My family and I recently stayed in FairPlay for a week. We saved the museum for the last part of our trip and it was definitely worth the wait. We had the best time and spent over two hours checking everything out. It is the coolest place for all ages. If you like the Wild West then you are really going to enjoy this. So many buildings and artifacts to check out. Such a great way to learn the history of Leadville. The associates were very friendly. There was even an associate that walked around outside in case you had any questions. There are scavenger sheets for the kids. There's even a video that you can watch in one of the buildings. Make sure to climb around on the caboose and train engine. Are you tired but haven't got to see everything yet? Your ticket allows you to leave and come back during the same day. Such an affordable price for such a fun adventure. If we are ever in the area again we will definitely be back. Keep up the great job!! read more

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We loved this place! So much history to see and experience, it was fantastic getting to walk thru all the old historic buildings and see all the amazing antiques and artifacts. We were rushing a bit but still had a great time and got to see everything we wanted. Would definitely recommend a stop here when you're in the area! read more

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Such a cool place with amazing history lessons throughout! Definitely walk through South Park City!!!! read more

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What a cool place! Rare to find a history museum that has so much detail. You can literally walk through an entire ghost town. Loved it! read more

South Park City Museum - Museums Near Me - Fairplay, Colorado

Hidden jewel we stumbled into traveling from Can(yon) City to Breckinridge. Very friendly staff, happy to help you get started on the self guided tour through rescued 1880's era buildings chocked full of memorabilia. Undertaker, dentist and druggist were interesting but MUST see is the mortality list for 36 miners killed through various misfortunes, including inferior medical care after a miner broke his elbow in a brawl! Find it in the mining equipment room when you duck under the conveyor belt...Watch your head!! read more

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We finally made time to stop at the most amazing place. Learned a lot about Father Dwyer, For traders, the gold rush and help people lived during that time. It definitely was a walk to history, life is hard but life is good. I WOULD RECOMMEND. read more

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If there's a better "ghost town" museum in this country, I'd love to see it. This indoor/outdoor museum is AMAZING, and by itself is worth a trip to Fairplay. I expected to stay an hour or so, but was there for nearly three. Everyone was having a blast, from little kids in awe of the train (do not miss going inside the caboose!), to adults several decades my senior appreciating the history of gold mining. You really won't believe everything this museum has to offer - it's essentially a completely reconstructed Main Street from the 1800s, plus gold mines. There is so much to see and learn, they've even posted additional stories/background for some of the sites on their YouTube page! For example, they've got Alma's old bank (many of the buildings were brought in from the surrounding Park area), and the YouTube video tells the story of a time it was robbed. Don't miss the inn (go upstairs), Rache's Place, or the general store. Just go, follow the map, stop to watch the video, and enjoy! read more

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Very unique combination of an indoor and outdoor museum experience. The $10 entry is a good value. Follow the map to visit 42 different buildings dating back to the late 1800s....some in their original spots, and many relocated from other small towns in the area. Either way, you get a pretty good idea what it was like to live in this part of the state during the time. We spent around 90 mins here, but I could see how you could easily spend several hours if you're the type to read everything in a museum. read more

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This is incredible. You get a (rain-ready) map like you're in Epcot. And like a theme park this is a museum you could spend days in and still not see everything they have. Each building is a mini-museum, with artifacts and stories, you could spend hours reading newspaper insulation. If you have any engineering interests, this is the gold. They have a lot of machines and 19th-century tech on display. And ... rock collections, arrow head histories, animal skins, a building with an older display (but highly detailed) dioramas of early mining, and then a separate building they just outfitted, with the further history of mining going into the 20th century up to now, with a movie, it's really, really well done. The entire operation is... they have a section where you walk through a mine and by the end you're seeing it in a mill. And then having it valued. Going slow worked, popping out to eat down front street, going back in, you start to get a feel of it if you spend a whole day. It's really incredible. read more

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Sort of a sleeper and very pleasant surprise in Fairplay! We really enjoyed our afternoon walking through South Park City! Joined on Living History Days when people were dressed in period clothing and acted out gun fights, played games in the saloon and enjoyed as they might have in the late 1800's. Entrance fee is reasonable and there are many buildings to explore. The gift store is also nice. Easy to spend 2-3 hours here and learn of the wonderful history in the South Park area. Highly recommend a visit! read more

