DENVER’S MUSEUMS AND ATTRACTIONS:

The Black American West Museum tells the forgotten story of African American cowboys, who made up as many as one third of all the cowboys on the great cattle drives.  Housed in the home of Dr. Justina Ford, Denver's first African American doctor, the museum has exhibits, historic photos and artifacts that tell the story of the many contributions made by Blacks in settling the West. (303) 292-2566.

Buffalo Bill Photo Credit: Buffalo Bill's Grave & Museum

 Buffalo Bill's Grave & Museum is filled with memorabilia honoring the famous frontier scout, showman and Pony Express rider, William F. Cody. Gun collections and posters from the Wild West Show are some of the items found here.  A beautiful view of the mountains and the plains is visible from his grave site.  (303) 526-0747.

Butterfly Pavilion & Insect Center features a lush tropical forest filled with up to 1,600 free-flying butterflies.  There is also an insect center and gift shop, as well as outdoor gardens and many fun, educational exhibits.  (303) 469-5441.

The Children's Museum of Denver is a unique participatory museum for children and families to experience hands-on, interactive exhibits and activities.   Children can learn to ski on KidSlope, shoot baskets, compare measurements in SizeWise, sample the latest in computer software in CompuLab, and shop in the grocery store. (303)433-7444.

The Colorado History Museum offers a series of dioramas and exhibits that trace the colorful history of the Indians, explorers, gold miners, cowboys and pioneers that have called Colorado home.  Exhibits include an outstanding collection of William Henry Jackson photos and a large diorama of Denver as it appeared in 1860.  Call for information on special exhibits. (303) 866-3670.

Colorado Ocean Journey which opened in June 1999, is a world-class aquarium that immerses visitors on two journeys, from the Continental Divide in Colorado to Mexico's Sea of Cortez, and the other from an Indonesian rain forest to the Pacific Ocean. The Rocky Mountain West's only aquarium will also show visitors how all water and water life are inter-related.(303) 561-4450.

The Colorado State Capitol stands a mile above sea level with a plaque on the 15th step to mark the spot that is 5,280 feet (1,609 m) high.  The dome is covered with 200 ounces of pure gold and offers a beautiful view from the rotunda of the entire Front Range, from Pikes Peak, all the way north to the Wyoming border, a distance of over 150 miles (241 km).  Free tours on weekdays of the beautiful rooms and appointments. (303) 866-2604.

The Coors Brewery offers free tours of the largest single brewery in the world.  Colorado brews more beer than any other state and this Golden brewery brews more beer than any other place on the planet.  Free tours of the entire complex, from brewing to bottling, with free beer samples for those over the age of 21. (303) 277-2337.

Denver Art Museum has what is considered to be the finest collection of American Indian art works in the world covering all tribes, as well as 30,000 other art objects in seven curatorial departments.  The museum celebrated it's 100th Anniversary in 1993 with newly remodeled Asian, Pre-Columbian and Spanish Colonial galleries and renovated African and Oceanic galleries.  It is the largest art museum between Kansas City and the West Coast.  (720) 865-5000.

The Denver Botanic Gardens has a large conservatory, an alpine garden with rare tiny flowers, a Japanese tea garden, as well as a water garden with hundreds of water lilies that bloom in late summer.  It is just one of 506 public gardens in Denver where over 240,000 flowers are planted each year. (303) 331-4000.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain Region's leading resource for informal science education. A variety of engaging exhibits, discussions and activities help Museum visitors celebrate and understand the natural wonders of Colorado, Earth and the universe. During adventures at the Museum, you'll learn about current science topics in the news. Prehistoric Journey transports you back in time to when dinosaurs ruled the planet. The Museum is also famous for its interactive children's discovery centers, Egyptian mummies, wildlife exhibits, colorful gems and minerals, the Hall of Life health center, awe-inspiring IMAX® films, dynamic temporary exhibits, new scientific discoveries and visionary speakers. (303) 322-7009

Get inspired by space! The Denver Museum of Nature & Science's new permanent exhibition, Space Odyssey, debuts June 13, 2003. Learn about the latest discoveries in space science, experience a stunning close-up view of Mars and talk with an "astronaut" conducting research on the surface. Visitors can also maneuver a Mars rover and dock the space shuttle. Also opening June 13, 2003 is the new Gates Planetarium. The most sophisticated planetarium in the world includes The Cosmic Atlas™, a new digital technology developed by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. It is the most accurate 3-D map of the cosmos ever created.

