museum of the mountain west

I was driving from Montrose to Gunnison and passed this museum which looked interesting, especially for an old west enthusiastic like me, so I decided to stop as I had a few spare hours, and explore it. I am so glad I did. It is the most beautiful place I’ve visited in a long time- and I was born and raised in Rome, Italy and have lived in the United Kingdom for years, have travelled all over Europe, Asia and the Americas, so I can say I’ve seen places.I thought two hours would be enough to see it all. They were not, not nearly enough. I would recommend spending half a day there, as a relaxing afternoon with the family, friends or even alone, take the tour with one of the fantastic guides (Pam was mine and she was the best guide ever) and just take the time to enjoy it and explore the amazing collection that Richard has put together over many years. As I was being shown around by Pam, I became more and more overwhelmed, astounded, and in all honesty, moved. There are so many little artefacts and antique objects and pieces of art, that it really feels like being brought back in time, in a little old west town with its typical saloon, stores, stables and church.The indoor section (which you can’t see from the road) is massive and has several rooms including a clothing shop, doctors’ offices, a general store, a saloon/bar and much more. There’s all sorts of old artefacts on display, including some very interesting old musical instruments, games, guns and medical equipment, not to mention the incredible amount of things kept in the few stores, from elegant clothes to kitchen utensils and old, beautiful dolls. It is all kept in perfect (yet aged) condition and it is all authentic, which is what moved me.The outdoor section is huge as well, with a church, a school, another store, train station, saloon and several old cabins to mention a few. Needless to say, it really feels like being on a movie set. But the beautiful thing is, you can actually explore it and see it all and be part of it, and take your time to enjoy it all. By the time I was taken outside to see the outdoor part I was completely shocked and amazed at all the effort they must have put (and keep putting) into saving, collecting, restoring, and presenting all these buildings and objects for us visitors, and I am so glad they are.I definitely recommend visiting this unique, wonderful and incredible museum, which I wouldn't even call a museum because it is SO much more. Everyone should go see it, there is so much to learn and appreciate. I am so, so glad I stopped by!Cecilia

This collection is unrivaled! I have never been to a museum such as this (born and raised on the east coat-lots of history there, last few decaded out west, plenty of western history around every corner)! Don't skip the guided tour, I still remember every story and anecdote and I'm not a history buff. YOU MUST EXPERIENCE THIS PLACE FOR YOURSELF!!!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of the Museum of the Mountain West. The artifacts and exhibits are not only authentic, but are shown in their aged, not pristine condition, creating a "real and honest" feel. Whether you're a historian or a novice, you will enjoy this collection of Western life.I work in the film industry, and I have seen many recreation Western Towns and sets. The Plethora of authentic tools, guns, shop items, wagons, etc., make this a great resource for props and set dressing as well.

We traveled to America in August this year and accidentally saw this museum. Visiting this beautiful museum was one of the most remarkable events of this year. We didn’t expect that the exposure will be so great, informative and interesting. You can touch the exhibits with hands. This museum allows you to plunge into the history of America.Delight! Excellent!

We held our daughter's wedding in the 101 year-old church at Museum of the Mountain West. It provided a beautiful setting for their marriage ceremony. Roughly 85 people were able to comfortably attend. It was so easy to work with Richard, Bob and Pam. They truly went out of their way to make this a special day for our daughter. They even provided tours afterwards for 20 of our out-of-town visitors...and they loved it! I highly recommend this as a location for weddings if you'll have less than 100 folks in attendance. We will enjoy many great memories from this day and the folks here were a huge part of it.

Great visit after time in Montrose and Black Canyon NP. We met the proprietor Richard who has amassed this amazing lifetime collection to become the point person for local movie shoots and historic restoration efforts.Richard and his volunteer staff have a true passion for their museum and are eager to share with visitors - including very accomodating to our two boys ages 12 and 14. Our tour guide Pam was fantastic - answering a barrage of questions from the boys and painting a detailed picture of life in the old west through a passionate and entertaining description of the buildings and collections.The level of detail is amazing - not just historical buildings, but an amazing level of inventory from medical office devices, phamacy snake-oil remedies, saloon relics, guns and everything in between. You can literally smell history here from the amazing collection of old bottles and potions.A real highlight was the working 1800's automatic violin player and its incredible sounds, along with the old penny slots and game machines. Love the old saloon bottles and historic bar displays as well.You name it from the Old West and it is part of the collection here. Dont miss!

When visiting Montrose, my husband, friend and I visiting this museum and were so glad we did. The guide, Bob, was extremely knowledgable and I learned a lot I didn't already know. There was more artifacts in each room than I had ever seen in any other museum and our guide made it all come to life. We were actually there 4 hours, but I think it can be done in 2 hours, we would ask so many questions, which he was happy to impart his information. Actual old buildings had been brought in and recreated into a town. Worth the price.

Recently my wife and I took a trip to Colorado. We stopped in Montrose and, by chance, stopped in at this museum. What a treasure. The owner has spent a lifetime collecting thousands of artifacts that represent the old west. The guide Mike was thoroughly knowledgeable about local events and his dramatizations made the past come alive. A very enjoyable two hours.