I was really impressed with the value for our money on this visit. Walk through a historic town with so much to offer!! Serious museum stuff in the buildings. We could bring water in, and after 40+ stops in the summer heat, we were so happy the ticket allows all day access to stop for a beer or ice cream and come back. read more

South Park City Museum - Museums Near Me - Fairplay, Colorado

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An outstanding collection of 1800s buildings, well restored and cared for, presented with engaging interpretation. And the setting with the mountain backdrop is great. This doesn't represent any single place or period, as buildings have been relocated from different areas and were fit for different situations, but it's informative and interesting for kids and adults. Being able to enter over 40 buildings made it an exciting exploration for a young kid. The museum displays in the rebuilt brewery are a bit dated, but they still contribute. There are also some odd collections like rocks and kids' dolls that were donated to the museum over the years that distract a bit from the core mission, but these can be overlooked. read more

Wow! What a wonderful surprise! For just $9 adults and $4 kids (coupon on their webpage) a great recreation of a gold mining town! Highlights was the caboose, train, mining center, school house, and the pharmacy! The fact you can touch most things and walk in to each building was a plus. So well done! A wonderful educational place for kids. Hit a beautiful day and even stayed 2.5 hours with 9 and 11 year old's! A must see! read more

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When Dennis and I were on vacation out in Colorado to see my brother and his family, Dennis and made a day trip out to Breckenridge and stopped here in Fairplay to this cool museum since we were passing through. This was one of the coolest museums that I have ever been too. The museum is an ENTIRE COLORADO TOWN from the early 1800's that has been preserved and frozen in time. All the building are intact and have been restored. The town actually has an old steam engine and train car, post office, general store, blacksmith shop, stables, houses, church, and more. We spent a good portion of the afternoon there and were just astonished buy the history of the pioneers that made the old west what it is today who lived under such harsh living conditions. read more

South Park City Museum - Museums Near Me - Fairplay, Colorado

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Just when I thought this place couldn't get any better we accidentally visit when they have play-acting volunteers. It took this awesome cowboy town to a whole new level. There was a sewing circle outside the parlor house where my niece got to try out her hand at stitching. They talked about why people worked together to make quilts and were unbelievably friendly. In fact, everyone was! The washer woman sat outside to teach the kids how they used to wash clothes. How do my kids not know what a washboard is? We'll have to change that. At the old train, play actors put on short skits of train robbers. Wyatt Earp even made an appearance. My 7yo was transfixed. All the younger kids couldn't handle the sound of the blanks from the guns. I would avoid around noon when they put this on for the special days they do this if you have young ones or kids sensitive to loud noises. The blacksmith was out to talk about how they used their metal tools. My dad got lost in an in-depth conversation there. My kids absolutely adored the woman who was spinning yarn. Each kiddo asked lots of questions (including me) and got to try out the spinning wheel. I'd never seen one in action. It was cool to see how it actually worked. Plus, we got to bring home a short amount of the yarn the boys made. These play actor days are special -- not part of the usual set up. We came here last year and loved it but seeing the people in action really added to the town. I know my boys will remember this visit. I highly recommend you call or visit their website to find out when the volunteers will be there. But either way, this is a great place to take the kids -- both young and old. read more

Stop the car! What a great little historical site! Everyone in the family, old and young, enjoyed our time here. It wasn't the typical "ghost town" and is instead a museum with area and period artifacts that you can get up close and personal with. So many things to do, so many things to see. The adults especially loved the fine print on the tour and the views. The kids loved the mine and the train. This is a must visit, and clearly doesn't get the visibility it deserves. Stop the car, turn around and head on back for some good 'ole family fun. TIP: Your ticket is good for the entire day, so you may come and go for lunch or otherwise as you please. read more

