University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Boulder, CO - Museum

The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History in Boulder, CO, is one of the best of its type in the Rocky Mountain area. It has received recognition and accreditation from the American Association of Museums - which is an honor that very few university museums are given.

The Museum has five different exhibition halls, which provides guests with a variety of themes and activities. Altogether, the Museum has more than 4 million different objects in its collection, and these are in different areas of the sciences and archeology. The sciences focused on in the Museum include Botany, Entomology, Paleobiology/Geology Anthropology, and Zoology.

Some of the exhibits in the museum are permanent, such as the Anthropology Hall, the BioLounge, Fossils: Clues to the Past, and the Discovery Corner - which is the hands-on section for the children. This section allows children to put together puzzles, identify fossils, learn how to grind corn, comb wool, and so much more. Other exhibits are temporary and these will be replaced with new ones from time to time.

Many different classes and activities are taught at the Museum for the children. These are age-appropriate interactive classes that offer hands-on, object-based lessons. They use different disciplines of learning which are designed to meet specific state and local educational standards. Teachers can also take their classes on guided tours, and they can also obtain various classroom resources for their classroom.

During the summer months, the Museum offers many different workshops for children who are in Kindergarten through fifth grade. There are many classes, and each one is offered twice in the summer, on Wednesdays or Fridays - just in case you miss one.

They also offer a Master of Science Degree from their Museum, a Field Studies Graduate Program, and a certificate in Museum Studies. The Faculty and Staff of the museum conduct world-class research and students enrolled in their program may be able to participate.

Several traveling exhibits are also available. These can be displayed in places that have the space. Some of the traveling exhibits that are available are The Healing Power of Plants; Temple of the Warriors: Building a Maya Monument; Sand Island: Time Etched in Stone; SILAVUT: Inuit Voices in a Changing World; Small Wonders: Photography by Fran Hall, and more.

The Museum's Gift Store carries a number of items that the kids will enjoy. In addition to books and science experiments, there are also items of Native American Jewelry, pottery, baskets, toys, and more.

The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History in Boulder, CO, is open seven days a week, but is closed on all university holidays. There is no specified cost to going to the Museum, but a suggested donation is recommended, which are $3 for adults and $1 for children 6-18 and seniors. It is open from 9 AM until 5 PM on weekdays; from 9 AM until 4 PM on Saturday; and from 9 AM until 4 PM on Sunday. There may also be a cost for some special programs.