Golden, CO Tourist Attractions
|
|
14mi/23km west of Denver is the town of Golden (pop. 16,000), founded in 1859 after the discovery of gold in Clear Creek Canyon, which from 1862 to 1867 was capital of Colorado. Features of interest are the 12th Street Historic District; the Colorado Railroad Museum; the geological and mineralogical collections and earthquake observatory of the Colorado School of Mines (founded 1874).
Lookout Mountain Park
From Lookout Mountain Park there are superb views of the city of Denver and the eastern foreland of the Rockies.
Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
Located atop Lookout Mountain, the Buffalo Bill Museum overlooks Golden, Denver, and the entire Colorado Front Range. In addition to the view, the museum offers entertaining and educational exhibits and hands-on learning opportunities that interpret the life and times of William "Buffalo Bill" Cody. The museum offers permanent and temporary exhibits, videos, dress up areas, and more. The Museum Gift Shop features homemade fudge and souvenirs.
Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum
The Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum in Golden has five quilt exhibits each year displayed in two galleries. The large collection features historic to contemporary as well as traditional quilts, using many styles and techniques. The permanent collection at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum began with 100 quilts and has reached 300 housed in museum standard storage.
Astor House Museum
The Astor House Museum, located in Golden has been restored to a late Victorian western hotel/ boarding house. Built in 1867, Astor House was the first stone hotel built west of the Mississippi. Displays highlight the period in time from 1867 to 1908 with revolving exhibits.
Golden History Center
The Golden History Center was established in 1939. The exhibits feature a wide range of artifacts pertaining to the history of the region, including guns, Indian dolls, clothing and furniture. There is a research library and a reading room on site with plenty of historic photos and newspaper accounts.
Mother Cabrini Shrine
Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini established Mother Cabrini Shrine as a summer camp for orphan children. Mother Cabrini was beatified in 1938 and the shrine became a site of pilgrimage and prayer. The shrine offers exceptional views of the Denver area, and a 22-foot statue of Christ at the top of a 373-step stairway.
Colorado Railroad Museum
The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden features over 100 historic locomotives and cars. Railroad equipment, artifacts, paper records, books, artwork, and photographs from the 1860s to the present are on display.
Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum
The Geology Museum at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden has gold and silver displays, gemstones, minerals from around the world and a large collection of rocks and fossils.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Visitors Center in Golden has exhibits on solar, wind and other renewable energy sources. There is an interactive hall and several outdoor exhibits that demonstrate the power of the sun.
Heritage Square
Heritage Square is a reconstruction of an Old West town from the 1880's. There are amusement park rides, dinner theater and shops.