South Park City Museum - Museums Near Me - Fairplay, Colorado

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I can't say I love this place enough. I think it flies totally under the radar, and maybe that's better because less tourists means it remains less crowded and in better shape. Came after they reopened post COVID and masks and social distancing were enforced in the ticketing office and thru the park. Wonderful place to just stroll around and peruse the old buildings, artifacts and wildlife. Less people also meant more wildlife sighting this time. We truly enjoyed it and will be back soon. read more

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South Park City Museum offers an accurate representation of a mining town between 1860 and 1900. Visitors take self-guided tours of a Colorado mining era boomtown with 44 authentic buildings and 60,000 artifacts. Some of the buildings are original to the site and others were moved from abandoned camps and ghost towns in the South Park Region. The buildings have been restored to include room settings true to the period. This is a true gem and is definitely something folks visiting the area should make time for! Open May 15th to October 15th. You can find more information and coupons for savings on entry tickets at www.southparkcity.org. read more

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My brother, mom, and I loved this place!! It was so neat and so well thought out. They have SO much stuff from the 1800s-1900s. Also one of the employees told us that their pharmacy building has the record for the most vintage pharmacy items and at that even the most best in shape pharmacy items i think in the whole US. He was super sweet too! If you're anywhere near Fairplay this is a must!! And there's even a cute and sweet kitty in the gift shop!! read more

South Park City Museum - Kitty in the gift shop!! So sweet!! - Museums Near Me - Fairplay, Colorado

no. absolutely fucking not. so god damned fucking tired of lies in the advertisement. it says it closes at 7 but it simply does not close at 7. it closes at fucking 6. so when you drive 1.5h to see a cool thing, you should less be given that information by them. it is not on me. it is on you. this is your fault, be forthcoming to your customers on your fucking advertisement on google and the rest. it is incumbent on you not me. you. you. you. be responsible and respectful and dont lie. be courteous and dont lie. fuck you liars. read more

I've been as a kid, as a teen and as an adult and I still just love it so much every single time! It's totally worth stopping in and seeing a well-preserved time capsule of what life was like in the past. The nostalgia accompanied by the fresh rocky mountain air make this place a must-see if you're in Fairplay! read more

If you're into the history of mining and the South Park area, this is a very interesting self-guided tour through a restored Old West village. The historical society has amassed an exhaustive collection of area artifacts from the time period and placed them in situ to help give context and interest the way most museums don't. read more

Surprisingly entertaining. The $10 fee for this place is worth it. It's was much larger than I thought it would be. We had fun looking at all the old surgical equipment and medicines. read more

This is an amazing collection of historical buildings (42 in all?) from the mid to late 1800s. Each building shares a bit on what frontier life was about. Trappers, miners, ranchers and all the support that gathered with them (doctors, saloons, newspapers, dentists, general stores, pharmacy, church, bank, stage coach stopover). Hats off to the FairPlay community for creating a most unique historical experience. read more

After driving past here for years, my husband and I decided to stop and give it a try. It was fantastic!! I'm not usually a fan of museums, but this place was a lot of fun. I was so impressed with their collection, and it really felt like we were going back in time. It is most definitely worth a stop. Don't miss out on the coupon on their website! read more

I absolutely loved this place. You can walk around at your own pace and spend as much time as you want in each of the buildings. And there's so much to look at in each building. I was surprised that you could get so close to a lot of the things there. It's not a huge site, but there's plenty to see. I think me and The Hubs spent about two hours looking at stuff and we weren't the least bit bored. I would definitely go back the next time we're in the area. read more

Wow! This place was a great little find on our way through town. It is a recreated 1880's mining town. Filled with so many antiques and artifacts from the era that history really comes alive. Building after building was so interesting and well presented that it deserves nothing less than five stars. The engine of the old train you can climb into and same thing with the caboose. It was a nice change of pace from the museums that have signs all over that say "keep off" or "dont touch". In fact, many of the buildings had antiques that you can touch. The price was reasonable at $9 an adult. Figure on spending about 2 to 3 hours. read more

Super fun old ghost town to go to with a self guided tour. It's worth the drive. There are a lot of original old houses along the way. The staff is really nice and really dig the silver line history of colorado. read more

