Field Trips
Field Trips
History
Get a glimpse into the history of agriculture in Colorado through the variety of museums around the area. Learn about the area's local history at the time of the Revolutionary War and during westward expansion or go back farther and enjoy the architecutre of the Manitou Cliff Dwellings.Field trips can be free or fee depending on who's offering. Check their websites to find out what days are free or visit SCFD Free Days to get a listing of qualifying venues.
Legend
Editor's Choice
Explore the architecture of the ancient Anasazi and browse through two museums featuring cultural displays all overlooking the historic town of Manitou Springs. Going inside the cliff dwellings is allowed.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Manitou Springs
The University of Denver Museum of Anthropology is a teaching museum dedicated to educating students about the ethical practices of conservation, interpretation and administration of anthropological collections.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Denver
Get a glimpse into the history of agriculture in Boulder County and enjoy the rural surroundings. This site focuses on the years 1900 to 1925 when local families prospered as farmers and witnessed the coming of the modern age. Guided tours are available by request any day of the week for groups of 8 or more.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Longmont
The Aurora History Museum is a community-based cultural center featuring changing history and decorative arts exhibits. Educational programs, tours, workshops and family events are offered for all ages throughout the year.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Aurora
The museum of Boulder relays the history of the Boulder region. The Museum collects, preserves and presents Boulder history in order to connect them with the past, provide a context for the present and inspire a vision for the future.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Boulder
The mission of the Broomfield Depot Museum is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Broomfield while focusing on the railroad depot.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Broomfield
The Buffalo Bill Museum showcases a collection of artifacts associated with Buffalo Bill Cody's life and times from 1846 to 1917. There are hands-on activities and interactive play areas where kids of all ages can explore Cowboys and Indians. It's also the site of Buffalo Bill's grave.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Golden
The Byers-Evans House was home to two prominent Denver families and is one of the city's most historic landmarks. Tours are available. They also offer a special 90-minute hands-on program for 3rd and 4th grade groups.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Denver
Historic landmarks tell the story of Aurora, from a small 19th century "trolley town" on the fringes of an emerging metropolis, to a growing suburb of the 1950s. Historic homes, businesses and other sites and structures are the physical memories of Aurora's rich history. They are valuable resources that need to be protected and shared with the community for today and for the future.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Aurora
The museum is the only institution researching, collecting and interpreting the robust history of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region. See the history for yourself.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
Relive the outlaw days of the Wild West. The museum gives visitors a taste of the shadier side of life in the World's Greatest Gold Camp, along with a glimpse into the lives of the lawmen charged with keeping the peace.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Cripple Creek
The CU Museum of Natural History has exhibits in anthropology, archaeology, botany, entomology, paleontology, vertebrates, and invertebrates with lectures, workshops, family activities and two hour guided tours of fossils, Native Americans, insects, plants and animals, and pottery.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Boulder
Explore a variety of topics about the history of Pueblo. Learn from immersive and experiential exhibits and programs that explore the local and regional history.
Ages:
5+
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Pueblo
Four Mile Historic Park makes history come to life. Visit the museum to learn about Colorado's rich history, pan for gold, see historic buildings, tipis, and miner & trapper area. Camps and tours also available.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Denver
Glen Eyrie Castle is a historical landmark, a quiet place to get away, conference center, wedding venue, and hotel room. Take a tour of the site to discover the rich history and legacy of Geln Eyrie. Step back in time as you learn about the rich heritage of General Palmer, the city's founder, and the deep spiritual legacy of The Navigators. The trained Tour Guides will entertain you with stories of the Palmer family, Glen Eyrie Estate, castle architecture, surrounding landscape, and Colorado Springs history.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
Artifacts, stories, and art intermingle to tell the tale of Colorado and the American West. The museum is designed for multi-generational audiences and consists of over fifteen exhibits spanning four floors, capturing the pioneering and individualistic spirit of Colorado.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Denver
Kids will enjoy a visit to Old Mill Park and other historical properties in Longmont. At Old Mill Park, a one hour docent leads a tour through the original buildings, showing how people lived in the 1800s.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Longmont
The Little Thompson Pioneer Museum tells of the history of Berthoud. It explores the agriculture of the area, a blacksmith shop, antique equipment, a one-room school house, and telescope.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Berthoud
The Littleton Museum serves as the primary repository for the history, art, and culture of Littleton.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
No
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Littleton
The Longmont Museum showcases the history of Longmont with special rotating exhbits. They offer field trips about the Cheyenne Indians, buffalos, and local history.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Longmont
The cottage was the home of the Henry McAllister family that was influential in the establishment of Colorado Springs. It was opened to the public as a museum in 1961.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
Descend underground as you partake in the only 1,000 foot vertical shaft gold mine tour in the USA. Experience the "Old West" as it was for hard rock gold miners.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Cripple Creek
The Molly Brown House Museum explores the life of Molly Brown, women's history, and the history around the early 1900s. Visit during a homeschool day for an educational program with topics rotating monthly.
