Background Statement
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving more than 75,000 students and 500,000 individuals in Colorado each year. It is a 144-year-old organization that operates Colorado’s oldest museum; 10 additional museums and historic sites; the Stephen H. Hart Research Center; the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation; and the History Colorado State Historical Fund, which is the nation’s largest preservation program of its kind.
Fulfilling our responsibility to the state and Coloradans, we serve as the state’s memory. We preserve and share the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through exhibitions, educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, and outreach to Colorado communities. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado.
Rooted in our state's communities, we strive to be a place of belonging and connection for all Coloradans. We commit to work that is guided by, for, and of the communities we build, belong to, and serve. In pursuit of a more just and equitable Colorado, History Colorado embodies the following grounding virtues as our foundation.
• Being in Community
• Amplifying and Centering Voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
• Co-creation and Shared Authority
• Humility and Reflection
• Responsiveness and Flexibility
• Shared Destiny