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Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum
Category: Arts & Entertainment Museums Museums [Edit]
987 Lookout Mountain RdGolden, CO 80401
(303) 526-0744
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 9 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
20 reviews for Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum
20 reviews in English
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Review from Sandra S.
5/21/2012
Never in a million years would I ever think that I would end up in a place like this!
Gotta love the spontaneity!!!
Prior to coming here, I don't even recall knowing who Buffalo Bill even was. I mean...don't judge me, I'm from NYC :)
I loved this place because I got a chance to learn who Buffalo Bill was in about an hour. I loved that they had a special theatre where they played a video and you got to see what he was known for.
The museum was super cool and seeing his grave site was even cooler! -
Review from Craig F.
Boulder, CO
5/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Lived here a long time and this has been on my list for years. Wish I would have visited sooner. Great museum, great gift shop and cafe, and an amazing location. Bring a lunch if you'd like and spend some time.
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Review from Michael W.
Denver, CO
11/23/2011
When a museum is dedicated to one individual it is very important that they have artifacts from that persons life on display. I've been to museums where this is not the case, and for the most part that has always signified a terrible museum.
Buffalo Bills museum is quite the opposite of those kinds of rinky dink establishments. There is a treasure trove of stuff from his life here. Firearms, show posters, clothes, Indian artifacts, etc.
I was really impressed with how in depth the exhibits were. For instance seeing a financial ledger from one his shows was pretty cool to me (I guess that makes me some kind of nerd).
My father is a Vet and I'm active duty so the lack of a discount unless we were in uniform (that's what the lady seriously said) kinda pissed me off. I'm not big on feeling like I need a discount, but you can't seriously offer a discount under those pretenses. -
Review from Kent R.
Boulder, CO
7/17/2011
OK Pilgrims, there is only ONE way to do this thing.
1. Start blasting Camper Van Beethoven's "Where The Hell Is Bill" about halfway up the Lookout Mountain drive. Repeat as necessary. Seriously. Just keep playing it over and over.
2. At the top, disembark, walk to the grave, and pay homage. Shots of bourbon are optional, but highly recommended. Tequila or a good IPA will do in a pinch. Just don't dishonor His memory with crap like Coors.
3. Grab a greasy burger and rings at the restaurant. Enjoy, without guilt, and head home.
Deviate as you choose, but I cannot guarantee a 5 star experience. -
Review from Caitlin M.
Livermore, CA
9/21/2011 1 photo
The museum was really quite interesting and intriguing for all ages. It was only $5 for adults so I highly recommend it. The Gift Shop was big and quite eclectic, they had anything and everything you could think of.
Even though I'm not much of a history buff I still enjoyed coming up here. Unfortunately they day we drove up it happened to be extremely foggy so the view from Lookout Mountain, well, was kind of non existent.
Now if you don't care about Buffalo Bill or (what's supposed to be) a very pretty view, come here for the fudge! I met the nice lady who makes it and shes as sweet as can be and man oh man can she make some delicious fudge!
Just on a side note though their "cafe" is pretty much just nachos, soft pretzels and buffalo chili. So don't count on coming here to get a good meal, come here for the fudge. -
Review from Samantha S.
Denver, CO
6/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I think that if you are into Buffalo Bill you would truly appreciate this place.... I enjoyed it... mainly for the views from the Trading Post.
I was wondering why my GPS told me it would take me 30 minutes to go 4 or so miles, and that is due to the twisty, turvey, sometimes narrow road to the top. We enjoyed it, as each turn showed us new views.... I.. personally... almost dropped dead from a heart attack when around one of those curves came a skateboarder who apparently liked to take things to the extreme.
Once we got to the top, the views were breathtaking. Words can't describe them, and everything was green and fresh this time of the year. You can go on a tour of the museum - I think tickets were $ 4 or $5 ... its was interesting... they show a video that has poor quality and maybe be many many years old. LOL. Not something kids would like.. but adults may appreciate if trying to understand who exactly Buffalo Bill was.
The kids may appreciate the horse and calf that you can put on some rodeo gear and sit on top of... great photo op. Also then you can put on some feathers near the tepee and fancy yourself an Indian too.
We went up to the grave, it was that- a grave.. but still cool if you are into the story of the Wild West and Buffalo Bill.
It was my first time here and I brought my family from out of town. I would come back again to take out of towners- because I think they would enjoy the ride up, the views, and a little bit of that history... -
Review from Doug C.
10/26/2010
It feels a little bit like blasphemy to only give three stars to what is essentially a gravesite. But I'm not really mocking the dead or anything like that. And this isn't a bad experience, it just may not entirely be worth the journey.
Let me explain.
The Buffalo Bill Museum is a bit out of the way near Golden, CO. It's at the top of Lookout Mountain and you'll do a pretty long, steep haul up the mountainside to get here. Although I was in a rental car, just doing the journey made me a little tired. More impressively, there are a number of bikers lumbering up the hill.
