Events
Golden History Museum & Park programs explore a variety of historic subjects presented by expert instructors. Learn about your community or neighborhood. Apply historic skills in a modern way. Create something with your hands. There is sure to be a program to suit your interests!
Remember: Registration is required for most programs, even when free. Program will be canceled if minimum attendance number is not reached 24 hours prior to start time. Help us provide even more programming by signing up and attending. [Click for registration instructions, or scroll to bottom.]
A Different Kind of Pilgrim to Early New England
When we think about the key figures of early American history, we think of explorers, or Pilgrims, or Native Americans—not cattle, or goats, or swine. But livestock played a vitally important role in the colonization of the New World. These animals helped to sustain English colonists but also generated friction with Indians and became a driving force in westward expansion.
A specialist in the history of colonial and revolutionary America, presenter Dr. Virginia DeJohn Anderson has taught at the University of Colorado Boulder since 1985. This talk is derived from her second book, Creatures of Empire: How Domestic Animals Transformed Early America (2004). Her most recent book is The Martyr and the Traitor: Nathan Hale, Moses Dunbar, and the American Revolution (2017).
Location and Pricing
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Of Mines and Beer!
Gold mining and commercial beer brewing in Colorado started in the same year, 1859. Demand for good beer arose due to the dusty and dangerous conditions faced by Europeans streaming to Colorado to strike it rich in gold. The linkage between mining and brewing in Golden, along the front range and in nearby mountain communities was at times terrifying, educational and even comical. Historian, author and craft brewer Dave Thomas relays the historical accounts of these 19th century brewing families, often in their own words, and compares the historical brewing styles and techniques with those of craft brewers today.
Dave Thomas spent 32 years working for Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado; Chungwon, South Korea; Memphis, Tennessee; Burton-on-Trent, England; and the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. After working at some of the largest breweries in the world, he now brews at one of the smallest as brewer emeritus at Dostal Alley Brewpub in Central City, Colorado.
Location and Pricing
6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Coop and Hive Tour
Friday, June 14, 2019, 10 am
We invite you to a special behind-the-scenes tour of our chickens’ historic home. You’ll also take a close
look at the bee yard to see what’s happening at the hives.
Meet at Golden History Park’s chicken coop.
FREE to museum members at the Household level and above. (Join now.)
Space is limited. Registration required.
Western Women through American Art
What does it take to be a Western woman? We might not see many women within Western American art, but that does not mean women never ventured west or were not making art out west. Come explore the important Western women including the first Anglo woman that traveled west, the partner of a prominent western artist, and women artists working in the West, among many more.
Presented by Colleen Sullivan, Program and Marketing Coordinator at the American Museum of Western Art – The Anschutz Collection.
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- Portrait of Mabel Dodge Luhan, Nicolai Ivanovich Fechin, 1927, 50x40″
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- Grasshopper Dance, Hudson
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- Courtship On The Plains, John Mix Stanley, after 1846, 30x44″
Location and Pricing
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Story Time with the Hens
Friday, June 28, 2019, 10 am
Join us for 30 minutes of fun stories on the homestead as we read aloud with the chickens!
Meet at Golden History Park’s chicken coop.
FREE for ALL Friends of the Flock (any GHM&P membership level)
Join now.
June Homesteaders’ Day
Celebrate Homesteaders’ Day! Experience 19th century homesteading, explore the historic cabins, try woodstove cooking, learn about blacksmithing, and take a lesson at the one-room schoolhouse. This event is drop-in style; there is no registration. Come any time between 10 am and 2 pm for any length of time.
The History Park is home to many of the original buildings from the old Pearce Ranch in Golden Gate Canyon. Thomas and Henrietta Pearce, pictured here, raised eight children on their ranch. It was one of the largest in the area by 1912.
Thomas and Henrietta Pearce
Stroll through this park and imagine yourself growing potatoes or raising chickens as part of a homesteading family. Peek through the windows of real 1800s cabins and see other buildings from the ranch like the barn, chicken coop and two-seat outhouse.