Ages:
7+
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
Yes
Location:
Denver
Discover machines, music and sound, heart dissection, cell biology, squid dissection, electricity, tipis and local history in this science and history museum. Science includes labs in heart dissection, squid dissection, electricity, Jr. Paleontologist, and History Mystery. You can also enjoy the planetarium. History programs are Auntie Stone, Boxedler-One room schoolhouse, and Fort Collins Through Time.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Fort Collins
Rock Ledge Ranch is an educational, non-profit living history farm and museum that depicts life in the Pikes Peak region in four time periods: American Indian era in 1775; 1860's Galloway Homestead; 1880's Chambers Home and Ranch; and 1907 Edwardian Country Estate.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
Tour the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum to see bedcoverings from the 1800's and contemporary art pieces. There are quarterly exhibits, tailored tours, and programs for adults and youth.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Golden
Tour the famous Santley Hotel in Estes Park that inspired the novel The Shining, and the miniseries of The Shining that was filmed there. On this tour, you'll learn about the creator and original owner, F.O. Stanley, and why he chose Estes Park.This is your site seeing tour including the history of Stephen King, celebrities, and pop culture. Perfect for those interested in history and storytelling.
Ages:
5+
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Estes Park
The Western Museum of Mining & Industry brings the history of mining to life for you through a variety of exhibits complete with daily guided tours. Outside, visitors can inspect two historic mining headframes and machines including a 1920s Osgood steam shovel and an 1840s-era Cornish walking beam engine. The working blacksmith shop and 10-stamp ore mill are open during special events or by appointment only.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
Wild West Ghost Town Museum was created in 1954 to preserve a piece of Colorado's Wild West heritage. The kids will get to explore through hundreds of historical artifacts, pan for gold (seasonal), and play antique arcade games all while learning about Colorado's rich history.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
The Denver Firefighter's Museum showcases the history of firefighting in Denver with hands-on activities for families and kids.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Denver
The Colorado Railroad Museum has train rides on Saturdays and Galloping Goose rides on special days. Thomas the Tank Engine and other themed characters come to life for children annually, in September. They offer several field trip programs from PreK-12th grade to learn all about trains and westward expansion.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
Yes
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Golden
Visit the museum to see their streetcar collection including cars from Colorado Springs, Denver, Ft. Collins, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. They also have a large collection of standard gauge equipment including cars from the Rock Island RY', Southern Pacific and the Denver & Rio Grand Western as well as a Denver Tramway electric trolley bus.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
The Dougherty Museum houses a collection of beautifully restored antique automobiles, including models powered by steam, electricity and early internal combustion types. Many of the cars date back 100 years and are in running order. Among the museum's highlights are several Stanley Steamers, a 1902 Mobile Steamer owned by Boulder pioneer Andrew J. Macky, several phonographs invented by Thomas Edison, and late 19th century and early 20th century farm equipment.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Longmont
The Forney Museum of Transportation is a one-of-a-kind collection of over 600 artifacts relating to historical transportation. It began 60 years ago with a single 1921 Kissel, but soon expanded to include vehicles of all kinds. Today it includes not just vehicles, but also buggies, motorcycles, steam locomotives, aircraft, carriages, rail equipment, fire apparatus, public transportation, sleighs, bicycles, toys & diecast models, vintage apparel and much, much more.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Denver
The Vintage Aero Flying Museum features World War I and II memorabilia and aircraft. Tours are available by reservation.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Fort Lupton
Living History Days provides a great opportunity for you and your family to experience history hands-on.
They do this by hosting and participating in historical interpretation events and celebrations to educate about 18th-century colonial American life, history, ideas, and values through costumed interpreters, hands-on activities, and military demonstrations.
They do this by hosting and participating in historical interpretation events and celebrations to educate about 18th-century colonial American life, history, ideas, and values through costumed interpreters, hands-on activities, and military demonstrations.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Morrison, Westminster
The museum houses more than 30 aircraft, most of them fully restored to flying condition. There are 3,000 artifacts and historical documents of the era and WWII vehicles that were used during the war. Over the summer, there is a youth centered tour every Saturday at 11a.m. During the school year, they offer K-12 educational programs.
Ages:
All Ages
Fee:
Yes
Free Day:
No
Homeschool Day:
No
Location:
Colorado Springs
