Western Museum of Mining & Industry​

There’s far more to mining than digging giant holes or finding pretty gems — which is what you’ll quickly discover when you visit the Western Museum of Mining and Industry. Located just off of I-25 on North Gate Boulevard, this bustling museum is teeming with Colorado history, cool science and a whole lot of mining and mineral knowledge.

Come learn about the rocks you eat (yes — eat!), experiment with gold panning like the pioneers of old, play with hands-on exhibits, dress up like a miner, and see how families lived in the 1890s. Check out real mining equipment in action, including a ten-stamp ore mill. You can also wander outside and explore the museums 27 acres of equipment and informational exhibits.

You’ll discover how turn-of-the-century miners timbered, drilled, blasted, mucked, and hauled ore from the mine to the stamp mill, where ore was crushed and processed. Mining is a significant part of the past, present and future of the United States and Colorado, and the Western Museum of Mining and Industry has thousands of artifacts that tell the incredible story of how it impacts daily life for everyone.

Tours run daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and they are free with your admission. There are lots of hands-on exhibits and activities for all ages to enjoy, making it a fun family outing with lots of learning as a bonus! Check out their family exploration days for even more kid-friendly, mining-themed activities like crafts, special exhibits and more.

Speaking of special exhibits, the Western Museum of Mining and Industry frequently hosts traveling attractions and events focused on mining, minerals and more — like the glittering and popular Gem and Mineral Show and the fall WMMI Harvest Festival. They also invite guest lecturers to speak on various topics throughout the year. One of the best kept secrets about the museum is its extensive research library which has 5,000 volumes of information on mining, history, geology and more (by reservation only).