Here are links to press releases about the Telluride Historical Museum and its programs. If you are a reporter and would like to learn more about the museum, we look forward to speaking with you about the museum!
Museum Re-opening for Winter Season
The Telluride Historical Museum will re-open on Tuesday, Dec. 4 for the winter. Winter hours of Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 a.m.-5:00p.m. will continue throughout the season until April 7th.
Visitors to the THM this winter will experience the usual display in the permanent collections with a few rotations of artifacts such as historic clothes and other items in the first floor exhibits. The current annual exhibit on display, “Children of Winter Never Grow Old: Snow Sports in the San Juans” chronicles the regions love of outdoor adventure with artifacts ranging from historic ski boots and snowboards to hockey gear, broom ball, and curling equipment. There are even a few interactive displays and an original chair form the Telluride Ski Resort. If you haven’t seen the exhibit yet make sure to stop by and check it out before it closes April 7th. Most of the artifacts were supplied by Telluride locals showing Telluride Historical Museum’s authenticity and dedication to preserving local history and culture.
The Telluride Historical Museum closes during shoulder seasons for exhibition maintenance. During this time they do a thorough cleaning of the museum’s exhibits, collections and perform artifact conservation. Delicate pieces such as clothes and other textiles cannot be displayed for too long and must be rotated. This twice yearly maintenance helps preserve sensitive artifacts for years to come and also gives museum visitors an opportunity to see different items. Although it is a history museum things are always new and changing.
Town Council Approves Horse Drawn Wagons
On May 29 Telluride Town Council unanimously voted to amend Telluride Municipal Code Chapter 7, adding a division applicable to horse-drawn carriage rides, thus establishing a regulatory framework for permitting possible tours.
The Telluride Historical Museum is delighted by the council’s decision, and are thankful for the support they’ve received through the process. The museum’s partner, Telluride Wranglers, have submitted an application for a permit and together will be offering historical tours via horse drawn conveyance once approved
Stay tuned!
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our Historical Wagons Tours please contact the museum directly.
An Evening With Ken Burns
August 7, 2017
Screening Set for Sunday, August 27th
The Telluride Historical Museum is excited to announce that tickets to its fourth annual An Evening With Ken Burns film screening are on sale now.
This year’s event will feature a screening of episode 4 – “The True Welcome” – of the acclaimed documentary series, Jazz. The evening will also include a post-screening audience Q&A session with Ken Burns as well as a book and DVD signing presented in conjunction with Between the Covers bookstore.
Tickets for the event are $25 for general admission, $20 for Museum members, and $5 for students. The screening will take place on Sunday, August 27th at the Michael D. Palm Theatre. Doors will open at 5:30PM and the program will begin at 6PM.
“We continue to be appreciative of Ken Burns’ gracious commitment to the Telluride community and to the Museum specifically,” Executive Director Kiernan Lannon said. “We are once again providing the community with the rare opportunity to see one of America’s foremost documentarians and historians present his work and engage with this great community. We’re looking forward to another fantastic event!”
Tickets can be purchased online or by calling the Museum at (970) 728-3344. All tickets will be distributed via will call on the evening of the event. The Museum will not be issuing physical tickets ahead of time.
Membership Campaign: Our Town | Our Story | Our Museum
Telluride, Colorado (June 1, 2017)
The Telluride Historical Museum (THM) celebrated 50 years of service to the Telluride community and played host to a record number of visitors in 2016. In 2017, the Museum staff and Board of Directors are taking on a new challenge: a membership campaign. While participation and enthusiasm for the Museum has been on the rise, the number of Museum membership has stayed level. The Museum staff and Board are committed to changing this.
The museum is excited to launch a new membership campaign encouraging locals and visitors to reconnect with and support the museum by becoming a member. The campaign, Our Town. Our Story. Our Museum. launches on Thursday, June 1, 2017, the night of the Museum’s Annual Exhibit Opening for the 2017/ 2018 exhibit entitled, The Valley Floor: Changing Identities of a Telluride Treasure. With updated membership offerings, a new look to their branding, and the continuation of impressive programming, Museum staff is confident they will meet their goal.
The campaign brand, Our Town. Our Story. Our Museum. is inspired by the idea that a community must understand where they come from to know where they are going. “We really wanted to emphasize inclusiveness with this campaign,” said Executive Director Kiernan Lannon. “Whether you are a long-time local, a regular visitor, or an occasional guest, Telluride’s story- its history- is at least partially your story as well. Our goal is to get more people invested in the stewardship and presentation of this story by joining the Museum.” Throughout the summer, the Museum will highlight current members and their passion for preserving history during regularly scheduled KOTO Access programs, host special member recruitment events, and offer their standard summer programming including Hikes into History, Lectures, An Evening with Ken Burns and the ever popular, Fireside chats.
The Museum is a non-profit institution built around the support of people who love their community and care about the history and culture of Telluride. “Becoming a member of the Telluride Historical Museum is an investment in our community,” said Adrienne Christy, Director of Development at THM. “Your membership dollars are used to maintain our vast collection of artifacts, to put on free or affordable community and school programs, and to ensure we can tell Telluride’s story for generations to come.”
