Cripple Creek District Museum

I was more than a little bit heartbroken when the jail museum was closed on the day we were in Cripple Creek due to a broken heating system. I’m sure it would have been a wonderful experience, but the District Museum more than made up for it, in my mind.
The museum itself is an impressive and comprehensive collection of everything that ever was Cripple Creek. From century-​old slot machines, to small pieces of memorabilia, to photographs and stories of the town’s notable residents, and more and more and more ad infinitum, I could have spent HOURS here, if I’d had them to spend.
The place is built inside an old railroad station and the top floor, which once served as housing for the station’s staff, is furnished to look like a Victorian apartment. In addition, there are several attached buildings (two cabins, a blacksmith shop, and another museum building) that you can wander around.
Of note here was the museum’s docent who was absolutely exceptional. He had a wealth of knowledge about the history of Cripple Creek and the surrounding areas, which he was eager and happy to share and called our attention to some fascinating pieces in the exhibit that we would never have noticed, filling us in on their juicy and sometimes bizarre back stories.
Go here!