Visit our Tour Destination:
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| A school group visits Museo de las Americas. Photo courtesy Museo de las Americas. |
Museo de las Americas
Website:
Museo de las Americas
The Treasure: The collections at Museo de las Americas focus on the art, history, and
culture of Latinos in the Americas
from ancient times to the present.
Accessibility: Museo
de las Americas
is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 to 5 and Saturday and Sunday from noon
to 5.
Background: Colorado has a rich
Latino culture and history. The very first Europeans to enter Colorado were Spanish conquistadors who included southern Colorado within a large Spanish province they called Santa Fe de Nuevo México. In the
first half of the 19th century, Mexican influences dominated the emerging Colorado culture. City
and town names throughout southern Colorado
stand witness to their Spanish roots: Cortez , Durango
The settling of Denver and
the northern towns by travelers from the east took place later, largely spurred
by the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush of 1858.
Initially, there was relatively little Latino influence in the fast-growing
city of Denver .
Even in the 1930s, census results showed a population that was only 2%
Hispanic. But the population changed rapidly as the 20th century unfolded.
Today, Denver
is approximately one third Hispanic, the home of a vibrant Latino culture that
is an inseparable part of the city’s identity.
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| Special exhibitions at Museo de las Americas. Photo courtesy Museo de las Americas. |
The collections of the Museo de las Americas
encompass over 4,000 objects, including pre-Columbian objects, beautiful
Spanish Colonial art from the 17th and 18th centuries, and
contemporary art. The museum maintains a busy schedule of special exhibits, events, and educational programs. Be sure to check their program calendar of upcoming events in advance of your visit to Denver .
Other Recommended
Sites: To get the big picture, explore the local neighborhood. On Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe website, there’s an easy-to-use event calendar with up-to-date information
on activities at all the neighboring galleries, shops, and restaurants. Their First and
Third Friday art walks are particularly popular.
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| Crafts at Museo de las Americas. Photo courtesy Museo de las Americas. |
Tour America's History Itinerary
Tuesday’s destination: Old First National Bank of Telluride
© 2012 Lee Price
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