Museum Announces New Programs and Exhibits Director
Telluride, Colorado (September 2, 2016) – The Telluride Historical Museum today announced the hire of Theresa Koenigsknecht as the Director of Programs and Exhibits, effective September 6, 2016. Koenigsknecht will be replacing Anne Gerhard, who recently resigned after holding the position since 2013.
Koenigsknecht most recently served as a Curator at the Johnson County Museum of History in Franklin, IN, where she has extensive experience managing a large collection, collaborating on educational programs, community outreach, and exhibit development. Theresa has a Master of Arts in Public History from Indiana University and Bachelors of Arts in Anthopology and History from Michigan State University.
“Western history, specifically the Oregon Trail, jump-started my love of all things history as a kid. I also love being outside and being active and was looking to challenge my comfort zones,” Koenigsknecht said, “This was the perfect opportunity to grow and contribute to an amazing organization and community.”
Museum Announces New Programs and Exhibits Director
September 2016The Telluride Historical Museum today announced the hire of Theresa Koenigsknecht as the Director of Programs and Exhibits, effective September 6, 2016.An Evening With Ken Burns
AUGUST 4, 2016
Screening Set for Sunday, August 28th
The Telluride Historical Museum is excited to announce that tickets to its third annual An Evening With Ken Burns film screening are on sale now.
In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the National Parks Service, this year’s event will feature a screening of episode 5- “Great Nature” – of the acclaimed documentary series, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. The evening will also include a post-screening audience Q&A session with Ken Burns as well as a book and DVD signing presented in conjunction with Between the Covers bookstore.
Tickets for the event are $25 for general admission, $20 for Museum members, and $5 for students. The screening will take place on Sunday, August 28th at the Michael D. Palm Theatre. Doors will open at 5:30PM and the program will begin at 6PM.
“We’re incredibly excited to be hosting this event again this year,” Executive Director Kiernan Lannon said. “We’re thrilled that Ken Burns has again demonstrated his commitment to the Telluride Community and the Museum by helping us out with this screening. Ken is, by far, America’s most preeminent historical documentary filmmaker. This an incredible opportunity to see a fantastic film with its world-class director in the theater- all while supporting the Museum. We’re definitely looking forward to it!”
Tickets can be purchased here or by calling the Museum at (970) 728-3344. All tickets will be distributed via will call on the evening of the event. The Museum will not be issuing physical tickets ahead of time.
Treasure Maps: Cartography of the American Southwest Exhibit Opening
18 May 2016
MUSEUM’S ANNUAL EXHIBIT TO OPEN JUNE 2
Telluride, Colorado (May 18, 2016) – The Telluride Historical Museum will celebrate the opening of its annual exhibit Treasure Maps: Cartography of the American Southwest on June 2 from 6-8pm. This free event will take place at the Telluride Historical Museum and is open to all ages. Complimentary adult refreshments and appetizers will be served, and there will be exciting activities for all ages.
Treasure Maps: Cartography of the American Southwest is the Museum’s 2016-17 annual exhibit, exploring shifting perspectives of the Southwest through the history of the maps that depict it. Because maps are necessarily a compromise of limited resources and knowledge, the American Southwest is a template in which the inaccuracies, blank spaces, and mythical elements tell the stories of its exploration and the possibilities that the American southwest has represented.
As part of the exhibit, the Telluride Historical Museum collaborated with Telluride Mountain School, Pinhead Institute, Telluride Institute, The Hub, and Alpine Lumber to create an Augmented Reality Sandbox. The AR Sandbox uses a projector and a 3 dimensional camera to view the surface of the sand and project real time topographic lines onto the sand’s surface. The sandbox will also simulate watersheds, and after the exhibit closes in March 2017, the sandbox will be co- owned by Pinhead Institute, Telluride Mountain School, and Telluride Institute, where it will be an ongoing part of community watershed curricula. In order to construct the AR Sandbox, the Telluride Historical Museum has enlisted the help of Telluride Mountain School students who have recently returned from their spring experimental learning trip to study geography in Hawaii, and have been working diligently on design and construction in order to have the sandbox prepared for the June 2 opening.
For more information, please contact Lucas Fredericks, Programs and Exhibits Coordinator at the Telluride Historical Museum at (970) 728-3344 x 4, or email lucas@telluridemuseum.org.
Treasure Maps: Cartography of the American Southwest Exhibit Opening
May 2016The Telluride Historical Museum will celebrate the opening of its annual exhibit Treasure Maps: Cartography of the American Southwest on June 2 from 6-8pm.Telluride’s Historic Pandora Mill Faces Demolition
March 17, 2016
Telluride’s Historic Pandora Mill Faces Demolition
The future of our iconic Pandora Mill is in question. On Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 10AM, the San Miguel County Commissioners, Telluride Town Council, and Idarado officials will meet in Rebekah Hall to discuss the fate of the Pandora (Idarado) Mill. Government representatives have explored ways of preserving the mill over the last few years, but without a plan for its future, the mill will likely be demolished.