Also, see the 1876 Guy Hill schoolhouse which was originally located in the canyon too, but on a different property. It served the needs of canyon locals until 1951.
Location and Pricing
Golden History Park
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.; drop in anytime
Free for all
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Our rustic three-acre park is ideal for those with a “Do It Yourself (DIY)” mindset. Whether you are interested in having your wedding ceremony and/or reception with us or intent on hosting a large event such as family reunion or a corporate retreat, Golden History Park offers a unique experience for your guests. It’s only a short walk from downtown Golden which features shopping, restaurants, and more.
Now You See It: Saving Your Family Photos
This workshop will acquaint attendees with the history of photographs and provide details on how we can preserve them for future generations. Photo preservation is hugely important for historic photos, as well as digital images captured in the twenty-first century. Bring your own photos to practice these preservation techniques.
Presenter Dr. Rebecca A. Hunt is Associate Professor C/T in history at the University of Colorado Denver. She teaches gender, immigration and American Western history as well as museum studies.
Rebecca’s books include A Century of Healing: Swedish Medical Center (2005), Wyoming Medical Center: A Centennial History (2011), Natrona County: People, Place and Time (2011), and Casper Chronicles II (2016). Rebecca was the historian for A Woman to Match a Mountain (2008) a documentary on Neal Forsling, Casper, Wyoming homesteader, artist and writer. Her current projects are Urban Pioneers: Continuity and Change in Two Denver Immigrant Neighborhoods and Snow Stories: Skiing in Central Wyoming.
Location and Pricing
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Denver Riots of 1880
On October 31, 1880, tensions between Chinese and white miners reached a boiling point and a riot broke out in Denver. By the end of the evening one Chinese man was dead and Chinatown had burned to the ground.
Presenter Grace Brown is Education Assistant at Golden History Museum & Park.
Location and Pricing
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Crafts at the Coop
Saturday, July 13, 2019, 10 am
Come hear about what’s buzzing with our bees at Golden History Park. Bring the whole family to make your own bee to take home.
Meet at Golden History Park’s chicken coop.
Free for ALL Friends of the Flock (any GHM&P membership level).
Space is limited. Registration required.
Click the green ticket icon to go to Eventbrite for free registration.
Blast Off in the History Park
Come celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11’s journey, which was the spaceflight that landed the first two people on the moon. Hands-on activities and fun will be available from 10 am – 2 pm.
Golden History Park
The History Park is home to many of the original buildings from the old Pearce Ranch in Golden Gate Canyon. Thomas and Henrietta Pearce, pictured here, raised eight children on their ranch. It was one of the largest in the area by 1912.
Thomas and Henrietta Pearce
Stroll through this park and imagine yourself growing potatoes or raising chickens as part of a homesteading family. Peek through the windows of real 1800s cabins and see other buildings from the ranch like the barn, chicken coop and two-seat outhouse.
Also, see the 1876 Guy Hill schoolhouse which was originally located in the canyon too, but on a different property. It served the needs of canyon locals until 1951.
Location and Pricing
Golden History Park
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.; drop in anytime
Free for all
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Our rustic three-acre park is ideal for those with a “Do It Yourself (DIY)” mindset. Whether you are interested in having your wedding ceremony and/or reception with us or intent on hosting a large event such as family reunion or a corporate retreat, Golden History Park offers a unique experience for your guests. It’s only a short walk from downtown Golden which features shopping, restaurants, and more.
Viva Los Americanos! Colorado Volunteer Infantry in the Philippines, 1898-1899
Viva los Americanos looks at the adventures, trials and tribulations of the First Colorado Volunteers who fought in the Philippines in the Spanish American War. Follow the 1898-1899 exploits of the First Colorado as they travel from Denver to Manila to first fight the Spanish and then later the Filipinos. Get to know such Colorado characters as Dr. Rose Kidd Beere, Sgt. Dick Holmes, and Colonel Henry McCoy.