The Denver Zoo is consistently rated as one of the top 10 in America with 3,500 animals in lovely spreading grounds in City Park.  "Tropical Discovery," is a 1.5-acre rainforest under glass in which visitors feel the sensation of walking through a jungle teeming with wildlife.  Other highlights of the Zoo include "Northern Shores" where you can watch polar bears swim underwater and Primate Panorama, where visitors can get as close as 10 feet to over 29 species of monkeys. The Zoo celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1996.  (303) 376-4800.

Six Flags Elitch Gardens Theme Park is a hundred-year-old theme park known for its European atmosphere, elaborate floral gardens, and thrill rides.  In 1995, Elitch Gardens moved to an expanded location in downtown Denver along the South Platte River with all new rides, gardens, lagoons, restaurants and amusements.  (303) 455-4771.

Unsinkable Molly Brown Photo Credit: Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Molly Brown House honors "Unsinkable Molly Brown," the heroine of the Titanic disaster with mementos from her life preserved in her beautiful home on Capitol Hill.  Molly was one of the most colorful characters to come from Denver's gold rush period.  While sailing on the Titanic, she took command of a lifeboat and was credited with putting down a panic.  Her life story was the inspiration for the hit musical and film, "Unsinkable Molly Brown." (303) 832-4092.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre Photo Credit: Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau

Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a 9,000-seat natural outdoor arena carved out of huge, 500-foot (152 m) high, red sandstone cliffs, all overlooking Denver and the plains.  With its views and geologic wonders, it’s one of the world's most famous concert sites and has played host to everyone from the Beatles to symphony orchestras.  Seventy million years ago, the rocks were the beach of an ancient inland sea that covered eastern Colorado and Kansas.  Today, it’s a wonderful site for hikes, picnics and concerts.

Tiny Town is a kid-sized village with dozens of "Old West" buildings, all built at 1/6 scale in a scenic mountain location.  An authentic  toy steam locomotive circles the park giving children and adults a ride past the miniature town. (303) 790-9393.
 

The U.S. Mint is where over five billion coins are made each year and there are free 20 minute tours on weekdays.  It is also the second largest storehouse of gold bullion in the U.S. after Fort Knox.  The gift shop has many unique coins not available anywhere else, and there is a small museum on the history of money.  (303) 844-3582.

Since September 11, tours of the U.S. Mint are limited to groups of six or less. The tours must be arranged a minimum of two weeks in advance through your Congressional representative. For information on how to contact your Representative, visit http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.htm. For information on how to contact your Senator, visit http://www.senate.gov/senators/senator_by_state.cfm.

The U.S Mint Gift Shop is open Mon-Fri from 9:00am to 3:30PM. The store is located at 333 West Colfax in the Tremont Center across the street from the mint. The gift shops offers exciting souvenirs and coin and money-related gifts for the entire family, from traditional Mint numismatic coin collectibles to clothing, toys, games and accessories. For more information on the U.S. Mint, visit www.usmint.gov.

Front Range Bouldering
Area information, topos, and problem descriptions for Clear Creek, Eldorado Canyon, the Flatirons, Boulder Canyon, Button Rocks, and Lion's Den.

Paradise Rock Gym
Indoor rock climbing facility offering instruction, Denver Climbing League statistics and schedule, rates and fees, client list, and general information. Have to have flash to view this site.

Fly Fishing Denver
Fly fishing information for destinations within two hours of Denver. Includes stream flows, fishing reports, hatch guides, weather conditions, fly descriptions, and river breakdowns.