We invite everyone interested in historic preservation to attend this meeting. If you have comments for Telluride Town Council and San Miguel County Commissioners on this matter, please email them to pandoramillbuilding@gmail.com
Stay up-to-date on all Pandora Mill happenings by following
www.facebook.com/savepandoramill
For more information, please visit http://www.telluridemuseum.org/the-pandora-mill/
Telluride Historical Museum Exhibit Wins AASLH 2015 Leadership in History Award
July 8, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Telluride Historical Museum Exhibit Wins AASLH 2015 Leadership in History Award
Sixty recipients from thirty-one states receive highest honor from AASLH
NASHVILLE, TN—The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) announced that the Telluride Historical Museum’s 2014 exhibit Voices of Wartime: Telluride During WWII was selected as a 70th annual Leadership in History Award winner, the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. The Telluride Historical Museum’s award is one of 60, honoring people, projects, exhibits, books, and organizations from across the country.
“The Leadership in History Awards is AASLH’s highest distinction and the winners represent the best in the field,” said Trina Nelson Thomas, AASLH Awards Chair and Director, Stark Art & History Venue, Stark Foundation. “This year, we are pleased to distinguish each recipient’s commitment and innovation to the interpretation of history, as well as their leadership for the future of state and local history.” The Telluride Historical Museum will receive the Award of Merit, presented for excellence in history programs, projects, and people when compared with similar activities nationwide
The Museum’s winning exhibit, Voices of Wartime: Telluride During WWII, explored the history of the Second World War as remembered by Telluride residents. A revealing look into how daily life changed—and did not change—during the war, the exhibit utilized the power of oral histories to capture the experiences of local residents and share them with a new generation. Surrounding the stories of Telluride locals were images, artifacts, and newsreels explaining the war’s global story.
The Telluride Historical Museum capitalized on its designation as a Smithsonian affiliate for this exhibit by coordinating loans from other affiliated museums, including the National World War II Museum and the Chinese American Museum. Community partners came together as well, including the Telluride Daily Planet, Telluride Masons #56, Telluride Elks Lodge #692, Telluride Rotary, and the American Legion Post 12.
The AASLH Leadership in History Awards Program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history throughout America. Each nomination is peer-reviewed by AASLH’s state captains. Final awards are decided by the Awards Committee, comprised of AASLH’s fourteen regional representatives and the National Awards Chair.
Presentation of the awards will be made at a special banquet during the 2015 AASLH Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, September 18. The banquet is supported by a generous contribution from the History Channel.
A full listing of recipients can be found at: www.about.aaslh.org/awards.
About the American Association for State and Local History:
AASLH has provided leadership and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans since 1940. AASLH is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, AASLH works to advance knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of local history in America. AASLH publishes books, technical publications, a quarterly magazine, a monthly newsletter, and maintains numerous affinity groups and committees serving a broad range of constituents across the historical community. The association also sponsors regional and national training workshops and an annual meeting.
For more information, visit www.aaslh.org
Museum Announces New Executive Director
2015 – 4/28/2015
For Immediate Release
MUSEUM ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Telluride, Colorado (April 28, 2015) – The Telluride Historical Museum today announced the hire of Kiernan Lannon as the executive director effective May 11, 2015. Lannon will be replacing Erica Kinias who recently resigned after holding the position since March of 2012.
Lannon most recently served as Executive Director of the Smithtown Historical Society in Smithtown, New York. Smithtown, a small town located on the north shore of Long Island, just recently celebrated its 350th founding anniversary. The Historical Society consists of eight historic structures nestled on 22 acres of parkland. In addition to serving as executive director at Smithtown, Lannon was a project intern at the USS CONSTITUTION Museum and served as an interpreter at Naper Settlement, a historical site Illinois settlement outside of Chicago, IL.
Lannon holds a B.A. in history and political science from Marquette University and a M.A. in Museum Studies. An avid runner and outdoor enthusiast, Lannon is looking forward to experiencing Telluride’s rugged outdoors and history. “How can you not be excited about moving to Telluride? It’s almost incomprehensibly beautiful and everyone I have met has been extremely nice and welcoming.” Lannon commented. “Telluride strikes me as a place where comfort and culture come together, and that was exactly the community I was hoping to find for my new home.”
Danny Craft, the Museum’s board president, commented, “Kiernan Lannon has worked for the Smithtown Historical Society in Smithtown, NY for the last nine years. He has a passion for community enhancements and educational engagement and will be a strong asset to the museum and community. Erica has done a wonderful job getting the museum to a professional level and expanding the reach and quality of what the Museum has to offer. Kiernan has the knowledge and ability to build on this strong foundation to continue to make the museum a cultural asset and reach that next level.”
“I’m thrilled and honored to have been selected as the next director of the Telluride Historical Museum.” Lannon commented. “It is a dynamic museum that is doing some really great things. Erica has done a remarkable job bringing the museum to this point and is leaving some pretty big shoes to fill. I’m looking forward to the challenge of trying to fill those shoes by continuing to give the Telluride community the viable and valuable cultural resource it deserves.”
For more information, please contact Anne Gerhard, Director of Programs and Exhibits at the Telluride Historical Museum at (970) 728-3344×2, or anne@telluridemuseum.org.