Presenter Geoff Hunt earned his Bachelors of Arts in History at the University of Wyoming, Masters of Arts in Museum Studies at Cooperstown, NY, and Ph.D. in History from the University of Colorado Boulder. Hunt was the Founding Director of Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, and just retired after 22 years as Professor of History at the Community College of Aurora.
Location and Pricing
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Your Family Came from Where?
Where did all of these other folks come from? This program will look at the history of immigration in the Denver-metro area and provide some answers to common questions. Ethnic diversity has always been part of our past, as it is part of our present and future.
Dr. Rebecca A. Hunt, Associate Professor C/T in history at the University of Colorado Denver
Presenter Dr. Rebecca A. Hunt is Associate Professor C/T in history at the University of Colorado Denver. She teaches gender, immigration and American Western history as well as museum studies. Rebecca’s books include A Century of Healing: Swedish Medical Center (2005), Wyoming Medical Center: A Centennial History (2011), Natrona County: People, Place and Time (2011), and Casper Chronicles II (2016). Rebecca was the historian for A Woman to Match a Mountain (2008) a documentary on Neal Forsling, Casper, Wyoming homesteader, artist and writer. Her current projects are Urban Pioneers: Continuity and Change in Two Denver Immigrant Neighborhoods and Snow Stories: Skiing in Central Wyoming.
Location and Pricing
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Crafts at the Coop
Saturday, August 17, 2019, 10 am
Ever wonder what our History Park chickens are up to? Come pay them a visit while you create your own chick to take home!
Meet at Golden History Park’s chicken coop.
Free for ALL Friends of the Flock (any GHM&P membership level).
Space is limited. Registration required.
Click the green ticket icon to go to Eventbrite for free registration.
August Homesteaders’ Day
Celebrate Homesteaders’ Day! Experience 19th century homesteading, explore the historic cabins, try woodstove cooking, learn about blacksmithing, and take a lesson at the one-room schoolhouse. This event is drop-in style; there is no registration. Come any time between 10 am and 2 pm for any length of time.
The History Park is home to many of the original buildings from the old Pearce Ranch in Golden Gate Canyon. Thomas and Henrietta Pearce, pictured here, raised eight children on their ranch. It was one of the largest in the area by 1912.
Thomas and Henrietta Pearce
Stroll through this park and imagine yourself growing potatoes or raising chickens as part of a homesteading family. Peek through the windows of real 1800s cabins and see other buildings from the ranch like the barn, chicken coop and two-seat outhouse.
Also, see the 1876 Guy Hill schoolhouse which was originally located in the canyon too, but on a different property. It served the needs of canyon locals until 1951.
Location and Pricing
Golden History Park
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.; drop in anytime
Free for all
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Our rustic three-acre park is ideal for those with a “Do It Yourself (DIY)” mindset. Whether you are interested in having your wedding ceremony and/or reception with us or intent on hosting a large event such as family reunion or a corporate retreat, Golden History Park offers a unique experience for your guests. It’s only a short walk from downtown Golden which features shopping, restaurants, and more.
Tourism, Make-Believe, and the Built Environment: Colorado’s Mid-Century Tourist Parks
Join our panel as we take a visual journey to Colorado’s historic theme parks, featuring those built around the mid-century heyday of American tourism and family road trips (envision wood-paneled station wagon and no seatbelts!). Design, kitsch, and make-believe all merge in these creative, nostalgic and visually rich set designs that have become part of our historic Colorado fabric. Presented by Michelle Slaughter, Abigail Christman, Jane Watkins, and Cindy Nasky.
