bradford washburn american mountaineering museum

bradford washburn american mountaineering museum印象

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  DavidShurbutt

  Monday, January 9, 2012Took a tour of the Colorado Railroad Museum and the Mountaineering Museum on Saturday. Both are in Golden, CO home to Adolf Coors Beer Company. But, don't let that stop you from going.The CO Railroad Museum was first on my agenda. It's on Highway 58 heading into downtown Golden. The first thing one sees are trains of different kinds sitting on tracks outside the main building, which was built to look like a station. I was immediately drawn to a yellow diesel attached to a sleek, silver metal passenger car. Both are a fine example of Style Moderne, a design movement popular in the 1920s and '30s in Europe and the U.S. The name derives from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925. The distinguishing features of the style are simple, clean shapes, often with a “streamlined” look. This particular train was the Rio Grande Santa Fe Super Chief that ran from Denver to Salt Lake City until 1949.But, what really got my attention was a black locomotive with bright red apparatus attached to its front. I couldn't figure out if it was part of a train that had become unattached, or if it was some sort of strange propulsion device. One of the nice looking graphics that accompanied many of the trains on display informed me that this was a "rotary" used to suck in snow and blow it out the sides and away from the tracks. There was a great picture of the "rotary" in action spinning in a blur with fountains of snow coursing out of its top.Inside the station was a let down. A typical gift shop with cheap doodads lead to an upstairs gallery with tired, unimaginative displays. Some of the objects were interesting, but the lackluster exhibits design and execution left me cold. Downstairs was only slightly better. Hidden in a claustrophobic room at the back was a miniature train set. This was fun and the tiny figures and trains were, for the most part, expertly done.The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum had been a destination of mine since I had moved to Denver last summer. It was done by Quatrifoil, an outfit run by and old friend, Abbie Cheesler. The museum is housed in an old school and looks to cover about 1K sq. feet. I was met by Susan, a friendly and animated docent. She gave me her routine spiel about the American Alpine Club's history, took my $5, and sent me on my way down a curving flight of stairs. The first thing one comes upon (and in my opinion the best thing) is a slice in the landing that turned out to be a replica of a glacial crevasse. This was a cleaver and beautiful way to introduce one to the exhibits.On one side of the stairs was a video theater showing an old (1998) National Geographic film I had seen years ago in 3-d. I watched some of it for two reasons, one, it is a fantastic film and, two, I wanted to see the bright DayGlo parkas the climbers wore.The exhibits were well executed and seemed to have held up nicely with the exception of a few missing bolts and chucks. The touch screen inter-actives were, for the most part, informative. The best being the quiz about Colorado's 14ers. I enjoyed seeing some authentic clothing and tools used by climbers whose names I recognized.The centerpiece was a scale model of Mount Everest and the surrounding section of the Himalayan peaks. Susan informed me that this one was a replica of the original designed by Bradford Washburn for the Boston Museum of Science. It was entertaining to follow the small push pins up the various routes taken by Hilary and Norgay, Messner and Habeler, and a host of other famous mountaineers.I had a pleasant day at these two different venues and recommend the Mountaineering Museum for it's quality exhibits and it's informative and easy to read and understand graphics. Go to the Colorado Railroad Museum on a clear day and just stay outside.The Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum is located at 710 10th Street, Golden, CO 80401.

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  BVcouple

  The American Mountaineering Museum is both a center of mountaineering organizations (American Alpine Club, Outward Bound, Big City Mountaineers, Colorado Mountaineering Club and Colorado Trail Foundation) and a wealth of history. There are many fascinating pieces of mountaineering history scattered around the center. For larger groups, the AAC has created a wonderful place for gatherings of all types, but especially folks that embrace mountains and adventure.

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  JeremyHakes

  Other countries celebrate their mountaineers and their climbers the way we celebrate our overpaid and overhyped "professional" athletes. Here, in Golden, we finally have a place to celebrate and inform visitors of the climbing heritage and history of the climbers and mountaineers in the USA. Well done and informative displays, lots of bits and pieces of history (both written and materials/hardware), as well as movies and photographs. Definitely not to be missed while in metro Denver, and especially while in Golden. While an avid mountaineer can spend many hours in the museum, you can make do with a shorter visit of an hour or two if that's all the time you have. The same building also houses the American Alpine Club, the AAC library, the Colorado Mountain Club, Big City Mountaineers, Outward Bound West, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, and Climbing For Life. The auditorium above the museum frequently has speakers, movies, and shows as well. Parking is plentiful and free.

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  JHMoss

  This is a must see if you are in the Denver Area. The museum has the history, artifacts and education of US mountaineering. clothing, gear, maps and explanations of how they worked, how the men and women struggled to achieve greatest all over the world. You must go to see this place.

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  fdrll2014

  Informative and employees very helpful ! Great place to learn about early days of Colorado and surrounding areas !

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  172toddg

  A Very cool place to learn about mountaineering. Several displays of equipment and maps around the area and the world. Staff are avaialble to answer questions. A great museum in a Great Town.

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  seekayak

  Thank you for hosting the Certified Passive House Practitioner training. Your facility and staff are friendly and supportive. Your facility was excellent for our training. It was fascinating to see the mountaineering history on the walls and and in the museum.I highly recommend this facility.

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  afraydknot

  A great museum if you're at all into mountaineering, or even just reading about mountaineering. It's not a huge museum, but it's packed with all kinds of interesting exhibits, and you can watch short films (about the effects of altitude and the debate over whether or not one should use supplemental oxygen) on either side of the museum. There's an abundance of history here, expressed through some really unique items, like the ice axe that Pete Schoening used to save the lives of five fellow climbers in 1953, on K2. Yes, THAT one. The one he actually used for THE Belay. The museum also features neat things like a scale model of Everest with pins tracing the various routes people have climbed over the years, displays explaining climbing hardware and its evolution over the years, historic climbs, and much more.The docent on duty while we were there, Al, could not have been more helpful and accommodating if he tried; we really appreciated him, as did our dog, who thought he was the bees' knees.The library of the American Alpine Club is also in the same building; you can browse their books, and they even have some for sale.Which brings me to my only complaint: there was no gift shop, and I would have loved to have bought some souvenirs (in addition to the three books I bought from the library) there.Heartily recommend, and I'll definitely go back if I ever get back that way.

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  golden_mountain

  If you're anywhere near Golden, be sure to visit the Bradford Washburn American Mountaineering Museum! It is an incredible place for climbers and non-climbers, with everything from mountain history to mountain cultures, to how people climb peaks and why they do it. I've been there with my family many times, and there's always something new to learn. From Colorado's Fourteeners to an amazing, massive model of Mount Everest, there's something for everyone in the Museum, and you can do some great shopping afterward in Base Camp. Check it out...you won't be disappointed!

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  Yoper

  While most of this museum consisted of photos and reading, it was well laid out and had very interesting documentation of the history of mountaineering from around the world. My husband is a fourteener enthusiast having climbed more than half of them in Colorado and I am fascinated by Everest and K2 climbs, so we both enjoyed the museum and the history it shared.