CU Boulder offers a variety of exhibitions open to the campus and community at no cost. Take a look below to see what's on display. Please note: The university will be closed Monday, Dec. 25; Tuesday, Dec. 26; and Monday, Jan. 1.
Museum of Natural History
Cannabis: A Visual Perspective
This exhibit, the first of its kind in the nation, explores the diversity of the genus Cannabis and spotlights the groundbreaking research conducted at CU Boulder to expand our knowledge of this group of flowering plants. It features a juried selection of botanical illustrations rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, print and mixed media. Open through Jan. 26.
Curious Connections in Nature
Discover the role of the prairie dog in Colorado’s grasslands. Learn about the microbes we host in our bodies. Delve into these connections and the important work of these animal scientists through hands-on activities, multi-media displays and specimens from the museum’s collection.
Discovery Corner
At the newly remodeled children's area, young visitors (and their favorite adult) can discover, design, doodle and more while developing their curiosity and making connections to the natural world. The space encourages children to touch real museum specimens, share a story from the curated collection of children's books, spend meaningful time together and make new friends!
Fossils: Clues to the Past
A permanent member of the natural history museum, Fossils: Clues to the Past allows visitors to see how fossils are studied and what things can be learned from them. Located in the Paleontology Hall.
Ground Level Ozone
The Ground Level Ozone exhibit takes a look at how human activities have increased the amount of ground level ozone, an invisible, highly irritating gas that forms just above the earth’s surface, to a level that is harmful to life on our planet. Located in the McKenna Gallery hall.
Unearthed: Ancient Life in the Boulder Valley
This exhibit features a collection of 80-plus stone tools known as The Mahaffy Cache that was found in a Boulder backyard in 2008. The tools date back approximately 13,000 years, near the end of the last Ice Age. It explores the science behind the extraordinary discovery through interactive elements and touchable replicas. Located in the Anthropology Hall.
Visit the Museum of Natural History exhibits at Henderson Building from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Heritage Center
CU in Space
The space exploration gallery currently highlights: CU's 20 system-wide astronauts, an Aerobee rocket suspended from the ceiling, artifacts recovered from the wreckage of space shuttle Challenger, a lunar sample and other spacesuits and equipment used by astronauts.
Here Comes Ralphie!
Discover CU's early unoffical mascots—including a dog, goat and donkey—and learn about Ralphie's extraordinary appearances over the last 50 years, when the university named the buffalo its official mascot.
Hit the Bricks!
Roughly 1 million LEGO bricks take the shape of the CU Boulder campus in this fun exhibit. Hit the Bricks! features campus buildings and facilities, a MAVEN spacecraft, whimsical reflections of campus life, an Eye Spy scavenger hunt and more.
Visit the Heritage Center exhibits on the third floor of Old Main from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
