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 Collaborates with Visiting Artist Lindsey Ross
Something Old & Something New
Museum Collaborates with Visiting Artist Lindsey Ross
(TELLURIDE, Colo. – Sept. 24, 2020) Telluride Historical Museum’s (THM) collaboration with Lindsey Ross is an alchemy of something old and something new. THM commissioned the fine art photographer, also known as @thealchemistress, to produce a rare series of limited edition prints created with a negative from the Museum’s collection. The prints will be available for purchase starting on Sept. 24. All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit Museum.
“We are always looking for new and interesting ways to allow people to engage the town’s rich history,” THM Executive Director Kiernan Lannon said. “And, of course, with all the uncertainty with the pandemic, we knew we were going to have to get even more creative in order to allow people to experience it. We really wanted to figure out a unique way people could bring some local history into their homes.”
Like many nonprofits, THM has had to cancel the vast majority of their programs and events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of the appeal of the historic print project is that, unlike most of THM’s traditional programs and events, it did not involve the large gatherings of people that are not feasible given the current conditions. Another significant advantage was that THM knew just the artist to be able to pull the project off. The collaboration offers an opportunity to own a rare piece of art.
Ross is no stranger to Telluride. In addition to being a featured artist in Telluride Arts’ Art + Architecture Weekend, she was also the subject of the film “Lindsey Ross: A Less Convenient Path” which was an official selection of Telluride Mountain Film Festival 2017. She participated in artist residencies locally with the Telluride MountainFilm Festival and at Steeprock Artisans Guild in Sawpit. However, her work extends far beyond these canyon walls. The film was also an official selection for the Banff Mountain Film Festival 2017 and she has done residencies with the Squire Foundation, and, most recently, the Budapest Art Factory. Her studio is in the Funk Zone of Santa Barbara.
Lannon said, “We were incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to see Lindsey’s art up close when she displayed a selection of her photographs at the Museum during Art + Architecture weekend in 2017. We absolutely fell in love with her work and her dedication to and enthusiasm for historical photographic processes. She was the only person we would trust to be able to turn this idea into reality.”
Ross specializes in wet plate collodion and tintype photography. The process was invented in the 1850s and was used up through the 1880s. Each image requires extensive equipment, chemicals, a darkroom, and presence which is what drew Ross to the craft. For the Museum collaboration, Ross used historically appropriate techniques to produce silver gelatin prints of an image originally captured in 1884.
The Museum will be debuting the special series of prints next Thursday at 5:30 p.m. on the Main Street non-profit busking stage, which also happens to be very near to where the original photograph was taken. The evening will also feature a display of vintage portraits from the Museum’s collection as well as the opportunity to meet Ross, learn about the process she used to create the prints, and, if interested, book an appointment with Ross to have your portrait taken using historical techniques during the course of the weekend.
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Museum Closing Early for Winter Season
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Museum Closing Early for Winter Season
Daffodil Days Scaled Back
(TELLURIDE, Colo. – March 13, 2020) In consideration of the health and safety of visitors, employees and the local community, the Telluride Historical Museum will be closing early for the winter season. Last day open will be Saturday, March 14. The Museum will undergo a thorough cleaning and is planning to reopen for summer on June 1.
“As a small nonprofit and important cultural institution for the community, it is an extremely difficult decision to close our doors early.” says Executive Director Kiernan Lannon, “We understand this pandemic is serious and affects everyone. Our highest priority is to protect the health and wellbeing of staff and visitors. We’ll do what we can to minimize the impact for our staff and think creatively on how we can continue to engage the community during the closure. We are very fortunate that we have such incredible support from our community and we will do what we must to get by during this challenging time. We look forward to doing our part to support our community at large.”
In an effort to promote social distancing, the spring fundraiser Daffodil Days will be taking place in a limited manner and will not include live sales at Alpine Bank or the Community Table on Colorado Avenue. Bundles of daffodils are available for purchase online and over the phone and will be available for pick up at the Museum starting Monday, March 16. Those who order bundles of five or more can have the flowers delivered free of charge.
Yesterday, the Telluride Historical Museum postponed their other fundraiser, The ‘70s Shindig. A future date has not yet been set. With the loss of revenue due to lack of admissions and a cancelled event, the Museum is hoping the community will offer their support through Daffodil Days.
For questions or more information please call the Museum at (970) 728-3344 or email kiernan@telluridemuseum.org
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The Telluride Historical Museum is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit who works to bring the region’s history to life though permanent and annual exhibitions, engaging programming, and insightful events.
