In 'Moments That Made US,' History Colorado showcases 50 artifacts that shaped American history

DENVER — Crossing the threshold of History Colorado’s latest exhibit, “Moments That Made US,” my ears detect a weeping strings section that calls to mind shining seas and amber waves of grain. There is a real reverence here, like walking into a church. Historical artifacts everywhere I look, from the 1600s to present day. 

Moments from the moon landing, Vietnam War, Great Depression and freedom of the press — long confined to history textbooks and archived news reels — are now on display at a new exhibit at History Colorado called “Moments that Made US.”

The product of more than five years of development and many hours of deep research and collecting of resources, Moments That Made US, showing at History Colorado through October 2026, is a collection of 50 artifacts from various defining moments in U.S. history. From Jackie Robinson’s baseball bat to antique homesteading equipment, senior exhibition developer Gwen Lockman says this experience is once in a generation.

“We have objects here that you would never get to see in Colorado normally,” Dr. Lockman said.

The collection is made up of artifacts from the History Colorado collection, as well as items on loan from collections across the country. Lockman hopes that the exhibit conveys not just the vast reach of American history, but also Colorado’s pivotal role.

“Colorado was a leading state in the fight for the women’s vote,” Lockman said. “Coloradans were part of multiracial coalitions, all advocating for the rights of all women.” 

The exhibition is part of History Colorado’s “America 250 - Colorado 150” celebration, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence while simultaneously celebrating Colorado's 150th birthday. 

“Colorado wasn’t a state in 1776, but we wanted to think about what the Declaration of Independence meant out west at the time,” Lockman said. “I think Colorado is an example of what good state history can look like.” 

The formal term for this dual anniversary is called a Sesquisemiquincentennial (try saying that three times fast). Colorado is the only state in the nation celebrating a dual anniversary. 

“Historians like to say that the past is a foreign country,” Lockman said. “We don’t know exactly what it was like, but that’s why we try to explore it through many different lenses.