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Colorado Ski Museum
Good-for-Kids Rating
Babies
Toddlers & Pre-K
School-Age KidsPre-Teens & Teens
History Museum
Colorado Ski Museum Description
Museums probably aren't the first thing you think of when planning a winter getaway with your family. Nor should they be. But when the weather turns sour, or your legs are tired from skiing, or you're just ready for a brief respite from the slopes, this museum -- the largest ski museum in the United States -- is worth a visit, if only for an hour or two. With more than 11,000 artifacts representing more than 130 years of Colorado skiing, there's plenty to peruse.
The museum revels in the development of ski technology over the years, from the wooden slats skiers once strapped to their feet, to the machines hauling them up thousands of feet to mountain tops. An entire room details the 10th Mountain Division, a Division of Army soldiers that trained in brutal Colorado winter conditions before shipping out to Europe during World War II.
The kicker? Movies. The movie on the 10th Mountain Division truly brings these soldiers' stories to life. And the classic reels will get everyone excited to return to the slopes.
Kid Tips
Babies: You know the drill. You're pushing them or carrying them. They're asleep or they're happy ... or they're not. There's nothing in the museum that will make "life with infant" any more challenging than it already is.
Toddlers & Pre-K: Kids who are jazzed by skiing might get a kick out of some of the displays. The movies should hold their attention too.
Pre-Teens & Teens: Some kids will yawn their way through the museum, but others might get something out of it (it is about skiing, after all).
Planning Notes
- It's on the outskirts of town. If you plan on checking out Vail beyond the ski area, a visit to the museum could easily be folded into a day of shopping and dining.
- Parking is easy. The museum is connected to a parking structure.
Just the Facts
Hours: Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Fees: Free
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