Media Contact: Pepper Raper
970-728-3344 x4
Museum Postpones “The Shindig” due to Coronavirus Concerns
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Museum Postpones “The Shindig” due to Coronavirus Concerns
Museum currently open and Daffodil Days scheduled to take place
(TELLURIDE, Colo. – March 12, 2020) With the health and wellbeing of the community in mind, the Telluride Historical Museum (THM) has postponed their winter fundraiser The ‘70s Shindig. All ticket purchases will be refunded. A future date for the event has not yet been set.
“While we hate to cancel this important fundraiser we believe it is the responsible action to take in light of the coronavirus outbreak” stated Kiernan Lannon, Executive Director of THM. “The health and safety of our community and supporters is of utmost importance to the Museum. We look forward to seeing everyone at a later date”
The Telluride Historical Museum is monitoring the coronavirus situation closely and will continue to follow advice from the San Miguel County Department of Health and Environment, The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Colorado Governor’s office. For now, the Museum is currently open with regular hours (Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.) and will still hold Daffodil Days next week as planned.
THM has taken extra precautions to keep visitors safe. Common surfaces are being disinfected multiple times throughout the day, hand sanitizer has been put out for guest use, and interactive exhibit elements have been removed or shut down. Museum staff continues to be vigilant about everyday preventative health measures and encourages guests to follow everyday preventive actions as advised by health officials including hand washing, covering sneezes and coughs and not visiting the museum when sick or experiencing symptoms of any kind.
Contact the Museum for any questions or information regarding a Shindig ticket refund.
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Media Contact: Pepper Raper
970-728-3344 x4
New Audio Tour at Museum Gives Voice to Telluride’s History
(TELLURIDE, Colo. — Dec. 18, 2019) Visitors now have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Telluride’s history with a new podcast-like audio tour at the Telluride Historical Museum (THM). The new tour chronicles characters and events that shaped Telluride through short tracks narrated by historians and locals. With 29 tracks, and 18 different voices, the entire tour weaves its way through 10 rooms of THM’s permanent collection in just under an hour.
“The Museum is constantly searching for new ways to pursue its vision of bringing this community’s incredibly rich and interesting history to life,” Executive Director Kiernan Lannon explained. “The audio tour does a great job of adding a vibrant human element as a complement to our existing panels and exhibits through an array of incredible speakers, storytellers, and locals. We’re thrilled with how it all came together.”
The new tour enhances the visitor experience by adding another level of learning and history to the Museum’s collection. Compiled from stories told by Telluriders and historians the tracks range in time from 45 seconds to 3 minutes. Familiar voices such as historians Rudy Davison and Ashley Boling narrate multiple tracks from mining history and the labor wars to Butch Cassidy’s infamous robbery. Bud and Leslie Crane describe the culture clash between miners and “hippies” in the YX years and County Commissioner Hilary Cooper recounts the contentious saga over the Valley Floor. Other tracks include the geology of the box canyon told by Gary Gianniny, professor in the geosciences at Fort Lewis College and the story of L.L. Nunn by Steve Lee.
The Museum worked with Zak Rosen, Director of Podcasts at Graham Media Group, to create the audio tour. Rosen’s radio features have been heard on NPR, CBC, BBC and other media outlets. He works with museums, high schools, universities, and community organizations on various story-based projects. This project is no different with its focus on stories of Telluride’s past.
Visitors can experience the audio tour by visiting the Museum at the top of Fir Street. It is $3.00 (free for the visually impaired) plus the price of admission. Admission rates are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $5 for students ages 6-17, and free for children under five. Museum members are always free and locals are free every Thursday. During the winter season the Museum is open Tues. through Sat. 11 am to 5 pm.
The Telluride Historical Museum is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that relies on the support of its community, members, and donors. As an indispensable cultural asset it works to reach beyond its walls and engage people by bringing the region’s history to life through permanent and annual exhibitions, engaging programming, and insightful events.
Museum Seeking Community Feedback
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pepper Raper
Telluride Historical Museum
970-728-3344
pepper@telluridemuseum.org
Museum Seeking Community Feedback
Survey Part of New Three Year Strategic Plan
(TELLURIDE, Colo – 6/17/2019) – The Telluride Historical Museum has kicked off its process to create its latest 3-year strategic plan. As part of the planning process, THM is soliciting feedback from the community via a survey hosted by Survey Monkey. The strategic plan will enable the Museum to advance its mission by evaluating the impact of its services and programs.
“As an organization that exists solely because of the community, it’s incredibly important to us to have the community help guide us as we plan the next three years for the Museum,” Executive Director Kiernan Lannon said.
As various factors change, the Museum wants to make sure its next three years remain relevant. The survey asks respondents to consider the Museum’s programs and services and weigh whether the Museum is meeting community’s needs.
“It’s essential to the Museum board and staff that we are serving the needs of the community,” Lannon added. “We’re hoping to get a great response to the survey.”
