Guardians of History Annual Fund

This year, we are launching our Guardians of History Annual Fund to provide flexible, year-round support for our core mission. When you become a Guardian of History, you help preserve collections, fuel exhibit development, and sustain programs that serve both students and the wider community.

In 2025, thanks to our members and donors, we:

• Preserved and cared for new collection donations that illuminate and enrich our local stories.
• Engaged hundreds of students through school visits, field trips, and our Teen Team program, offering hands-on museum experiences. 
• Brought history to life through our many great programs like Voices from the Past and temporary exhibits such as Quilted Stories. 
• Republished Cow Talk: The Memoirs of George Menefee with a new foreword by Ryan Brown.
• Were honored with the 2025 Caroline Bancroft Award from History Colorado for the Ute Mountain Utes: We Are Still Here exhibit, developed with the tribe.

Guardians of History Gift Levels:        

• • Benefactor Guardian - $5,000 +
  • Legacy Guardian - $2,500 +
  • Heritage Guardian - $1,000 +  
  • Community Guardian - $500 +
  • Gold Guardian - $150 +
  • Silver Guardian - $50 +
  • Friend of History (Other Amount)

Above: Claudia Martin & Ardy Ptolemy stand in front of their family names, sewn into a 1920s signature quilt, which was featured in the museum's "Quilted Stories" exhibit. (Photo Courtesy of Claudia Martin)