The Colorado Museum Of Natural History

Educational Programs & Community Engagement: In 2024, we offered a wide variety of programs for ECE-12th grade students and teachers, families, young adults and seniors. We collaborated with SCFD organizations, schools, scientists, libraries, community-based leaders and other organizations to connect more people with nature & science, share learning and resources, and create meaningful experiences. Field trips to the Museum for school groups, organized youth groups and home school collaboratives are always free. In addition to free days that created financial access to the Museum throughout the year, we implemented multiple themed free days to welcome groups that have been underrepresented in science including: Girls and Science, Dia del Nino, Juneteenth, and Out! At the Museum. Through all of these efforts, we served 318,594 people through educational and community programs at the Museum, in the community and schools, and virtually.

Science Division: In 2024, the Science Division, comprising over 60 staff, managed and provided access to the Museum's vast collection of 4.3 million objects and specimens. Museum scientists made significant, world-class discoveries through their work in the field, laboratory, and with existing collections, expanding knowledge of the Earth, its inhabitants, and beyond. Beyond their contributions to peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters, and popular articles, the staff actively delivered scientific outreach. This included courses, events, collection tours, lectures, and field trips, which saw engagement with 36,700 members of the public. The Division's commitment to education was also evident in their supervision of interns and mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as hosting high school students. A crucial asset to the Science Division was its robust volunteer program, with 321 volunteers dedicating over 62,600 hours to support its mission.