Living History Museums in Colorado

• Colorado is home to a variety of attractions dedicated to the history of the state and local communities. Among these are living history museums where costumed performers recreate the daily life of a particular era. Colorado's living history museums are located throughout the state in communities like Littleton, Colorado Springs and Golden.

Littleton Museum

• The Littleton Museum is on South Gallup Street in the town of Littleton, about 11 miles south of Denver. The City of Littleton oversees the operation of the living history museum, which opened in 1970.

  The grounds of the Littleton Museum cover 14 acres. Two farms, one from the 1860s and one from the 1890s, comprise the majority of the site. Costumed performers simulate daily life and give demonstrations of 19th-century farming methods throughout the day. A blacksmith shop, an ice house and the first log schoolhouse ever built in Littleton are also on display.

  The Littleton Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and closes every Monday and on major holidays. Admission to the museum is free. On-site parking is available at no cost.

Rock Ledge Ranch Living History Museum

• The Rock Ledge Ranch Living History Museum is on Chambers Way in the northwest end of Colorado Springs. The Living History Association operates the ranch, which became listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

  Costumed performers at the Rock Ledge Ranch Living History Museum depict life during four distinct time periods in the Pikes Peak region of Colorado. In the American Indians area, visitors can see how indigenous peoples lived in the year 1775. Two homes are featured on the property: a homestead built during the 1860s and an Edwardian-style country estate constructed in 1907. The fourth area is an 1880s farm with live animals.

  The Rock Ledge Ranch Living History Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from early June through mid-August. The museum then operates only on Saturday from mid-August through Labor Day and opens only for special events during the spring, fall and winter. For the 2010 summer season, general admission was $6. Senior citizens and children receive discounted admission rates. Free on-site parking is available.

Clear Creek History Park

• Clear Creek History Park is in the community of Golden, Colorado, at 11th and Arapahoe Streets. The museum is roughly 15 miles west of downtown Denver. On-site parking is available at the location.

  The grounds of the Clear Creek History Park are open daily throughout the year. Visitors can view the buildings that made a typical late nineteenth-century ranch in the Golden area. Buildings include the Guy Hill Schoolhouse built in 1876, a log cabin built in 1878, a root cellar, a blacksmith shop, a chicken coop and a bee-keeping area. A walking guide is available to help visitors navigate the grounds. No fee is required to tour the grounds.

  Throughout the year, the Clear Creek History Park opens its buildings for public tours. At such events, costumed interpretive performers are on site giving demonstrations and lectures about the park's features. An admission fee is assessed for these special events. Free on-site parking is available.