Colorado,  Family Travel,  West

Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

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We found the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum to be a fun and enjoyable stop on Day 2 of our Trip Out West. We spent the first part of our morning at the Garden of the Gods and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings followed by lunch and a walk around Manitou Springs.

Our first stop of the afternoon was the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, which is located in the old El Paso County Courthouse. Upon entering the free museum we were greeted by the friendly staff at the visitor’s desk.

The staff gave us a quick overview of the museum and asked if our kids were interested in doing the scavenger hunt. Cullan jumped at the chance to do the scavenger hunt and was pleasantly surprised when he discovered there was an antique toy exhibit included in the hunt. It was right up his alley since he loves all things antique, especially toys. He was disappointed that there was not a Chatty Cathy on display.

There’s an exhibit dedicated to General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, and his family. General Palmer was co-founder of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroads and acquired the land to start Colorado Springs. There is a display set up to resemble a room from their home, Glen Eyrie. Included in the room is a piano from 1861 and a “sack-back” gown belonging to his wife, Mary “Queen” Palmer.

One of the things Colorado Springs is known for is curing tuberculosis (TB) patients. Colorado Springs, which is nicknamed the “City of Sunshine,” flourished as a city in the late 1800s when city officials produced travel brochures showcasing the city’s healing properties. Prior to any medicine being available for TB, doctors prescribed “rest cures.” Colorado Springs was an enticing place to relocate due to picturesque landscapes, plentiful sunshine, and a mild climate.

The Van Briggle Art Pottery exhibit is one you do not want to miss. Artus Van Briggle was a famous painter in Europe who came to Colorado Springs. Even though he was an excellent painter, he was drawn to pottery and the various ways he could express himself as an artist. His goal became to recreate an ancient Chinese satin matte glaze. He finally perfected it and became known worldwide for his pottery. He died in Colorado Springs from tuberculosis.

Helen Hunt Jackson was a 19th-century author from Colorado Springs, and you can see real rooms from her house – not a model. When the house was demolished in 1961 the original pieces were moved to the museum.

Since the museum is housed in the original El Paso County Courthouse building, you can see the courtrooms upstairs. They are absolutely stunning. We spent several minutes in here just looking around at all the details.

Hadassah and Micah spent most of their time in the Bent’s Fort exhibit, which is geared for kids. This exhibit is the reason why I chose to visit the Pioneers Museum right after lunch. I knew Hadassah would be tired and letting her get out of the stroller to roam around and play would be important. Bent’s Fort did not disappoint. Bent’s Fort was a place of trade on the Santa Fe trail in the 1830s and 40s. There was lots of hands-on fun and opportunities to learn and explore. The girls enjoyed role-playing while making food, playing in a tepee, sitting in a wagon, riding on a horse and working in the carpenter’s shop.

Another one of the kids’ favorite things was the 1917 Otis Birdcage Elevator that we were allowed to ride. You get to slide the door open and shut yourself. You can take a ride with us in the elevator and check out our trip to the museum in our YouTube video below. You can also read about Day 1 of our trip here, and the morning of Day 2 here.

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