who was the manager of the Gold King Mine and the first to successfully use long distance alternating […]
The Fireside Chats are an annual series of free lectures in which artists, authors, performers, and intellectuals discuss local and regional history. Join Allen C. Harper, Chief Executive Officer of the American Heritage Railways, as he discusses the history of the narrow gauge railroad and its impact on the southwest Colorado. h came to Norwood […]
The Fireside Chats are an annual series of free lectures in which artists, authors, performers, and intellectuals discuss local and regional history. Join Norwood’s Barbara Youngblood and other locals as they tell the story of how a historical stagecoach came to Norwood and the special role it plays in community history.
The Fireside Chats are an annual series of free lectures in which artists, authors, performers, and intellectuals discuss local and regional history. Rudy Davison presents “A Bizarre Murder at the Cashin Mine.” Unravel the mystery behind a gruesome and mysterious death at this copper mine located in the Southwest area adjacent to Paradox Valley. October […]
We will reopen for Winter Hours on December 5th.
Celebrate the season with this FREE Telluride tradition! Find your Christmas tree, make a wreath, enjoy hot cocoa, go on a sleigh ride, visit with Santa, and more at the Schmid Family Centennial Ranch on Wilson Mesa. Visit with Santa from 1-3pm. Sleigh rides for $5 from noon to 3:30pm. There is a suggested donation […]
Join the Telluride Historical Museum for its second annual winter fundraiser, "The Social: 1990s Craft Cocktail Comeback!" on Saturday, February 24th at 6:30PM. The event will take place at the Ah Haa School for the Arts and all proceeds will benefit THM. Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door. In its second year, […]
Zia leader and Artist, Peter Pino, will give a free lecture at 6 p.m. Wed. May 16th in the Magazine Room of the Wilkinson Public Library on “Petroglyphs and Zia Tradition,” co-sponsored with the The Telluride Institute, Inc. and the Telluride Historical Museum. A former Governor and War Chief of the Pueblo of Zia, Peter […]
The Telluride Historical Museum will be opening for the summer season on Monday, June 4th. Our summer hours will be: Mon-Sat., 11AM-5PM with extended hours on Thursday, until 7PM. Sundays, 1PM-5PM. We look forward to seeing you this summer.
Learn more about the people and events that have made Telluride's history so fascinating.
Join us on June 7th, from 6PM to 8PM as we host a reception for the opening of our new annual exhibit, Children of Winter Never Grow Old: Snow Sports in the San Juans. The exhibit, which explores the history of Telluride as a winter playground, features a number of interactive elements and highlights such […]
Please join us on Thursday, June 14th for our latest Historical Pub Crawl! The Crawl will kick off at 5:30PM at Oak (across the Gondola Plaza from the Telluride Gondola Station). Tickets are $35 for members and $40 for non-members. Tickets include drinks at each of our three establishments (Oak, The Liberty, and the Sheridan) […]
What if snow stops falling? What can we do to combat climate change? Join us on June 19th as Dr. Adam Chambers, consultant/co-founder of the Pinhead Climate Institute, and Jeff Proteau, VP of Mountain Operation and Planning, Telluride Ski and Golf, discuss how climate change is impacting winter and snow sports in the Telluride region. Guests will […]
The Telluride Historical Museum will partner with the Historic Architectural Review Commission to offer complimentary tours of the historic Town of Telluride each month. Ever wondered why the town looks the way it does or what historic preservation is and why it's so important? This is the program for you. The tours will take place the last Friday of each month and will depart from the Museum at 2PM. […]
Join us on the 4th for the Museum's traditional Independence Day festivities. Free Museum admission and Root Beer Floats ($5 suggested donation) following the parade. Root beer floats are available while supplies last, the Museum will be open until 5PM. Come celebrate with us!
Free Family Night at the Museum: Snow Sports in July Monday July 30th | 5:30pm| FREE at the Museum Join us for snacks and free admission to the museum! Experience hands-on stations for all ages focusing on snow sports and snow science. Take away crafts and enter for a chance to win raffle prizes.Fun for […]
August 18th, 9am Meeting at the Museum Hike into History: Ames Hydro Power With Rudy Davison This tour will take approximately 5 hours and is a moderate hike combined with driving portions. The tour will be carpooling from the Museum to the Ames Power Plant for a behind the scenes tour. Then we will caravan to […]
Join us on Sunday, August 26th for our fifth annual An Evening with Ken Burns event! This year we will be screening episode 6, "Things Fall Apart", from his ground-breaking documentary, "The Vietnam War". The event will also feature an audience Q&A with Ken Burns and a book and DVD signing presented in conjunction with […]
Join us on Wednesday, September 5th, for the latest in our Historical Pub Crawl series. This crawl's theme is, "We've Seen It All." The crawl will visit three local establishments where a guest speaker at each bar will talk about how the Town, it's character and it's characters have changed (or not changed) over the […]
The Fireside Chats are an annual series of free lectures in which artists, authors, performers, and intellectuals discuss local and regional history. “You Should be Dead but Somehow You Managed to Survive” Mining historian Rudy Davison presents a compendium of near mining tragedies in the Telluride area during the twilight of the high grade years […]
Bring your treasures or antiques for a show and tell presentation and old-fashioned ice cream tasting followed by a tour of the log cabin museum, or just come for the stories and treats! Interested in showcasing your artifact? RSVP for a presentation space with Barbara at 970-708-8245 or barbaray_45@hotmail.com Telluride Historical Museum’s fall Fireside Chats […]
Meet at the Cemetery and join Norwood’s Barbara Youngblood to hear stories of the people buried in Norwood’s cemetery and the special role it plays in community history. Telluride Historical Museum’s fall Fireside Chats are a series of weekly lectures held in the “Living Room” at the Madeline Hotel and Residences in Mountain Village as […]
Ever wondered why the town looks the way it does or what historic preservation is and why it's so important or what it is that the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC) does? Join along on this FREE tour to find out! HARC, in partnership with the Telluride Historical Museum, will be offering these hour long […]
Ridgway’s Pete Davis presents the history of climbing in the San Juans spanning over 150 years including tales of explorers, miners, cowboys and more recently, some of the greatest climbers the modern world has ever known. Telluride Historical Museum’s fall Fireside Chats are a series of weekly lectures held in the “Living Room” at the […]
This Fireside Chat will be held in Norwood... Ridgway’s Pete Davis presents the history of climbing in the San Juans spanning over 150 years including tales of explorers, miners, cowboys and more recently, some of the greatest climbers the modern world has ever known. Telluride Historical Museum’s fall Fireside Chats are a series of weekly […]
