Museum of Boulder

Museum of Boulder Explore Boulder's past, present, and future at the Museum of Boulder! Follow us
(1)

⏳ Did you know..... one of the country's oldest LGBTQ+ publications began 50 years ago in a basement in Boulder? 🏳️‍🌈In ...
06/20/2026

⏳ Did you know...
.. one of the country's oldest LGBTQ+ publications began 50 years ago in a basement in Boulder? 🏳️‍🌈

In 1976, seven years after the Stonewall uprising galvanized the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement, University of Colorado Boulder student Phil Price launched OUT FRONT magazine from his parents' basement in Boulder. The first issue was published on April 2, 1976, and what began as a small, grassroots newspaper quickly became a lifeline for Colorado's q***r community.

Distributed through bookstores, community spaces, and word of mouth, OUT FRONT provided coverage of LGBTQ+ issues at a time when mainstream media largely ignored them. The publication documented everything from civil rights activism and local organizing efforts to community celebrations, personal stories, and the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Nearly five decades later, OUT FRONT Magazine remains one of the oldest independent LGBTQ+ publications in the United States. What started as a basement operation in Boulder grew into a powerful voice for generations of LGBTQ+ Coloradans and a lasting reminder of how community storytelling can help drive social change.

Photo credit: OUT FRONT Magazine.

06/18/2026

What a weekend! 🏕️

A huge thank you to Yelp Colorado for bringing this unforgettable event to life and partnering with the Museum of Boulder for the second annual Camp Colorado!

We’re also grateful to our community partners, McGuckin Hardware and Downtown Boulder Partnership whose support helped make the day such a success.

Camp Colorado exceeded our expectations and then some! From hundreds of campers and 30+ local vendors to our amazing community partners, volunteers, and supporters, this event was a wonderful reminder of what makes Boulder such an extraordinary place.

Most importantly, thanks to the generosity of everyone involved, Yelp Camp Colorado has helped raise more than $13,000 to support the Museum of Boulder’s mission to preserve, share, and celebrate Boulder’s unique stories and history.

Thank you to everyone who attended, explored, connected, and made memories with us. We’re still riding that Rocky Mountain high! ⛰️✨

Last chance to get your tickets to tonight’s event at the MASA Seed Farm! 🫜🌻 MASA Seed Foundation Step into the fields a...
06/15/2026

Last chance to get your tickets to tonight’s event at the MASA Seed Farm! 🫜🌻 MASA Seed Foundation

Step into the fields at MASA Seed Foundation and discover how seeds are powering the future of local food. This behind-the-scenes farm tour offers a unique opportunity to explore MASA’s work preserving heirloom and climate-adapted seed varieties, building a Front Range seed bank, and strengthening food sovereignty across Colorado.

Guests will learn about seed saving, sustainable agriculture, and community-driven food systems while touring more than 20 acres of working seed and produce fields. Founded in Boulder, MASA combines farming, education, ecological stewardship, and food access initiatives to support biodiversity, regional resilience, and hunger relief efforts throughout the Front Range.

More information and tickets are available through the link in our bio ✌️

⏳ Did you know…… Spruce Pool’s history goes back more than 100 years? 🏊‍♀️Long before it became the outdoor Spruce Pool ...
06/06/2026

⏳ Did you know…

… Spruce Pool’s history goes back more than 100 years? 🏊‍♀️

Long before it became the outdoor Spruce Pool we know today, the site at Spruce Street and 21st Street was home to the Hygienic Swimming Pool, an enclosed pool built by the Hygienic Ice and Coal Company in 1922. The company first announced plans for the pool in 1905, but construction didn’t begin until 17 years later.

The pool was sold to the City of Boulder in 1950, and in 1963 the original building was demolished and reopened as the outdoor Spruce Pool. That means Boulder residents have been cooling off at this corner of town for more than a century! 😎

All photos courtesy of the Carnegie Library for Local History, Museum of Boulder Collection.

Join us at the Museum of Boulder for Yelp’s second annual Camp Colorado Festival! We’re excited to welcome guests for a ...
06/03/2026

Join us at the Museum of Boulder for Yelp’s second annual Camp Colorado Festival! We’re excited to welcome guests for a night of over-the-top fun celebrating local food, drinks, outdoor brands, and entertainment. Let’s do this, campers! 🏕️

We encourage attendees to deck themselves out in their best summer camp attire. Think bandanas, high-waisted shorts, flannel shirts, hiking boots, headlamps, hydration packs, Birkenstocks, tie-dye, or your favorite camp counselor ‘fit. Have fun with it and raise a s’more to Camp Colorado!

Believe it or not, this is a free event to attend! However, what’s the point of having all this fun without supporting a good cause? We strongly encourage a $25 donation per person. Your support plays a vital role in our mission as Boulder’s one and only history museum, celebrating and preserving inclusive community stories that foster a culture of positive change for all.

