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Denver Museum of Nature and Science

- 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver
- Phone: 303-322-7009 or 800-925-2250
- dmns.org
- Museum hours: Seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed Christmas Day)
- Phipps IMAX Theater and Gates Planetarium hours vary; check schedule.
- Cost: Imax or planetarium: Adults are $5; Ages 3-18 are $4; 65 or older are $4; Imax and planetarium: Adults are $10; Ages 3-18 are $8; 65 or older are $8

Founded in 1900, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science traces its origins back more than a hundred years to one man’s efforts and a little log cabin tucked away in the mountains.

In 1868, pioneer and naturalist Edwin Carter arrived in Breckenridge and devoted himself to his true love — the birds and mammals of the Rocky Mountains. Carter soon assembled one of the most complete collections of Colorado fauna and displayed his specimens in his log cabin home, dubbed the Carter Museum.

As word spread of the Carter collection, the need became apparent for a larger fireproof building to preserve and display his growing natural history collection. Money was soon raised and The Colorado Museum of Natural History was incorporated Dec. 6, 1900.

A new building in Denver’s City Park was completed and opened to the public in July 1908. Over the years, the museum has expanded with the addition of Phipps Auditorium (1940), Gates Planetarium (1968), an IMAX theater (1983), a major 187,000-square-foot addition in 1987, and the Leprino Family Atrium and Anschutz Family Sky Terrace (2002).

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science inspires curiosity and excites minds of all ages through scientific discovery and the presentation and preservation of the world’s unique treasures.

The Denver Museum of Nature and Science has been awarded the highest honor a museum can receive — accreditation by the American Association of Museums.

Accreditation certifies that a museum operates according to standards set forth by the museum profession, manages its collections responsibly and provides quality service to the public. Of the more than 16,000 museums nationwide, only some 750 are accredited.