From the moment I walk in and see the giant Tyrannosaurus skeleton, nicknamed “Sue”, towering over me, I know that I am home. My favourite museum is also the museum I grew up with. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
The Denver Museum of Nature and Science, or DMNS as I shall now refer to it as, was founded in 1900 to showcase naturalist Edwin Carter’s collection of Colorado fauna. Since then, it has come to house over 1 million objects ranging from local fauna to dinosaurs to ancient Egyptian mummies.
The DMNS is my favourite museum because it is the museum that got me interested in history. I remember as a kid staring in awe at the whale skeleton suspended above the galleries, and shuddering in terror at the roar expelling from the huge Daeodon, “Hell Pig” recreation in the Prehistoric Journey exhibition.
My favourite permanent exhibitions are without a doubt Egyptian Mummies, which displays a range of objects from Ancient Egypt and sheds light on the lives and deaths of the two female mummies that are on display, and Prehistoric Journey, which takes the visitor through the evolution of earth and displays the most amazing dinosaur skeletons that I have ever seen. DMNS gives the visitor a taste of so many areas of history and science and has something to offer to all age groups.
Some of the most renowned travelling exhibitions have taken a turn being displayed at DMNS. Among my favourites were the exhibitions on Pompeii, The Titanic, Stonehenge and the Vikings. There is always something new to discover at DMNS and I have never once had a disappointing visit.
Even though I have moved to the UK to pursue my passion for British History, I am still a Colorado girl born and bred. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science will always hold a special place in my heart and that is why it is my favourite museum. If you ever find yourself in Colorado, make sure that you pay a visit. You won’t regret it.
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Paige was born in Colorado, USA but moved to the UK to pursue her passion for British History. She graduated from Bangor University with a BA(Hons) in Medieval and Early Modern History and from Queen Mary University of London with an MA in Heritage Management ft. Historic Royal Palaces. She has created several exhibitions for Western Approaches HQ Museum and currently works as the Heritage Project Manager for the National Lottery Heritage Funded Synergy project at the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum in Widnes near Liverpool.