More information through the link in our bio! ✌️

06/02/2026

With the help of our incredible volunteers and staff, the Playzeum patio is being transformed into the Wonder Garden! 🌱🪏

This garden will serve as a hands-on learning space where children can dig, plant, discover, and connect with nature.

Designed to spark curiosity and wonder, the Wonder Garden will give young visitors the opportunity to explore how food grows, observe pollinators and plants, learn about the natural world, and experience the joy of getting their hands in the soil. We’re excited for this to become a permanent space for exploration, learning, and play.

A special thank you to our Bloom Crew volunteers, who help plant, care for, and bring this garden to life. 🌼

And this is just the beginning! Stay tuned for select dates throughout the summer when Bloom Crew members will lead special gardening activities and hands-on experiences for young visitors.

⏳ Did you know…… the BolderBoulder began in 1979? 🏃🏾🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️What started as a local Memorial Day 10K became one of the ...
05/23/2026

⏳ Did you know…

… the BolderBoulder began in 1979? 🏃🏾🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️

What started as a local Memorial Day 10K became one of the world’s most iconic road races - complete with costumes, Slip ’N Slides, Elvis impersonators, and over 1.5 million participants through the years. 🎉

The Museum of Boulder is offering Buy One, Get One admission for all runners, walkers, joggers, and spectators all weekend and through the following week with proof of participation (race bib or coupon from the BolderBoulder “What To Do” eblast).

Please note: the Museum will be CLOSED on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. We hope to welcome you during race weekend or afterward!

What does a local history museum actually preserve? More than 45,000 historic artifacts. Hundreds of thousands of photog...
05/18/2026

What does a local history museum actually preserve?

More than 45,000 historic artifacts. Hundreds of thousands of photographs and archival documents. Oral histories. Community archives. Music history. Protest movements. Restaurant culture. Immigrant stories. Local art. Scientific innovation. Memories that exist nowhere else.

Every year, the Museum of Boulder works with artists, educators, cultural organizations, scientists, musicians, filmmakers, restaurants, schools, and communities across Boulder to help preserve and share the city’s history as it continues to evolve.

Happy from the Museum of Boulder! 🧡

⏳ Did you know..... that Michael Jackson spent time at Caribou Ranch near Boulder in 1984?Founded by producer James Will...
05/17/2026

⏳ Did you know...
.. that Michael Jackson spent time at Caribou Ranch near Boulder in 1984?

Founded by producer James William Guercio, Caribou Ranch became one of the most legendary recording studios in music history - hosting artists including Elton John, Chicago, Stevie Wonder, U2, Earth, Wind & Fire, and many more.

During the Jacksons’ Victory Tour stop in Denver, Michael Jackson stayed at the secluded mountain ranch as a retreat from the intensity of global fame. While there, he reportedly spent time horseback riding, exploring the property on an ATV, rehearsing, and working on music that would later become part of his album Bad.

Some music historians and longtime Caribou Ranch followers have even suggested that the peaceful mountain retreat may have helped inspire the creation of Neverland Ranch just a few years later.

Caribou Ranch was later inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame in 2015 for its enormous impact on American music history.

Stay tuned for the Museum of Boulder’s upcoming exhibit, “Boulder Mixtape,” opening in 2027 - exploring the rich musical history of Boulder and the artists, venues, and cultural moments that shaped it 🎵

Photographs by Harry Benson. Circa 1984.

After months of community submissions, public discussion, blind review, and refinement, the Museum of Boulder has offici...
05/14/2026

After months of community submissions, public discussion, blind review, and refinement, the Museum of Boulder has officially announced the winning design in the Unofficial Boulder Flag Competition! 🎉

Congratulations to designer Michael Stuart Trimmer, whose flag design, 'Flatiron Sunrise Flourish,' was selected as the winner and revealed last night at the Museum of Boulder.

Chosen from nearly 200 submissions, the final design was selected for its bold geometry, dynamic movement, and strong connection to Boulder’s landscape, energy, and identity.

The final version of the flag was further refined in collaboration with volunteers from the North American Vexillological Association (), with the artist’s participation and permission.

Thank you to every designer, artist, student, community member, reviewer, and attendee who helped make this project possible. We’ve loved seeing Boulder engage in such a thoughtful and passionate conversation about civic identity, symbolism, and design.

All finalist designs, along with many additional submissions, are currently on display at the Museum of Boulder.

Merchandise featuring the winning flag launches Memorial Day weekend.

Learn more at museumofboulder.org/community.

Address

2205 Broadway
Boulder, CO
80302

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13034493464

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Museum of Boulder posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Museum of Boulder:

Shortcuts

Share