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Denver, CO

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Black American West Museum

4.4 (18 reviews)
Closed • Closed

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April W.

As someone always on the hunt for Black history, I planned ahead to make sure I could visit the Black American West Museum. Because the building it small, you need to reserve your entry time in advance and identify how many tickets you will need (adults, seniors, children, and military folks all have different pricing). I received two (2) confirmation emails in advance of our visit day and took an Uber to the location so I can't attest to parking. The railing on the front steps was broken, causing my mother to almost fall. Unfortunately, there was no signage warning of the need to repair it. Upon entering, the woman at the front desk was so rude. She took our $27 payment ($15 for one adult and $12 for military) and said nothing else. Just pretended we didn't exist. Cooooool. The museum is two-floors and quite small but there's a lot of good information to peruse. It's worth a quick visit but don't expect to spend a ton of time here, 30 minutes max. I imagine they could use charitable donations and enough putting folks at the front desk who actually want to be there.

Heather T.

What an incredible museum that I literally just found out about two weeks ago! It is run by volunteers and as such is only open on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A little tricky for scheduling but well worth your time. What really made the experience profound was talking to the two women who were volunteering that day. They are a wealth of not only factual but personal information on Denver's development with regards to racial history. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to them and hearing about their experiences. The museum is in the house of Denver's first African American female physician, Justina L. Ford. She is estimated to have delivered 7,000 babies in her time as a physician. The museum also houses the collection of Paul Stewart, who as a young African American and loved cowboys and Indians games, was told there was "no such thing as a black cowboy." How wrong those people were when they told him that. Up to 25% of the west had African American cowboys. And so shows the museum full of interesting facts, memorabilia and the obvious need we have for museums such as this to educate people. This museum should be on the list of every school field trip. For adults, I highly recommend coming here to learn more not only about Denver's history but the people who helped shape our city and the West but have been largely unrecognized for their efforts.

Mr. Bass Reeves (I downloaded this, they respectfully request that you don't photograph inside the museum)
Amanda F.

This museum wakes you up. I learned so much, in under an hour, and can't stop talking about it. Did you know that the Lone Ranger was based on a man named Bass Reeves? Did you know that the first female, self made, millionaire received her fortune by creating hair products for other WOC? That's just a drop in the bucket of the cool things I learned there. I highly recommend you check this place out. The docent, the museum educator, the curator, all warm and friendly and patient when a nerd like me has a million questions. I opened a door that I don't care to close. It has motivated me to learn as much as possible about the contributions of POC to our world in the West. The story of the building and its original owner is phenomenal. I will be visiting again, next time I'm in Denver. If you're there, take your kids. Teach them real history. Two exuberant thumbs up.

Entrance

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9 years ago

Wonderful.. Great overview of a slice of US history. Very friendly staff and not overwhelming or exhausting

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Review Highlights - Black American West Museum

“Justina Ford and several other medical professionals that provided community health to those in need because they were unable to seek care at white establishments.”

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Denver Museum of Nature and Science - Edmontosaurus

Denver Museum of Nature and Science

4.2(759 reviews)
1.9 mi•City Park, Northeast

My boys and I enjoyed this museum! There are a lot of exhibits to see, which can seem overwhelming,…read morebut we were able to see everything in about 2.5 hours at a casual pace. The gnome scavenger hunt is a MUST! It made it just a bit more exciting as you stroll through the museum. My boys enjoyed finding the gnomes. Some are easier to spot than others, but the different levels of difficulty makes it more challenging and fun! I like that there are several interactive stations to enhance the learning experience. It also makes it more interesting for younger kids. I appreciate that most of the exhibits had concise information. I do enjoy science, but it's nice to read the main point and move on. For many of the displays, they have small "I Spy" activities and the little ledges make it easy for small children to lean on or stand on for better visualization. Wildlife Halls had beautifully constructed dioramas. The Dinosaur Exhibit is always fun for my boys. Expedition Health was my favorite exhibit. There were some areas under construction/out of order, but that didn't take away from the experience since there was so much to see in general. I didn't pay extra for any of the other unique experiences and didn't feel like I missed out on anything. Overall, we enjoyed our visit and it was a great place to explore during our vacation in Denver.

Educational and interactive!…read more There's a large parking lot and an underground parking garage so plenty of spaces. You do need to purchase a ticket to enter so I suggest doing that ahead of time. It also gives you a timeframe to enter just so it spaces out the crowds. Did you know that there's a scavenger hunt for gnomes, I think they look more like elves though lol the list of where to find the gnomes can be found on the museums website. This was really fun because it kept me guessing on where to look next, and when we came up to exhibit that supposedly had the gnome, I got to look really close at all the details of that exhibit. There are three levels to the museum, the ground floor, the second level and the third floor. Each one is broken up into different categories. They also have a laser show going on with different songs or movies for the theme. You do need to reserve a spot online so make sure you check out the showtimes, each week is different. I went with a friend and we blocked out three hours for this. The laser show we chose was roughly 30 minutes so we ended the day with the laser show. So the museum itself only took 2 1/2 hours.

