The CSPM is committed to building a lasting connection to the Pikes Peak region by preserving and sharing our cultural history and accomplishes this mission through innovative exhibits, educational outreach and programming, and preservation of its object and archival collections. It also makes its collections available for research by scholars, students, and authors from around the country.
The CSPM is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in Colorado. It is home of the Starsmore Center for Local History (SCLH) which houses materials related to the Pikes Peak region including over 80,000 photographs from the late 19th and early 20th century, maps, blueprints, ephemera, and oral histories. It houses five nationally-significant manuscript collections that annually receive a thousand or more research requests. The object collection of over 45,000 items includes decorative arts and furnishings from homes in the Pikes Peak region, fine art from local artists representing the American West and Pikes Peak region, textiles including quilts, coverlets, garments and military uniforms, the largest public collection of Van Briggle Art Pottery, and archaeological collections. Nearly every field of the humanities is represented in our collections, from poetry, literature, and the fine arts to historical geography, the social sciences and history.
Public programs range from scholarly presentations to family festivals. The Museum has been host to a variety of events: lectures on topics ranging from the history of local restaurants to Chinese experiences in the west, cultural celebrations, and community wide festivals. Classical music concerts and Chautauqua performances have been featured in the exquisitely restored Division I Courtroom on the Museum’s upper floor, and Food Truck Tuesdays have delighted thousands in the surrounding park. A thriving program calendar provides tours, speakers, school field trips, and other special programs. With a dedicated corps of over 100 volunteers, guided tours are provided to more than 10,000 of the 100,000 people who visit the museum annually.
Fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and winner of local and national awards for excellence, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum offers a rewarding and enjoyable experience for people of all ages and interests.