The journey itself is almost worth it. From the top of Lookout Mountain, there are some great views sweeping across the town of Golden. I suspect you could probably make a hike of it and do a picnic here and be pretty much happy.
The museum is a bit of a let down, although it may be more from the anticipation from the long drive. There's a museum, gift shop and small cafe (appropriately selling buffalo burgers). The museum consists of an informative 10 minute video of Bill Cody's life as a scout, entrepreneur, and entertainer. There's a corresponding small area with a few exhibits of souvenirs from the wild west. This museum can easily be done in less than an hour.
Just around the corner from the gift shop and museum is the gravesite. Like most graves, it's one of those things where you walk up, pause in silence for a moment, take a picture, turn around and say "okay, let's go." -
Review from Chris V.
Albuquerque, NM
5/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
The drive to the top of Lookout mountain is beautiful, and the view of Denver, back range of the Rockies, Golden, etc is really pretty.
The museum itself is interesting, tickets were $5 for an adult, so it's not terribly expensive and the fee helps to fund the museum and preserve the site. The exhibits are mostly items that belonged to Buffalo Bill during his life, along with photos and a couple of audio recordings (which were sort of creepy, really) dubbed from wax cylinders.
There is a short film that does a decent job of giving an overview of the history of Bill's life and death and runs around 15 mins or so.
The gift shop is what you'd expect - lots of western gimmicky stuff, western hats, ornamental spoons, postcards, etc.
The grave site is well preserved and is located up a short trail from the museum and gift shop.
I'd say the museum and site are worth a visit if you're in to old west history, or if you like museums. The scenery is well worth the drive to the top of the mountain, even if you don't visit the museum. -
Review from Tara B.
Denver, CO
2/4/2009
Not the greatest museum I've ever been to, but not a complete waste of time either. Let me break it down:
The Museum Proper: A little kitschy, a little cool. I recommend starting with the free movie that runs on a loop about Buffalo Bill. Seeing it first puts the rest of the exhibits in perspective. The exhibits are interesting and include authentic costumes, posters and other ephemera from his time. Very interesting look at the end of the Old West, if particularly one sided.
The Gift/Snack Shop: The food is decent and I always appreciate a nice, cold, fountain soda. The gift shop is a wonder. How could so much totally useless and cheap stuff be collected all in one place? I must confess though, this is exactly the crap I always bought when on vacation as a kid. Who doesn't want a snowglobe with a buffalo in it?
The Location: Here's the kicker. Driving to the tippy top of a long road my grandfather-in-law nearly killed us. I'll take responsibility for being foolish enough to bring them out here on one of their first days on vacation, I just didn't think about how much thinner they'd find the air. Several heart-stopping moments occurred as they gulped for air both on the way up and while walking up to the snack shop from the museum. The lack of oxygen didn't do much for conversation either.
I'm not sorry I went, but boy, am I gonna think twice about going again!Listed in: Colorful Colorado
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Review from Mo C.
12/1/2008
A complete tourist trap.
Okay, I know, I should have known that Buffalo Bill's Gravesite would be a total tourist trap. It's the kind of place you drive up in the hills to the middle of nowhere just to hike up to a gravestone. The view isn't so great from up there either. For some reason, some cell phone company (or something like that) decided to put up a huge tower right in the middle of what potentially was a nice view. The placards don't really tell you much about Buffalo Bill. It's just that place they get you to so they can sell you fudge and buffalo chili.
Agree with other reviewers that the gift shop is quite eclectic. The fudge is good. But, I can't say that I'll recommend this place to anyone. It's just not worth the trip up the hill.Comment from Steve F. of Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum 5/30/2010
It sounds like you missed the museum on your trip. Had you… More » -
Review from Joshua E.
Los Angeles, CA
9/1/2010
A fine excuse to travel to a mountain top in the beautiful Rockies just outside Denver. From the top you can even see the Coors Brewery!
The gravesite is a nice little walk uphill and a quaint memorial to a good man and his wife. The cafe at the base served decent coffee, which was a pleasant surprise to this java-snob. The gift shop had a ton of crap, diverting to browse, but probably not worth buying.
I can't comment on the museum, as it didn't seem worth the time or money. Just being up there, however, even if you don't enter a single building at the site, is definitely worth the drive. -
Review from Tricia S.
12/8/2008
I hadn't really thought about writing a review about this place untl yesterday evening. We had been up to the gravesite/museum/gift store as part of our quick tour of Denver in the afternoon, along with a stop at Lookout Mountain and the Red Rocks amphitheater. Turns out my fiance had left his credit card somehow at the gift shop. When we finally realized it last night, we called there and the nicest man answered. When he found out we were only in town for an interview and had no transportation, he offered to bring it to us! It was quite a drive for him and we were really thankful--at first we were a little weirded out because no one is THAT nice anymore, but he wouldn't even accept any gas money from us.