Michelle Slaughter – Historical Archaeologist at Metcalf Archaeology Consultants
Michelle Slaughter is a historical archaeologist who has devoted her career to the exploration of the recent past in the western United States, researching and working at a variety of historic sites including the Molly Brown House, the Governor’s Mansion, the Matchless Mine in Leadville, the Granada Relocation Center (formerly known as Camp Amache), the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Bent’s Old and New Forts, and the ghost town, St. Elmo. She enjoys public outreach and bringing alive the things she learns during her work. She is a member of the State Historical Fund Advisory Council and was recently appointed by former Governor Hickenlooper to Colorado’s Historic Preservation Review Board.
Abigail Christman – Senior City Planner at City and County of Denver
Abigail Christman is a Senior City Planner in Landmark Preservation at the City and County of Denver. Christman has a varied background in preservation having previously worked for consulting firms, a non-profit, and a university research center. Her experience includes design review, reconnaissance and intensive-level surveys, National Register nominations, Section 106 consultation, preservation tax credit certification, and public outreach. Christman previously served on Denver’s Landmark Preservation Commission. She holds a M.A. in Public History/Historic Preservation from Middle Tennessee State University and a M.A. in Histories and Theories of Architecture from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London, England.
Jane Watkins – Owner Watkins Stained Glass
Jane Watkins has owned Watkins Stained Glass for the past 35 years with her husband, Phil. She holds a BFA Art History – CU Boulder and currently serves on Colorado Preservation Inc.’s Board. She is a member of Association for Preservation Technology, the Fairmount Heritage Foundation, and the Stained Glass Association of America, and previously served on Historic Denver’s Sacred Landmark Committee. Watkins Stained Glass Studio’s major recent projects have included: Restoration of the Colorado State Capitol’s 27 stained glass windows, Molly Brown House Museum, St. Paul United Methodist Church/Belongs, Trinity United Methodist Church, St. John’s Cathedral. Watkins Stained Glass also did thousands of Mid-Century stained glass windows in homes and churches in the Rocky Mountain area. Jane is devoted to Historic Preservation.
Cindy Nasky – Director of Preservation Programs at Colorado Historical Foundation
Cindy Nasky attended Miami University for design/art history and CSU for a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation and Public History. She then worked as staff preservationist for a Cincinnati group focusing on restoration and low-income housing. In 1994, she happily returned to Colorado to work for the fledgling SHF (State Historical Fund). This experience served her well at her work with Colorado Preservation, Inc. (CPI) as a project manager and preservation specialist. From 2005 to the present, she has worked with the Colorado Historical Foundation (CHF) as Easements Administrator and, more recently, Director of Preservation Programs.
Location and Pricing
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Free for members; $10 plus online registration fee for non-members
Membership
Membership pays for itself with just a few programs for your family. Join us.
Facility Rental
Learn how a Golden Museum Rental offers unique experiences that range from rustic to ritzy.
Click the green ticket button in the upper left of each event to buy tickets online. 
Click “read more” in the lower right of each event for details. 
Read the fine print and policies below (updated 11-20-18).
Event and Program Ticketing Policies at Golden History Museum & Park
Please note: Tickets will only be available at the door if the program reaches its pre-registration minimum.
Weather: All events are rain or shine. Tickets will not be refunded for any inclement weather including but not limited to snow, wind, rain or extreme temperatures.
Cancellation: GHM&P reserves the right to cancel a program for any reason. A full refund will occur automatically and notification sent if GHM&P cancels a program for any reason.
Refunds: Participants will not receive a refund except in the event that GHM&P cancels the program.
Facilities: Restrooms are not available on-site at the Golden History Park or Golden Cemetery. If at the Golden History Park, participants may use public restrooms located on 12th Street. Please call ahead to ask about accessibility concerns and mobility recommendations.
Additional details: Please note the minimum age requirements of some of our programs. Excessive disruptive behavior and any safety risks may result in a participant being asked to leave a program at the instructor’s discretion. Pets are not permitted at programs; service animals are permitted.
To purchase tickets, cancel your registration, or learn more about our events and ticketing policy, please call the Golden History Museum front desk during business hours at 303-278-3557.