Smithsonian.com

From small town art festivals to big-city symphonies, diversity is the cornerstone of Colorado’s thriving arts and culture scene. The state is home to a distinguished collection of world-class museums and cultural institutions that showcase the state’s rich history and heritage. Art museums, film festivals, symphony orchestras and operas fuel a flourishing arts and culture scene that rewards visitors with international-caliber performances, exhibits and educational opportunities.

Whether visitors seek to relive the days of Colorado’s early prospectors; walk in the footsteps of Doc Holiday, Buffalo Bill and other legends of the Old West; or take in the view from Pikes Peak that inspired Katherine Lee Bates’ lyrics for "America the Beautiful," Colorado delivers a range of authentic experiences that showcase the state’s pioneering past and vibrant present.

Here, visitors can walk the path of dinosaurs, take in the view from the windows of a cliff dwelling, explore a frontier fort and tour deep into a once-working mine. Indulge in the glittering-gold of Colorado’s precious ore history, treat children to a taste of early 1900s living on the open prairie, or even catch a show at a historic fine arts center. In Colorado, the state’s history permeates every corner, encouraging visitors to delve deeply into the distant past of its Ancient Pueblo people, earliest explorers, prospectors and mining magnates.