Unbelieveable! ... the amount of artifacts this museum has. Actual old buildings hauled to the site, a "re-created" old western town, complete with doctor's offices, dentist's offices, a saloon, a dry goods store, a grocery store. AND - each one of these "stores" is filled with so many actual old western artifacts it's incredible. Just amazing! Worth the visit.

How this museum was assembled is just as fascinating as its contents. You may have one of three individuals guiding you through an interior "mall" of old time shops and 5 or 6 outside buildings. We toured with the "theatrical" docent who brought the west to life with his reenactments and stories. I am sure the other guides are excellent, but we thoroughly enjoyed this approach. Do let him know if you have a tight time limit as this tour can take over 2 hours especially if the crowd has lots of questions (and their own stories!) We saw artifacts in top notch condition as well as some more weathered, a few items we had never seen before. For the price it is a great deal and such a nice contrast to the hiking and outdoor activities in the area.

We just happened to be driving by and saw the sign for the museum. We decided to stop in and check it out. Boy were we in for a surprise! This is a must see museum. When we saw what this museum was all about, we told Richard about a photograph that our grandfather had taken of the Ute Chiefs in 1911. The photo was the first photo ever taken of the chiefs and asked Richard if he would like a copy. He said yes and as we walked through the museum, low and behold, Richard had the photo framed and hanging on the wall! Amazing. The guided tour is long (3 hours +) but worth it completely. Just to go to a museum and look at the artifacts does not give you the history, political relevance and the reason for things to be the way they were at the time. No, not all of the items in the museum are of that particular era but who really cares? The preservation of the artifacts, buildings and treasures is amazing. To hear an original calliope play or to see the pharmacy in its original glory or the general store fully stocked and the doctors and dentists office waiting for the next patient is like being there back in the time. Truly an amazing collection lovingly refurbished cherished history. The people who gave this museum low ratings have forgotten what this is all about and missed the unique history being told and displayed here. Bravo to Richard for his vision and determination!Don't miss this one!!

Reading reviews here before hand only slightly prepared us for the depth and breadth of Western artifacts on display here. The is a huge collection of items presented in either relocated and restored buildings or reconstructed settings a tastefully done. Robert spent roughly 4 hours carefully describing facets of western life pertaining to displays. Collection is lovingly restored with meticulous attention to detail. It is obvious that this collection and display a work of love by all involved.

I visited Montrose, like many others, to photograph the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Mountain West was the icing on the cake. I thought I'd stop by on my way out of town. The brochure suggests that visitors allow 2 hours for the tour. I was HIGHLY skeptical about that; I thought I'd be there for an hour or less. WRONG !Curator, Richard Fike created this museum from a profound love for antiquities of the West. Each tour is personally led by a knowledgeable tour guide. And when I say led, that's an understatement. My tour guide, Mike, used his theatrical talents and his profound knowledge to COMPLETELY entertain AND inform. I believe that EVERY Colorado schoolchild should be required to visit this museum — along with their teacher (who could also stand to learn a thing or two). The resident mechanic, Mike, was also MOST knowledgeable and helpful. There is SO MUCH interesting information to be harvested from a visit, here.Now, some people like to furnish their homes with antiques and some folks like to buy and sell antiques. As for myself, I like to photograph antiquities in their "natural settings." My tour guide, Mike, finally realized I was there to capture visions and not record historical details. Graciously, he allowed me to wonder on my own as he shared his information with some French tourists. So, on my own now, I spent nearly 4 hours capturing images. I look forward to going back for another 4 hours.Bottom line: Mr. Fike's museum is a photographer's paradise. When the brochure says there are over 500,000 artifacts, I believe it.I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend that anyone who travels to Montrose NOT LEAVE without having toured the Museum of Mountain West !!!!!!!!!!!

The collection of items and stories and physical buildings from the old West is amazing. The work that has gone into this museum including attention to detail is astonishing. Mike was our tour guide but we managed to spend a few minutes with the developer Richard and found both of them well-versed in the subject matter. Pick a topic, whether it be Native Americans, western clothing, guns. medical, dental, whatever Western, these guys can tell you something you probably didn't know. Ask questions about refurbishing, rebuilding, and updating old buildings. You'll be amazed at what it takes. Our tour was very personal and went well. Not sure how a small cloud would be handled. Defitely recommend this museum for anyone interested in Western history however I suggest it might not be appropriate for young children since it's certainly not an amusement park and I don't think it would be interactive enough for the young ones.

We had planned to visit the museum but did not realize that the Western Movies Day would be on. As well as all the buildings and artifacts there were wagon rides, mock gunfights, live music and good BBQ food.There were lots of volunteers dressed in period costumes in all of the buildings to describe them and answer questions.Some of the buildings had to be dismantled at their original location, each piece numbered and then rebuilt at the museum - all of this done by volunteers.It's fantastic that all of the wonderful pieces are being preserved for future generations. Don't miss this great museum if you are in the area!