Exhibit updates and changes were temporarily placed on hold during the height of COVID so we could double down on our Legacy Collection Inventory Project. Looking forward to 2022, the collection inventory will remain a museum priority (we just hired a temporary collection technician to expedite this crucial work). However, in early 2022 we’ll welcome several exciting exhibit updates.
Legendary People
Hal Shelton
This permanent gallery dedicated to celebrating the good people of Golden will temporarily showcase an original painted map by Hal Shelton, who is best known for the artwork he created for the ski industry. On loan from the Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame, the nearly eight-foot-wide painting was created around 1965 for Colorado Ski Country USA and includes a number of Colorado’s’ lost ski areas. In order to make room for the Shelton painting, Eugenia Mitchell’s story will come down along with her American Flag quilt, which has been on a long-term loan from the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.
Craft Beer & Pizza
This display, which celebrates two longtime Golden business and families, is closing too. Stop by one more time if you missed it and be sure to make time for the fun video playing in the Salon on how to make a pizza-Woody’s-style. Craft Beer & Pizza will be replaced with Sign o’ the Times and feature at least three newly acquired historic signs from local places like Big Tree Mobile Home Park and the neon sign that marked the Golden Independent Order of Oddfellows Lodge on Washington Avenue since 1952.
Movie projectors
Golden Gem Theater, 1941
Finally, the museum acquired the two original Simplex E-7 movie projectors from Golden’s beloved Gem Theater. Countless movie reels ran on these technological marvels, entertaining Goldenites for close to 30 years. The onetime theater located at 1301Washington Avenue is now home to Starbucks and Snarfs.
The John Nowlen family of Arvada, who once owned the old theater, generously donated the projectors recently after keeping them safely stored for nearly 50 years. The projectors were believed lost to history. We’re thrilled to have them back in Golden and look forward to getting at least one of them on public display. There’s more in the works, but I won’t give it all away yet!
And as always, I’m always chasing down interesting Golden stories and artifacts, so if you have one to share let me know!
Mark Dodge, Curator