Our little escape to the mountains from Dallas really renewed our faith in mankind! Okay, so I guess that's exaggerating a wee bit, but we did enjoy the sights in Denver and Golden and the Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum was a part of that. Yes, it's touristy, but the gift shop has lots of neat souvenirs and some yummy-sounding homemade food at the restaurant.Listed in: Denver, CO
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Review from Becky S.
Denver, CO
12/2/2008
Working in downtown Golden, I get the question a hundred times a day, "What is there to do/see in Golden?" And every time I hear it, I'm hesitant to recommend Buffalo Bill's Grave.
I remember my first trip up Lookout Mountain, driving past the big M, and ending up at Wild Bill Cody's good old burial site. I had never seen the mountains before. So when I get the question, I follow up with "Where are you from?" just so I get an idea. If they're from east of the Mississippi I sent them on up and tell them how great it is. And if they're from around here or west, I tell them the TRUTH:
Buffalo Bill's Grave is nothing more than a ploy to get money out of you. They've got a great little gift shop of useless Colorado memorabilia. You know, if you need little moose magnets and elk shot glasses. They do have yummy fudge, too. And then there's the museum that you can visit - but no, it's not free. Unless you've never been up the Rocky mountains or have never seen the Denver skyline, then you'll probably yawn and regret that you just wasted all that gas to get to the top.
BONUS for the locals... if you drive west on Highway 6 (The Canyon Road) and look up towards the M, you can see many skeletons of old cars that have driven off the edge. I've always tried to find their escape routes (on foot, of course) while driving up the mountain, but I've been unsuccessful. Let me know if you find any! -
Review from Monica B.
Marin County, CA
11/4/2009
As a super museum nerd, I *loved* this museum.
BEAUTIFUL views from the parking lot. The museum itself was in an interesting transition where they are obviously updating the materials, which I appreciated. Since there were newer and older interpretive panels, some information was a bit redundant but overall it was all fascinating and informative.
There is an info film they run, which gives great insight into who Buffalo Bill Cody was throughout the various points in his life.
The children's activity area of the museum had fantastically clever and innovative hands-on activities, my favorite of which was an opportunity to lasso a calf! Great ideas left me inspired for the museum I work for.
The gift shop was expansive, and most of the Colorado items I purchased on my trip were from here-everything from fridge magnets to coonskin caps.
The cafe was mediocre in quality, but the view was simply amazing.
VERY pleased to have made the trip, and look forward to visiting again sometime in the future. -
Review from Jennifer H.
Los Angeles, CA
11/28/2006
A great little place tucked on a hill with expansive views.
Just right amount of history and personality. The museum was not one continuous display but had several themes.
It's nothing fancy, but one does walk away with a new appreciation for this wild cowoby. Who knew that much of what we think of the West influenced by this one man? -
Review from Gitana G.
Arvada, CO
1/7/2008
This is a great place to take your out-of-town guests. First, It has a great view of the city. Second, the museum reinforces the cowboy/wild west theme with authentic cowboy artifacts and cool vintage rodeo posters. Third, the gift shop is hands down, by far the most inclusive knick-knack, curio-souvenir crammed store in the metro area. I was surprised; who knew?
Bring a lunch and picnic or stop by the grill. -
Review from Levi L.
Arvada, CO
6/1/2011 2 Check-ins Here
A great stop for any out of towners - my parents loved the birds eye view of Denver and the historical Buffalo Bill info - I love this place. Super "westerny".
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Review from Brian A.
Denver, CO
4/27/2008
Great views, but why are we celebrating a man who slaughtered untold numbers of buffalo? Do you know how much better our views of the plains would be with herds of wild buffalo running around? Two stars if the museum actually explained how ruinous Buffalo Bill was to the American West.
Comment from Steve F. of Buffalo Bill Memorial Museum 5/30/2010
Explaining that Buffalo Bill was ruinous to the American… More » -
Review from jen s.
Hamilton Square, NJ
7/13/2009 2 photos
It is what it is. Yes, it's a hokey tourist attraction with a cheesy gift shop, but it was our first time in Colorado (or anywhere "out West"), so it was pretty informative for us and not a bad way to spend a relaxing afternoon. Maybe it's just because I'm used to being at sea level, but I thought the view from the top of Lookout Mountain was spectacular and I could have sat there staring at it for a long, long time. It was definitely worth the trip up. We also stopped at the buffalo preserve in Genesee Park on the way, which I'd also recommend. The buffalo were awesome and it was nice to see them in a natural, but protected environment.
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Review from Robert P.
San Jose, CA
4/14/2005
Way Cool Memorial to an American-Icon!! Definately a place too check-out!! ;-)
