Published: June 1, 2021

While CU Boulder's museums may be closed through the summer for in-person experiences, there's plenty going on virtually for everyone to enjoy. Here’s a look at what’s happening online at the museums this summer:

CU Museum of Natural History — Museum From Home events

While the Museum of Natural History remains closed until the fall semester, the Museum From Home program offers up exhibits and more to do from anywhere, with many programs available in Spanish. Among them are:

  • "Horses in the North American West," a virtual exhibit that explores the history of horses and their interactions with and incorporations into society across the region
  • A three-dimensional virtual tour of the museum's palentology hall
  • "Snakes of Colorado," which spotlights the 29 different species of snake that make the Centennial State their home
  • "Ross Sea: The Last Ocean," spotlighting the sea; its biologically diverse ecosystem; and the work of Boulder artist John Weller, a team of scientists, policy makers, and ordinary citizens from around the world who worked tirelessly to have the Ross Sea designated as a marine protected area.

Kate Petley's Equal Measure (2021), an archival print and acrylic on canvas, 72 x 76 inches. (Photo courtesy of the artist and Robischon Gallery)

Kate Petley's Equal Measure (2021), an archival print and acrylic on canvas, 72 x 76 inches. (Photo courtesy of the artist and Robischon Gallery)

CU Art Museum exhibitions

The CU Art Museum will remain closed to the public through mid-August. When the museum reopens, it will play host to several exhibitions and plenty of programs

  • "Kate Petley: Staring into the Fire," opening in the fall, will bring together a new body of work comprised of abstract photographs and works on canvas.
  • "Tim Whiten: Tools of Conveyance" will feature work from the Toronto-based artist when it also opens in the fall, organized around themes and processes that emerge in his creations. These include thresholds and transitions; interactions between domestic and creative art forms; and the primacy of mark making.
  • A third exhibition, "The Art That Made Medicine," will open in September and traces the interconnections between artistic practice and medical knowledge in Western anatomical illustration from the late 1400s to the mid-1900s.

Additionally, the museum has selected an artist in residence, LaMont Hamilton, who will be at the museum in late September through October.

In the meanwhile, a variety of virtual activites are available from the museum, including coloring books pages and close looking exercises.

CU Boulder Heritage Center

The CU Boulder Heritage Center presents the history of the CU Boulder campus and its alumni. While the physical location of the Heritage Center remains closed to the public due to the pandemic, some of its exhibits can be viewed online.

The center's most recent exhibit is "Caps Off!", which follows the history of CU Boulder's commencement ceremonies. From the first commencement in 1882 with six graduates to current ceremonies, this ehibit traces the traditions and trends of commencement through the decades.

In addition, two of the center's physical exhibits have been adapted for online visitors:

  • "Here Comes Ralphie!" explores the history of CU's mascots, with a focus on the university's beloved Ralphie. Learn about where Ralphie came from and some of her extraordinary appearances through the years.
  • "Building the University: The First 30 Years" showcases the photography work of Professor J. Raymond Brackett, with over 170 old glass plate negatives that document the university’s expansion over the years, beginning in 1884 when Brackett first arrived in Boulder. Brackett's photos reveal sometimes forgotten aspects of CU Boulder's campus history, including some buildings that no longer exist.

Finally, the Heritage Center's new CU StoryBank allows faculty, students, staff and the public to contribute their CU stories and experiences to the center directly.