What amazed me so much about this museum is the number of artifacts that were collected locally. I felt like I stepped back in time and could move around the buildings like I was part of the town. My young teens really enjoyed the experience and this is a highlight of our trip. Great for families. read more

South Park City Museum - Trying out the tools at the Assay House. - Museums Near Me - Fairplay, Colorado

Took an evening tour so we didn't get to see all the buildings but tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Everything we saw and learned about was very interesting. Definitely going back for a daytime tour to see the rest. read more

A very pleasant trip back in time. Lots of artifacts and displays - soda fountain, doctor's and dentist offices, rocks, mining tools, train, and more. I had a much better time than I expected! A true museum. read more

South Park City Museum - Museums Near Me - Fairplay, Colorado

I'm a huge history geek, so this place was a dream come true to me! The buildings are all preserved incredibly well and are stocked with tons of different artifacts that really bring the history to life. It's an entire town, complete with a church, general store, school, brewery, mine, and more. All of the buildings are marked with numbers that correspond to a map so you're able to learn more about each building and what it was used for. This was an unexpected find for us as we were driving through Fairplay, but one of the highlights of our trip! read more

If you are a history buff, then you will enjoy this museum. Lots of artifacts from the gold mining era and a terrific little gift shop.

Don't miss this amazing place. The exhibits inside and out are wonderful. You can spend the whole day.

Despite there being clear signs to wear masks in the buildings it's not being enforced. Over 80% of the visitors are have masks either taken off or below their chins in the buildings that make up the museum. Some weren't even bothering to pull them up when another person walked in. read more

I grew up in this town and toured this museum once as a youngster at silver heels middle school. this place is very family friendly and the staff are very nice. They have collected so many historical artifacts it's incredible! Every building you enter has you enticed for more and smiling with excitement. Not only is it interactive for children and adults alike but it's educational. read more

STOP HERE! You'll walk through the museum to find yourself in history! All ages will delight in exploring the old buildings filled with real-time artifacts of the past, and feel like you're really a miner, blacksmith, fur trader, rancher, worshipper, rail road worker, and the list goes on and on. Stop by the shop on your way out for more facts, souvenirs, candy and drinks. Staff are incredibly nice and helpful!!! My daughter, 12, and I loved our visit to South Park!! You will too!! I use a power wheelchair so I want to say a few words regarding accessibility. Admission for me was free as they told me upfront that it's not all accessible. Much appreciated! My expectations are quite low at such historical places, because there must be a reasonable balance between our reality nowadays and keeping true to the reality of history and historical architecture. I could access appropriately half of the buildings. I recognized a conscious effort by the museum to make things accessible! I also recognized some places where it wouldn't take much of a ramp or threshold ramp to make It accessible. When I say accessible, I'm not referring to ADA compliance! Just enough to access from my power wheelchair. read more

I have driven by this place MANY times. So glad I finally stopped. We spent 4 hours and want to come back. Something for everyone who has any interest in history. You can wonder through the old town and check out the big stuff like trains in a few hours. Or you could spend days exploring the detailed exhibits in some of the buildings like the pharmacy, the school, the dentist.......... read more

Not much new to say that's not already been said here. It's definitely a 5-star museum and worth your time and the cost of admission. What sets it apart from other musems is the openness and interactivity of the exhibits. You are not looking through a glass barrier (most of the time) - you are there, in the building, getting into the train, pulling the school house bell, sitting on the bed next to the stairs in the tiny cabin, walking into the mine and touching the rock crusher. We were accompanied by a delightful little black and white cat who apparently found people fascinating until we reached the stagecoach exhibit, where he promptly hopped into a wagon bed nearby, curled up and went to sleep. It makes it easy to imagine yourself living in the town, in that world, in the tiny houses and rough-and-tumble life. I've been to quite a few of these "tourist attractions" in Colorado, and this easily and deservedly ranks in the top 3 without question. It would also be very educational for children without losing an ounce of its appeal to adults. Fascinating. Definitely go if you're within an hour's drive at any time. read more

So much to see here! To do it justice would take many hours or repeated visits. I really enjoyed seeing the old buildings. Would have loved to see dates on all of the buildings to know when they're from exactly, or where they're from, but still a neat experience. read more