Greeley History Museum
The Greeley History Museum showcases and preserves Greeley and Weld County’s history through permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational programs, research and collections. Check out the museum’s main exhibit, “Utopia: Adaptation on the Plains,” and then head over to one of the museum’s other galleries, which include updated themes several times each year. At the Greeley History Museum, artifacts, photographs and hands-on opportunities create a meaningful visitor experience.
In addition to exhibits, the lower level of the museum contains the Hazel E. Johnson Research Center, which has an impressive collection of documentary and photographic resources available for researchers, students and genealogists.
Check out Greeley History Museum’s gift shop, which includes books and items relevant to state and local history as well as our latest exhibits.
The building, originally built in 1929 for the Greeley Tribune, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and became home to the Greeley History Museum in 2005.
Greeley History Museum
714 8th Street, Greeley CO 80631
Hours
Wednesday-Saturday, 10am–4pm
Sunday, noon–4pm
Closed on major holidays
Admission:
$5 Adult
$3 Youth (3 to 17) & Seniors (60+)
$15 Family Rate (max. 2 adults and 4 youth)
Members receive free admission. Join today!
Our museum is handicap accessible, with a wheelchair ramp located on the south side building entrance. We also have an elevator.
Entrance and Parking
The museum has two entrances on the north side of the building and an accessible entrance on the south side. Free 2-hour parking with the option to pay to stay is located north and south of the museum. Greeley is bicycle-friendly and there are 2 bicycle racks outside on the north side of the museum.
Group Visits
The Greeley History Museum is located between Cheyenne, WY, and Denver, CO, making it the perfect destination for your next group visit. Scheduled groups of 10+ people will receive a discounted admission rate.
Facility Rental Space
Reserve the Community Room at the Greeley History Museum for your next meeting. The room seats up to 32 people (banquet seating) and 50 people (lecture seating), and features an adjacent prep kitchen.
Exhibitions
Utopia: Adaptation on the Plains
Located in the museum’s main gallery, this exhibit highlights various areas of visual and audio interest. Visitors can learn about the formation of the Union Colony and see images and artifacts from Weld County’s earliest settlers. Learn the history of some of Northern Colorado’s most famous residents like “Rattlesnake” Kate Slaughterback, and see her original rattlesnake skin dress, Nathan Cook Meeker, Greeley’s founder who died in the Meeker Massacre, and more. Youngsters can enjoy imaginative play in our kid-friendly section of the gallery.
Beyond Suffrage: 100 Years of Progress
Located in the museum’s west gallery, visitors can explore the lives and impacts of trailblazing women in Weld County. From engineers and politicians to educators, doctors, and more, these women and their clubs saw a brighter future for women and worked to achieve it. Exhibit open January 17, 2020 through January 3, 2021.
Unmentionable: The Indiscreet Stories of Artifacts
Located in the museum’s east gallery, this exhibit tells the stories of artifacts that are not always pleasant or happy. In fact, some artifacts are just downright gross or uncomfortable and are rarely displayed because of that reason. All together in one place, these artifacts make an intriguing statement about our history and what museums collect. “Unmentionable: The Indiscreet Stories of Artifacts” is modeled on the exhibition from the Hayward Area Historical Society in Hayward, CA and facilitated by Exhibit Envoy. Exhibit open August 24, 2019 through June 14, 2020.
Reporting from Greeley
The building that houses the Greeley History Museum was originally built in 1929 for the Greeley Tribune and the lower level exhibit is dedicated to the history of printing. It includes historic photos, stereotype mats, and turn-of-the-century printing equipment including an 1899 Chandler and Price treadle press.
Curator’s Corner
Curator’s Corner, located in the Greeley History Museum’s lower level, allows the public an opportunity to see items on display from the museum’s collection. The exhibit changes quarterly so it’s worth visiting the museum regularly to see the new material on display!
Policies
- Food and beverages are not allowed in the galleries.
- No backpacks allowed in the galleries.
- Photography: Non-flash photography welcome except in special exhibitions. No tripods or selfie sticks allowed. Commercial photography allowed with prior permission from Museum Manager.
- City ordinance does not permit smoking, including electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices, in the museum or within 25 feet of any of the building entrances.
- No pets allowed. Service animals are welcome.
- Please silence electronic devices while in the museum.
Visit Us!
Greeley History Museum
Not everyone in Weld County is directly involved with cattle, but everyone ought to know that the cattle industry has been BIG here since the earliest years of our history and has touched every aspect of life in our communities. Cattle ranching, breeding, feeding, buying and selling, shipping – could probably be called our “origin story”, the story of men who shaped our economy and way of life. What about the women, you ask? They have worked alongside the men every step of the way!
On February 17, 1955, women joined forces to form the Weld County Cow Belles. Their original bylaws called for them merely to “help the men’s organization” – the Weld County Livestock Association. By 1984, there were 80+ members independently engaged in educational and promotional activities for the beef industry. The Cow Belles also provided college scholarships, ran informational booths at the National Western Stock Show and the Weld County Farm Show, and through monthly meetings provided social support and education for its members.
In 1988, after 40 years of being known as the Colorado Cow Belles, the State chapter voted to change its name to Colorado Cattle Women, Inc. It was left to local chapters to follow suit or not. Can you imagine the discussion and debate? Some preferred the old name, some were tired of “cow belly” and “ding dong” jokes, some appreciated the more professional image of Cattle Women over Cow Belles. We don’t have a written record of the decision, but since the late 80s, the Cow Belles have been named the Weld County Cattle Women, working together to educate, promote, and protect the cattle industry.