They survey will be live until July 4th and can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/THM3yrStrategicPlanSurvey. Lannon said the Museum is hoping to gather at least 100 responses. The Museum will be emailing this link to its members and mailing list as well as soliciting feedback from museum guests over the next month. If you are interested in participating, or have any questions, contact the Museum at 970-728-3344 or email Executive Director Kiernan Lannon at kiernan@telluridemuseum.org.
The Telluride Historical Museum is a 501(c3) nonprofit located at the top of Fir Street. Through permanent and annual exhibitions, engaging programming, and insightful events it works to bring the history of Telluride and the region to life. To learn more visit: www.telluridemuseum.org.
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Telluride Historical Museum Awarded 2019 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor
Telluride Historical Museum was honored with a 2019 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. The Certificate of Excellence honors hospitality businesses that deliver consistently great service across the world. The designation, given annually each May, is presented to approximately 10% of total businesses on TripAdvisor that have consistently achieved great reviews over the past year.
To qualify, businesses must maintain an overall TripAdvisor rating of at least four out of five with a specific minimum amount of reviews. To date, the Telluride Historical Museum has 151 reviews, with a four and a half out of five rating, and is ranked #3 of 30 things to do in Telluride.
Stop by the Museum to see for yourself what all the buzz is about!
Telluride Historical Museum partners with Mountain Trip for ‘Excellent Adventure’
Telluride Historical Museum Partners with Mountain Trip for ‘Excellent Adventure’
Feb. 1, 2018 (TELLURIDE, Colo) – Telluride Historical Museum has paired with Mountain Trip, an outdoor guiding company, in what may seem like an unlikely partnership. The two have collaborated on an outing like no other. “Bill & Todd’s Excellent Ames Adventure” (named for Mountain Trip owners Bill Allen and Todd Rutledge) is a day trip to Ames on Saturday, February 9 that includes a tour of the historic Ames Power Plant followed by an intro to ice climbing class.
The adventure will start off with a special behind the scenes tour of the Ames Power Plant which was the first in the world to use long distance transmission of alternating current for commercial purposes successfully. Using technology perfected by Nikola Tesla, the Ames Power Plant harnesses hydro-power through an induction motor to produce and transmit electrical power. After the original burned down, the power plant was rebuilt in the early 1900s where it still stands and operates today. Local guiding company, Mountain Trip, which started started in 1973 will lead the group on some beginner ice climbs in the Ames area after the tour.
“Bill and Todd’s excellent Ames adventure” is a great opportunity to experience both the old and the new, and it is a testament to the Museum’s dedication to collaborating with different organizations around town. “This is the sort of fun and exciting partnership the Museum should be pursuing,” Museum Executive Director Kiernan Lannon said. “It allows us to think outside of out traditional box and do something different, while at the same time, it helps us show that history absolutely permeates this region. We’re extremely grateful to Todd and Mountain Trip for the opportunity to collaborate.” The Telluride Historical Museum has worked with many other local organizations including True North, The Pinhead Institute (a fellow Smithsonian Affiliate), Telluride Arts, The Wilkinson Public library, as well as others and is always looking to collaborate to help bring Telluride’s history to life.
The idea for this excursion came from a friendship and partnership that started with Telluride Historical Museum’s 2018 annual exhibit, Children of Winter Never Grow Old: Snow Sports in the San Juans. Theresa Koenigsknecht, Director of Programs and Exhibits reached out to Todd Rutledge and the Mountain Trip team for their expert knowledge on the history of ice climbing while doing research for the exhibit. Not only did they lend their valuable expertise but also generously loaned gear to display in the museum’s exhibit, which is on display through April 7. Rutledge expressed interest in working with local nonprofits and giving back to the community, and from there the two brainstormed on how to combine resources into a fun, one-of-a-kind excursion. “We’re so excited to offer this adventure,” states Koenigsknecht. “By providing all the gear, guides, and transportation, Mountain Trip is supporting the museum and creating a unique and affordable experience for locals.”
Cost for the ‘excellent adventure’ is $150 for non-members and $80 for museum members. This includes all equipment and transportation to and from Ames. Participants will meet at the Telluride Historical Museum at 9 a.m. to be outfitted and carpool to Ames. Space is limited to just eight participants and you can register by calling the Museum at 970-728-3344, visiting its website, or emailing theresa@telluridemuseum.org. For more information visit: bit.ly/ExcellentAmesAdventure.
The Telluride Historical Museum is a 501(c)3 founded in 1965. Sitting on the top of Fir Street, the Museum works diligently to preserve the rich, colorful and diverse history of the region and strives to bring this history to life through permanent and annual exhibitions, engaging programming, and insightful events.
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.