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Denver Museum of Nature and Science - Protomammal and amphibian

Protomammal and amphibian

Denver Museum of Nature and Science - Brown bear

Brown bear

Denver Museum of Nature and Science - Sulfosalts

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Sulfosalts

Denver Art Museum - The Martin Building

Denver Art Museum

4.2(704 reviews)
1.7 mi•Civic Center, Golden Triangle, Southwest
•$$

We really enjoyed our visit to the museum. It was a hot day in Denver and the museum offered a cool…read moreand interesting place to explore for a few hours. There were lots of art periods and styles featured, which meant there was something for everyone to enjoy. If you are unsure of the experience, it's definitely worth checking out for a few hours.

A large, impressive museum with something for everyone. The main museum is technically two museums…read more(there are a total of three), the Hamilton building and the Martin building. Sections include modern and contemporary African art, arts of Oceania, Western American art, latin American art, indigenous art, alaskan art. They also have textile, fashion, and architecture exhibitions. They also have rotating temporary exhibitions. When I visited, it was European and American art. I had a little fun finding paintings of judgmental looking people and making a "we listen and we judge" instagram post. All the rooms are large and well curated/presented. I visited on a Tuesday and it was free (I still donated). On regular days, admission is 30 dollars, but gets you into all three museums, including the Kirkland (reviewed separately), which is right next door. I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves as far as the variety available at this museum.

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Denver Art Museum - Lookout point

Lookout point

Denver Art Museum - Part of the Wild Things Exhibit

Part of the Wild Things Exhibit

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All Stars - American Artists exhibition

The Money Museum - 30 million!!!

The Money Museum

4.0(26 reviews)
1.4 mi•Central Business District, CBD, Northwest

This place was pretty cool. The one grape I have is that it's very small. It's basically two rooms…read more There's a third, but it's closed off, and then another part that is behind a big steel door in accessible to the general public. I think it would be fun to see more about the process of creating money, but understand federal government needs to keep some stuff secret for the sake of security. What I don't like is that there's no museum attendance or guides whatsoever. There are two security staff, and they're polite, but it seems like it would be easy for them to give a few tips on the history and technology at work since they are spending months hanging around the same location and probably picking up a lot. I don't think I would go again, but it's a good way to kill 30 minutes. It might also be good to teach younger children how to manage and think about money. This grate is right outside. What's really crazy that there's a speaker under there that has cartoonish bubbling sounds. I think it's so you don't hear the actual gross sounds of the sewer. Check the last pic to see what I mean.

Free! If you're visiting Denver and you're along 16th Street Mall then you should definitely stop…read moreby The Money Museum. It's free and you get a free bag of shredded money in the amount of $165, which makes a great souvenir. Take note of their hours: only open on weekdays from 9:30am - 4:00pm. This was our last stop in Denver and it didn't take more than 15 minutes. This is a great alternative to the US Mint. We were not able to get the free tickets to the US Mint, since we were in town during Christmas break and by the time we arrived all the tickets were gone :( The Money Museum is simple and quick. There's no souvenir shop here, but like I said, you get a cool free bag of shredded money :) It's only a slight detour away from 16th Street Mall, plus there's a free 16th Street Mall bus shuttle, so it's super convenient and accessible. Have fun!

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The Money Museum
The Money Museum
The Money Museum

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International Church Of Cannabis - Made some new friends

International Church Of Cannabis

4.7(536 reviews)
3.5 mi•Washington Park West, Southwest

I went to see the beautiful, colorful, psychedelic chapel, but had a lot more fun than expected!…read more As expected, the staff is super laid back and helpful. Tickets are 25 bucks. The light show is timed throughout the day and I arrived like 45 minutes early, so I had plenty of time to explore their "downstairs area." Tons of free arcade games. I played Pac-Man and whatever game it is where you shoot aliens. There is also a car racing game. There is an old school basketball game hooked up to an old TV. They have a large projector screen hooked up to a Nintendo switch with Mario and Zelda games. I actually really enjoyed coloring in the many coloring books they had. They have retro, funky furniture, fun decorations, and merch for sale. The light show itself is a fun time! No videography or photography during, but they do a basic show at the end so people can take photos and videos. You can lay on the floor or back in a pew on one of the many fluffy stuffed pillows and watch and meditate. They have great stoner music too (think Pink Floyd). And of course, the chapel itself is beautiful. No partaking in cannabis while in the building. They keep it family friendly (there were toddlers there when I went, but they were well behaved). They have multi-denominational church services a couple times a month where people can use cannabis. There is a lot of nearby street parking, as it's kinda in a residential area, though I took a Lyft. Also a mile or less walk to some of the main food and bar sites on Broadway.

