PERMANENT EXHIBITIONS
COORS GEM AND MINERAL HALL: Level 1
Step into a mine shaft and walk its length to discover a glistening cavern full of white stalactites and stalagmites. Beyond, in a dimly lit cave, a six-foot wall of Colorado rhodochrosite crystals gives off a crimson glow. This exhibition shows off glistening gems and the valuable minerals that have played a starring role in Colorado’s history. You’ll see local finds, like “Tom’s Baby,” an eight-pound nugget of crystallized gold unearthed in Breckenridge in 1887. Hands-on activities and videos help young explorers learn about mineral characteristics and how minerals form.
EGYPTIAN MUMMIES: Level 3
This fascinating exhibition reveals how and why ancient Egyptians mummified their dead. Two women, wrapped in linen and enclosed in painted sarcophagi, hold the secrets of 3,000 years. One was apparently a moderately wealthy woman. The other woman was considerably less affluent. Find out how modern technology helps anthropologists discover what lies beneath their linen wrappings.
NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURES: Level 2
We are all different, we are all the same is the theme running through this exhibition hall. Shelter, food, clothing, transportation, tools—all are basic human needs satisfied in different ways by different cultures. You’ll explore authentic reconstructed dwellings, including an Eskimo snow house, a Northwest Coast clan house, a Navajo hogan, and a Miccosukee chikee. Along the way, examine beautifully crafted weavings, basketry, beadwork and pottery. Stop to listen to stories and watch videos about the major cultural groups.
PREHISTORIC JOURNEY: Level 3
Travel through time—starting 3.5 billion years ago. Your journey begins beneath ancient seas. Life diversifies as you move through the millennia, surrounded by fearsome fish and exquisite sea lilies. Soon you’re out of the water and the air is filled with huge dragonflies. Foot-long centipedes crawl around you. Then the dinosaurs appear! Watch Allosaurus and Stegosaurus do battle with an 80-foot-long Diplodocus towering overhead. Wander prehistoric habitats and examine ancient plants. Experience the warming and cooling of Earth’s climate. Witness the rise of mammals and the dawn of the human family. And observe scientists as they study and prepare fossils using modern technology to decipher the past.
SPACE ODYSSEY: Level 1
Get inspired by space! Inside Space Odyssey, the universe is yours to explore—and space news headlines are brought to life. As you emerge from an entry corridor with views of space, a dramatic Martian canyon lies to your right. To your left, dust and gas swirl in giant nebulae.
Here’s a sampling of what you can do inside the exhibition:
- Talk to an “astronaut” on the surface of Mars.
- Build your own star and watch its life cycle from birth to death.
- Pilot a Mars rover and fly a digital probe.
- Watch live performances including a news show highlighting current events in space.
- Create your own crater and make a major impact.
- View the world with “infrared eyes.”
WILDLIFE HALLS: Levels 2 & 3
From Alaska to Argentina, Africa to Australia, more than 90 wildlife and habitat scenes illustrate our planet’s amazing diversity. Like three-dimensional “postcards” from places near and far, they capture moments in time, showcasing the world’s wondrous animals and delicate ecosystems.
You can explore Colorado’s diverse habitats, check out the view from high atop a glacial moraine in Alaska, learn about the necessity of wildlife management, and witness the life and death struggle of prey versus predator in Botswana, Africa.
Here are some of the many sights and sounds you’ll encounter:
- Passenger pigeons, extinct since 1914
- One of the largest grizzlies on record
- Tiny bats in a surprising hiding place
- A half-ton manatee, a two-ton walrus and a four-ton elephant seal
- Kangaroos, koalas, kookaburras and cassowaries
- Mountain lion roars, elk bugles, bison grunts, turkey gobbles and frog songs
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