Colorado Mining Museum Makes List of Top Worldwide Attractions

A Colorado museum celebrating mining is the winner of the 2020 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award.

You'll find the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum at 120 West Ninth Street in Leadville, Colorado. Often referred to as the "Smithsonian of the Rockies," the museum provides information about mining through geology, science, historic preservation, and art. According to their official webpage, the museum, established in 1987, is "the premiere showcase of American mining."

How did the museum win the 2020 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award? According to a press release from the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum, each year, TripAdvisor sorts through reviews, ratings, and saves from travelers everywhere, and uses that info to award the very best. The net result is an exclusive group made up of the top ten percent of attractions worldwide.

Winners of the 2020 Travelers’ Choice Awards should be proud of this distinguished recognition. Although it’s been a challenging year for travel and hospitality, we want to celebrate our partners' achievements. Award winners are beloved for their exceptional service and quality. Not only are these winners well deserving, they are also a great source of inspiration for visitors/guests as the world begins to venture out again. -  Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at TripAdvisor

What will you see at the museum? Highlights include:

• Raw metals and sparkling gems
• Hall of Fame showcasing information on nearly 250 mining luminaries
• Safety and environmental measures in modern mines
• Get a sense of the underworld by walking through life-sized mine replicas
• Learn about the minerals in your toothpaste and smartphone
• Glimpse the future by exploring mining in space and discover how precious metals make green energy possible

The National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum is a federally-chartered, non-profit organization. As a matter of fact, it is the only national mining museum with a federal charter. Its operations depend entirely on admissions, gift shop sales, memberships and contributions.

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Are you ready for a trip to the National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum? According to GoogleMaps, the drive from Grand Junction to Leadville comes in at 187 miles. I'm a native Coloradoan, so I think in terms of time rather than distance. GoogleMaps lists the travel time at three hours and forty-three minutes. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. daily. Face masks are required.