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Step into the past at the Victor Thomas Lowell Museum

In 1890 and 1891, prospectors in the Pikes Peak region discovered the rich gold ore that touched off the legendary Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Rush. With the modern comforts we enjoy today, it can be difficult to imagine what the gold rush was like for people living it. For an authentic gold rush experience of your own, visit our Pikes Peak Culture Pass partner Victor Thomas Lowell Museum in Victor, Colorado. Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) cardholders can check out a no-cost entry pass to this piece of regional history through the Culture Pass program.

Located in the heart of the town of Victor, the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum features displays exploring the historic gold mining days, as well as the miners and pioneers, some of them millionaires, who made the town famous. Victor’s history is one of exploration, ranching, gold mining, and railroading. The museum showcases two floors of artifacts, books, exhibits, and photographs depicting life in Victor from its beginnings to the heyday of gold mining. Among the exhibits you will find a diamond dust mirror, a large collection of mining artifacts, themed-rooms, and an old-fashioned doctor's office!

The 1899 building the museum calls home is a historic experience of its own, boasting its original wood floors, tin ceilings, and many fixtures dating back to the gold rush era.

While you are there, be sure to check out the newly renovated Lowell Thomas room. The exhibit is dedicated to sharing the life of famous journalist, author, and world traveler Lowell Thomas after whom the museum was named.

Victor Thomas Lowell Museum joined our Culture Pass program in June 2023 to increase awareness about the museum, the Town of Victor, and life in the gold rush era among PPLD patrons. What a great opportunity for library cardholders to experience a taste of the gold rush while enjoying a short drive out west!

Patrons can check out a Culture Pass to the Victor Museum in the summer months, and some weekends in the fall, weather permitting. Victor Thomas Lowell Museum will celebrate its 65th anniversary on June 26, 2024. Learn more about the celebration and the museum on their website.

Chuck Asay exhibit coming to the Library in 2024

Announcing an upcoming gallery exhibit at the Library! The exhibit will be at Penrose Library for the month of May, starting on Fri., May 3.

On the day that the gallery opens, join us for a workshop with Asay from 4 – 5 p.m. at Library 21c. During the workshop, Asay will explore his inspiration, his career as a cartoonist, and the pieces featured in the gallery. Asay, who worked at the Taos News, the Colorado Springs Sun, and briefly for The Denver Post, was the featured political cartoonist for The Gazette for more than 20 years, from 1986 to 2007. He retired from The Gazette in March of 2007.

After his retirement, Asay’s art and commentary lived on in syndication for six more years, reaching audiences worldwide through hundreds of newspapers. In 2013 Asay put aside his pens, pencil, and paper after drawing a final cartoon in his lauded style announcing his full retirement in June of that year.

Colorado Springs entrepreneur Jon Medved and the Medved Family Charitable Fund approached the Library about bringing Asay’s art to the Pikes Peak region. The exhibit highlights his work, applauds his talent, and fosters discussion about the artist’s commentary as a retrospective on the time nearly 40 years ago.

The exhibit will feature more than 30 of Asay’s cartoons through the end of March in the galleries at both Library 21c and East Library. It will be on display at Penrose Library later in 2024.

Stop by to browse the exhibit, and view much of Asay’s work online in our Digital Collections. Over the last few years, Pikes Peak Library District has worked with The Gazette to digitize more than 10,000 cartoons that Asay drew for the paper, archiving them in our digital photo archive housed by our Regional History & Genealogy department.

Graphic for Asian American & Pacific Islanders

Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2024

Throughout May, the Library is celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, recognizing the cultures, experiences, and contributions of the AAPI community. Join us in celebrating with the booklists and resources on this page.

Booklists

Resources

Kanopy
Enjoy films and documentaries by or celebrating AAPI people.
Hoopla
Explore Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with movies and TV shows on Hoopla.
CultureGrams
Experience the world through cultural information on more than 200 countries with CultureGrams and other resources in our Countries & Cultures Guide. In CultureGrams, explore all the U.S. states in colorful, engaging reports.
Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute
Learn about opportunities to connect with Chinese culture here in Colorado Springs with the Colorado Springs Chinese Cultural Institute.
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resources for Teachers
This collection of lessons and resources for grades K – 12 social studies, literature, and the arts will help educators explore AAPI heritage with their students.
National Park Service
Planning a vacation? Take in some of these historical sites from the National Park Service.
Asian Art Museum
Find activities for kids and families and explore AAPI heritage in creative ways.
Hmong flute/qeej
Learn about Asian and Pacific Island Instruments in this video.
Japanese taiko drumming
Watch professional Japanese taiko drummers perform.
Traditional Korean music
Jump into the world of traditional Korean music with this video from the Musical Instrument Museum of Brussels.

Regional History & Genealogy Resources:

Books from the Carnegie Library - Special Collections (Some titles are available for checkout from other library locations)