Colorado+Science+Museums

This is a rather extensive list of nature/science museums in Colorado. I include the location for each as they can serve not only as a resource for you as a teacher, but as a way to bring realia into science classrooms, or rather, bring students to the realia. This gives you the opportunity to explore different types and prices of museums to find what may work best for your class.

http://www.walkingmountains.org/ || Denver || no || diverse || huge, thorough || Alamosa) || no || biology || alligators! || of Denver) || no || large carnivore sanctuary || huge cats || Florissant) || no || biology/wolves || real live wolves ||
 * **Name and Link of Museum** || **Location** || **Hands-on** || **Main Topics** || **Highlights** ||
 * The John McConnell Math and Science Center - || Grand Junction || yes || very diverse || small, exploratory ||
 * The Denver Museum of Nature and Science
 * Dinosaur National Monument || Dinosaur || yes || geology, paleontology, nature || out-doors ||
 * Dinosaur Ridge || Morrison || yes || geology, paleontology || out-doors ||
 * Dinosaur Journey || Fruita || yes || paleontology || animatronic dinos! ||
 * Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument || Florissant || yes || paleontology, geology || out-doors ||
 * Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center || Colorado Spgs. || yes || geology, nature || out-doors ||
 * The Butterfly Pavilion || Westminster || yes || biology, insects || tropical and native insects ||
 * Moraine Park Museum and Amphitheater || Estes Park || yes || biology, nature || out-doors ||
 * Morrison Natural History Museum || Morrison || yes || paleontology || small, friendly ||
 * Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center || Woodland Park || yes || paleontology || live lab ||
 * University of Colorado Museum of Natural History || Boulder || no || rotating, check for current || local focus ||
 * Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum || Golden || no || geology, mineralogy || rock ID, moon rock! ||
 * Durango Discovery Museum || Durango || yes || diverse, STEM || STEM focus for all ages ||
 * Space Foundation Discovery Center || Colorado Spgs. || some || space || applied science ||
 * Fort Collins Museum of Discovery || Fort Collins || some || diverse || local and standards aware ||
 * The Wildlife Experience Museum || Denver || some || biomes, rotating displays || local focus ||
 * Colorado Gators Farm || Mosca (near
 * Downtown Aquarium || Denver || no || biomes, biology, fish || underwater life up close ||
 * The Wild Animal Sanctuary || Keensburg (NE
 * Garbage Garage Education Center || Fort Collins || no || recycling/trash || trash ||
 * Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center || Divide (near
 * Pueblo Zoo || Pueblo || no || biology || standards directed lessons ||
 * CSU Environmental Learning Center || Fort Collins || yes || biology, nature || outdoor lessons ||
 * Denver Zoo || Denver || no || biology || active and in person ||
 * Walking Mountains Science Center || Avon || yes || biology, nature || hiking, field science ||
 * Grand Valley Zoological Quest || Fruita || yes || biology, nature || standards oriented lessons ||