Western Museum of Mining & Industry
At I-25, exit 156A (off Gleneagle Dr. just east of the north gate of the U.S. Air Force Academy)
About
Machines are fun, and the bigger the better. Historic hard-rock mining machinery and other equipment from Cripple Creek and other late-19th-century Colorado gold camps form the basis of this museum's 4,000-plus-item collection. Visitors can see an operating Corliss steam engine with an enormous 17-ton flywheel, a life-size underground mine reconstruction, and an exhibit on mining-town life showing how early Western miners and their families lived. You can also pan for gold -- there's a wheelchair-accessible trough -- and view a 23-minute video presentation on life in the early mining camps. Various hands-on family activities focus on themes such as life in a mining town, minerals in everyday products, and recycled art. Free guided tours are available; call for information and times. Allow at least 2 hours.