A wonderful third space to hang out, do crafts, or kick some butts in Mario Kart. All the staff was…read morelovely and helpful with any questions we had. My group really loved the rock light show we saw on a whim. The chapel is amazingly colorful and welcoming.

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International Church Of Cannabis - Photo setup

Photo setup

International Church Of Cannabis - Gift shop

Gift shop

International Church Of Cannabis

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Four Mile Historic Park - Bright Nights on August 27, 2025

Four Mile Historic Park

4.3(64 reviews)
4.5 mi•Southeast

Bright Nights at Four Mile Historic Park is a MUST-SEE!…read more We visited at night to experience the Bright Nights lantern exhibit, and it was absolutely beautiful! The entire grounds were filled with stunning, carefully crafted lanterns, and the displays were completely different from last year, making it feel like a whole new experience. There was so much to look at, and the creativity and detail in each lantern were amazing! They also had a churro stand, dirty sodas, and alcoholic beverages available, which made the experience even more fun! It was such a great way to spend an evening walking around, enjoying the beautiful lights, and taking in all the incredible displays. Go check it out before it ends the first week of November! It's a fun experience for a date night, a family outing, or just something different to do. And if you visit during the day, you can tour the historic building on the grounds! The staff is incredibly knowledgeable, and the preservation of the historic building is so well done. It's a great way to learn about local history while enjoying this beautiful historic park. Highly recommend checking out Bright Nights and supporting this wonderful local attraction!

Wow, my yesterday's visit to this historic park was so mesmerizing. It's because of their annual…read more(?) "Bright Nights" (originally a lantern festival.) It is said that they unveil a brand new theme each year and this year's theme appears to be focused on some Eastern cultures such as cherry blossom and bamboo forest with pandas. Not that I have been to many lights shows and yet I must say that I have never seen anything quite like this as far as my recollection is accurate. In its 12-acre land, the installations of lantern lights are everywhere. After 8:30pm or so when it's dark, the illuminations from the lanterns are glowing brighter than Las Vegas' illuminations (LOL - why am I comparing this to Las Vegas!!) According to the park's website, some of the sculptures are 23-foot tall (such as the cherry blossom gate.) It's currently open from Wednesday through Sunday until October 5th. And last night's was one of the adult-only nights where you must be 21+ to enter (I believe the next and last such night is Sept 17th. And this writing is as of late August of 2025.) I am already curious as to what the next year's theme is going to be. There is a centralized bar, some food vendors, a stage where a performer performs, and a DJ booth. Great for family time, girls' night or date night. Helpful staff were working tirelessly to assist all visitors. Although about 1,300 tickets were sold last night, it was never super jammed packed. There is still time to visit this enchanting light show. Not only for the locals but definitely one of the must-visit attractions for out-of-staters as well.

Photos
Four Mile Historic Park - Vibrant colors

Vibrant colors

Four Mile Historic Park - Gift shop

Gift shop

Four Mile Historic Park - Bright Nights on August 27, 2025

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Bright Nights on August 27, 2025

Prismajic

Prismajic

4.6(41 reviews)
10.1 mi

When hubby asked me what Prismajic was, I stuttered: "Fantasy Bar"?!? But it was so much more than…read morethat. By the time we emerged out of the experience, it was both real and magical. We first got a little tipsy from the Speakeasy style bar: The Night Owl is an Espresso Martini that is strong of coffee, full of cloudy whipped cream that never fell, and not too sweet. I also sampled two of the mocktails, Shiki's Dream and a purple one with lavender syrup, yum! That was only the first part of the night! You walk through the "dining hall" (for lack of better words; but the do serve sharable bar foods here!) to the "Majic" door where behind it sits an otherworldly immersive art installation. Or several, as I for sure counted at least 3 different themes. Visitors are each equipped with a black light to shine on objects and find enjoyment in secret scavenger hunts. The ambience is so soothing with sounds in the ears that constantly put you in between a state of calm and awareness. Neon colors and glow lights do not disturb senses at all in this world. The artists have achieved 4D feel for their art, through reflective expressions and sensory touches. With new ideas and expansions already being planned, I wouldn't doubt Prismajic will be the one to revive the Colorado Mills Mall!

This seems like it would be a nifty place for a gathering of friends in the speakeasy. It is…read morelocated in the mall across from the movie theater. Plenty of parking available. I came for candlelit yoga. Yoga itself was enjoyable. There was a gentleman playing live music and we were all encouraged to work at our own levels wherever that may be. The instructor was pleasant and encouraging. I found her voice to be calming when I could hear it. However, there was a speed-dating event scheduled at the same time so there was a constant din of conversation noise that was loud. I have hearing issues and that level of ambient noise made it difficult for me to hear the yoga instructor even with her having a microphone. The interior of the venue is filled with installations from local artists. I would like to come back for just a social gathering. I think it would be great for that.

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Prismajic
Prismajic
Prismajic

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Black American West Museum - museums - Updated October 2026

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