The 15 Best Museums in the Colorado

Personally, I think it's safe to say just about everyone enjoys a good museum. Whether you are interested in art, music, science, history, or culture, there is a museum for everyone to find and enjoy. When speaking of museums, typically people talk about iconic museums in places like Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago, but there is an impressive list if museums right here in the Mile High City and surrounding areas.

Denver gets a bad reputation for reports of a horrible food culture, not a lot to do outside of the mountains, and for being rather boring. But as a local, I would argue that the metro area's museum game can compete with the best of them. Here is a guide to the 15 best museums in Colorado spanning across art, culture, education, sports, science, history, and more.

15. Mizel Museum

Location: Denver, CO

The Mizel Museum offers a look into Jewish history and education, as part of the Mizel Institute and Lion Global Foundation. The museum's goal is to be an outreach to the broader community to educate and bring people of different races and religions together. With key emphasis on social justice, contemporary Jewish culture, and a living Holocaust memorial, the Mizel Museum is a great spot to explore with an open mind.

14. National Ballpark Museum

Location: Denver, CO

Just steps away from Coors Field, the home of the Colorado Rockies, the National Ballpark Museum showcases Bruce Hellerstein's private collection of baseball artifacts. The Smithsonian named the National Ballpark Museum one of the top 20 finest private baseball collections in the world for its display of artifacts from the original 14 baseball parks, as well as modern items.

13. Denver Firefighters Museum

Location: Denver, CO

Located in an old firehouse, the Denver Firefighters Museum allows guests to explore the history of firefighting in Denver. Touted as one of the most family-friendly museums in Denver, this is the perfect spot to explore old fire engines and get up close to all of the gear essential to firefighting. Guests can even rings an old fire alarm.

12. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum

Location: Denver, CO

Reaching into Colorado's history in space travel, Wings over the Rockies is a popular destination for those looking to explore civilian and military aircrafts. The museum is located in the now defunct Lowry Air Force Base and features over 50 aircraft (including a Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter), space artifacts, and flight simulations.

11. Forney Museum of Transportation

Location: Denver, CO

With more than 800 exhibits, the Forney Museum showcases anything on wheels including bicycles, cars, trains, motorcycles, and buggies. The museum was founded by J.D. Forney who used the museum to showcase his private collection of antique and classic cars. As of 2026, the Forney Museum houses Amelia Earhart's "Gold Bug" Kissel and a Union Pacific Big Boy #4005, and

10. Colorado Railroad Museum

Location: Golden, CO

If you go about 15 miles West of Denver, you land in a town called Golden which is home to the Colorado School of Mines and the Coors Brewery. It is also home to the Colorado Railroad Museum - a non-profit ode to the history of Colorado's rail lines. You can explore a 15-acre railyard which is home to locomotives, passenger cars, and cabooses to showcase Colorado's legendary railroad history. With some planning, you might even get to see Thomas the Tank Engine or ride the Polar Express.

9. Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave

Location: Golden, CO

While you've made the trip West out to the town of Golden, you can explore the history of Wild West legend William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody. This museum is one of the most popular attractions in the Denver metro area and features not just the museum, but Buffalo Bill's gravesite. According to the city of Golden, more than 80,000 people visit this museum annually for its "cowboys & Indians" exhibits, gifts, and observation deck.

8. Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum

Location: Manitou Springs, CO

If you want to explore the historic Manitou Cliff Dwellings, this museum can help you learn about the Puebloan people that called the Four Corners region over 700 years ago. The museum unravels the history of the ancient people including their daily life and the tools and weapons they used. It also gives a look into the architectural style of the Ancestral Puebloans.

7. History Colorado Center

Location: Denver, CO

If you want to place yourself right in the middle of Colorado's history, History Colorado Center is a great place to do it. One of the newer museums on the list, this center opened in 2012 to display a variety of artifacts, archives, and photography about The Living West, Mesa Verde, the Dust Bowl, the mountains, and more. The museum is even part of the Denver CityPASS if you invest in that as a way to tour the city.

6. Molly Brown House Museum

Location: Denver, CO

The Molly Brown House is one of the most beloved museums to Colorado locals. The ode to the famed Titanic survivor, "The Unsinkable" Molly Brown, this museum uncovers the real story in her 1889 Victorian-era home - a home that was briefly the Colorado Governor's Mansion in the early 1900s. The Molly Brown House is a popular destination and tells an amazing history of not just Molly Brown, but of Colorado women's history. In fact, the house is a trail marker in the National Votes for Women Trail. In addition to all of that, the Molly Brown House is also a popular spot for ghost city tours as its considered to be Denver's most notoriously haunted spots.

5. Four Mile Historic Park

Location: Denver, CO

Set across 12-acres, Four Mile Historic Park allows guests to step into the 1800s to see what life was like back then. Complete with a log cabin, farm animals, blacksmiths, and horse & buggy rides, everyone can unplug for a bit and take a step back in time. The park even mixes old and new with Summer concerts, paranormal investigations, pumpkin festivals, and holiday celebrations.

4. Colorado Snowsports Museum

Location: Vail, CO

If you want to explore the rich Colorado history of skiing and snowboarding, this museum is for you. It features a Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame, an overview of Colorado's ski resorts, an ode to the 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army, and a snowboard exhibit featuring James Bond.

3. Meow Wolf - Convergence Station

Location: Denver, CO

As a local, it was huge news when Meow Wolf announced they were opening a location in Denver. The massive psychedelic, surreal art exhibit gives guests the experience to explore what feels like different dimensions and worlds without leaving the city. It's hard to fully describe what it's like to be inside of Convergence Station, but it is truly a unique experience full of interactive installations, along with a "Perplexiplex" event venue. Just make sure you give yourself enough time to explore the four-story, 90,000-square-foot space including a large gift shop and exhibit-themed cafe.

2. Denver Art Museum

Location: Denver, CO

With a 365,000-square-foot complex, the Denver Art Museum has come a long way from its roots as a Denver artist's club. Located in Civic Center, the museum contains more than 70,000 diverse works and is one of the largest art museums from the West Coast to Chicago.

1. Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS)

Location: Denver, CO

Complete with an IMAX theater, Planetarium, dinosaurs, mummies, gems & minerals, space exploration, and taxidermy animals, you can find just about anything to enjoy at Denver's main spot for nature and science exploration. Personally, I love the DMNS and the rotating limited-time exhibits always give you something new to see. Plus, unlike other museums in the state, there is a pretty awesome food court that focuses on seasonal, fresh foods. DMNS is also located right next to the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, Denver City Park, Duck Lake, and Ferril Lake.

Honorable Mentions:

• Clyfford Still Museum (Denver, CO)
• Museo de las Americas (Denver, CO)
• Martin G. Lockley Discovery Center & Dinosaur Ridge (Morrison, CO)
• Dinosaur Journey Museum (Fruita, CO)
• National Mining Museum (Leadville, CO)
• Museum of the West (Grand Junction, CO)
• Museum of Contemporary Art (Denver, CO)
• Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture (Pueblo, CO)
• Museum of Illusions (Denver, CO)
• The Children's Museum of Denver (Denver, CO)
• ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy (Colorado Springs, CO)
• Museum of Colorado Prisons (Cañon City, CO)
• Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum (Golden, CO)
• U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum (Colorado Springs, CO)

What is your favorite museum in Colorado?