World Figure Skating Museum & Hall of Fame

Colorado Springs

You’ll find everything from an ancient ice skate—a sharpened bone strapped to a shoe from around the eighth century—to world-class skaters’ mementos, such as Olympic champion Michelle Kwan’s
2002 Vera Wang costume, at this 37-year-old spot.

5280 April 2016
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Don’t miss: The original Andy Warhol painting of 1976 world champion Dorothy Hamill and an exhibit about the science behind how skaters execute jumps like the axel, lutz, and salchow.

Entry: $5

National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum

Leadville

This museum’s 25,000 square feet pay homage to dreams of gold and riches and to the grueling labor required to extract precious natural resources. But not everyone had to get their hands dirty to be included; President Herbert Hoover and his first lady, Lou, are honored too. They were the first to translate De Re Metallica—a book that revealed the secrets of Germany’s then-revolutionary mining practices—into English.

Don’t miss: An autographed copy of the Hoovers’ De Re Metallica translation.

Entry: $10

Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame

Lakewood

Our state might not be the honky-tonkiest in the union, but we do have some country music cred. To wit: The Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame honors more than 100 of the genre’s stars, including Lee Sims of Lee Sims & the Platte River Band, Country Connections publisher Jerry Walker, and Loretta Lynn. See for yourself (and fill your belly) at White Fence Farm, the restaurant where the hall of fame is located.

Don’t miss: John Denver’s name on the plaque. The singer may have been born in New Mexico, but by the mid-1960s he had adopted our capital’s name (Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue), and that should count for something.

Entry: Free with dinner

Colorado Badminton Hall of Fame

Denver

This “hall” is really just a “wall” on the third floor of downtown’s Denver Athletic Club. It features tributes to the sport’s stars, including local player Hamilton Law, who was a national champ in the 1930s.

Don’t miss: The diversity of the inductees. Women have always been recognized as top badminton players, and a number of local champions played the game well into their 60s.

Entry: Free with DAC membership—or if you ask an employee nicely

Colorado Bandmasters Hall of Fame

Greeley

Another wall of fame, this one—found in the University of Northern Colorado’s Foundation Hall—highlights musical educators who work behind the baton to mold our state’s young musicians. Hugh McMillen, one of the hall’s first inductees in 1976, was the first full-time instrumental teacher hired for Boulder Public Schools.

Don’t miss: The J.L. Gerardi dedication. Gerardi taught music at Englewood High School for 25 years and directed the Denver Broncos band from 1968 to 1994.

Entry: Free