I recently learned about the prominence of the Ute tribe of the western U-S and couldn’t have imagined this museum tracing the origins of these proud Native Americans in the Seven Rivers area of Colorado. On behalf of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, we invite you to visit our Museum, and hope you enjoy your visit to the land of the “Shining Mountains” in beautiful southwest Colorado. There is a nominal charge, and reservations are required. Tours can accommodate families to large groups. The tour also provides a unique insight and broader perspective of the Southern Ute Museum’s mission and purpose. These specialized tours offer a closer look at the Museum’s inner workings, including the journey an object takes, beginning with arrival, to collections, to display. In addition to exhibits, “Behind the Scenes” tours are available. This exhibit provides cultural, historical, and educational information with panels, photographs, beadwork, basketry, a world map of historical military conflicts, and Navy diving helmet with select equipment.

A Southern Ute Veterans exhibit, the latest display to be developed at the museum, presents a unique history of tribal members in the military. This family-friendly exhibit features large dioramas, calls of the lion, fossil representations, an informative video about large cats, and many artifacts. The Temporary Gallery features “Mountain Lion!” (through September 2017), created by the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College and the Colorado Division of Wildlife. The Permanent Gallery tells the story of Ute people through large photographic curtains, life size replicas, video, audio, touchscreen equipment, and the “Circle of Life”, a multi-screen short film. Timber and steel rise 60 feet toward a medicine wheel ceiling, offering a view of the sky. Thank you for your interest in the Southern Ute Museum, located on the Southern Ute reservation, and operated by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, “Ute Seasons”, an exhibit of seasonal relevance for Ute people, begins in the Welcome Gallery.

Sky ute casino shining mountain