Fodor's Expert Review History Colorado Center

The three-story, interactive History Colorado Center opened in April 2012, replacing the flagship museum of the Colorado Historical Society that sat two blocks away. Right from the lobby "time machines" that showcase oddball events from around the state (the "Tomato Wars" and the Leadville Ice Palace, for instance), the museum puts visitors on notice that this won't be the typical placard-reading experience. In addition to revamped versions of the previous collections depicting state history from 1800 to the present, new exhibitions combine technology, artifacts, and multimedia presentations. Milk a life-size replica of a cow, drive a Model T Ford on the plains, or try a virtual ski jump, and then see what you would have looked like in a classroom in the late 1800s.