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Grand Junction Attractions
The Museum of Western Colorado
For a huge step through time -- from 150 million years ago all the way up to the present -- you'll want to visit the various facilities of the Museum of Western Colorado (tel. 888/488-3466 or 970/242-0971; www.wcmuseum.org). These include the Museum of the West, Dinosaur Journey, and Cross Orchards Historic Farm. In addition, the Museum of Western Colorado manages three natural resource areas, where you can get a firsthand look at the geology and paleontology of western Colorado.
Combination admission tickets to the three facilities below, available at any of the sites, cost $12 adults, $10 seniors 60 and over, and $8 children 12 and under.
Automobile Art
One of the best antique and classic car museums in the American West opened in 2006 in a highly unlikely spot: the tiny community of Gateway, in the middle of nowhere, about an hour's drive southwest of Grand Junction. Part of the Gateway Canyons resort, the Gateway Colorado Auto Museum has some four dozen beautifully restored automobiles -- many of them luxury models of the day -- that trace the history of American automotive design. The cars on display are part of the collection of John Hendricks, the founder and chairman of cable TV's Discovery Channel, who considers the cars as much pieces of art as transportation. The star of the collection is a one-of-a-kind 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 dream car, a fantastic piece of rolling sculpture that cost Hendricks $3.24 million when he bought it at auction specifically for the museum. Also on display are a 1906 Cadillac Model H Coupe, a 1913 Pierce Arrow, a 1939 Packard Darrin (a favorite of Hollywood stars), and a 1941 Lincoln V-12 Zephyr. There are also classics from the 1950s and 1960s, including muscle cars such as the 1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT. All the vehicles are complete, in perfect running condition, and authentic. There are also exhibits on the automobile's influence on American life, from the assembly line to roadside diners to Hollywood glitter.
Gateway Colorado Auto Museum is located in Gateway Canyons resort, in the community of Gateway, on Colo. 141 near the Colorado-Utah border. It's open daily from 10am to 7pm, with the last ticket sold at 5pm. Admission costs $9 for adults, $7 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for children 6 to 12, and free for kids 5 and younger. The resort includes a restaurant, deli, store offering outdoor recreation gear and clothing, and lodging units. The address is 43224 Colo. 141, Gateway, CO 81522 (tel. 866/671-4733 or 970/931-2458; www.gatewayautomuseum.com).
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Art on the Corner
This outdoor sculpture exhibit, with more than 100 works, helps make Grand Junction’s downtown area a feast for the eyes. About half of the sculptures are on loan by the artists for a year, during which time they are for sale, and the rest are on permanent display. Keep an eye out… - Theme Park
Bananas Fun Park
A fun place for kids of all ages (and the adults who are lucky enough to have their kids take them), this amusement park has a great miniature golf course -- with waterfalls, fountains, and ponds -- plus an arcade, go-karts, bumper boats, laser tag, batting cages, a playground, and a… - Historic Site
Cross Orchards Historic Site
With over 22,000 trees on 243 acres, Cross Orchards was one of the largest apple orchards in western Colorado in the early 1900s. Today the remaining 24 acres of the historic site preserve the feel of a real working farm and orchard. Costumed guides lead tours through the original… - Theme Park
Dinosaur Journey
There is a lot to see here, between the robotic triceratops, velociraptor skeletons, and kid-sized dig site where young patrons can uncover bones themselves. The museum also organizes digs in fossil-rich Utah and the Western Slope. Exhibits allow you to get a sense of scale—how… - Museum
John McConnell Math & Science Center of Western Colorado
The eponymous founder of this museum was a retired physicist who focused on education after moving to Grand Junction in 1990. His facility opened in 2000, featuring exhibits on everything from beekeeping to hydrogen fuel cells to bubbles and hosting educational programs and family… - Museum
Museum of the West
The high point of the museum, literally, is the observation tower, offering a stunning view of the local landscape, and the low point is a replica of an underground uranium mine. In between are a wide range of other displays: firearm, a unique fire truck with chain-driven wheels, and… - Museum
The Art Center
Home to working artists in the studios on-site, this is the best art museum on the Western Slope, with 25 different exhibitions annually and an emphasis on works by regional artists. Most exhibitions are up for about a month, with recent shows covering art made of recyclables and… - Park/Garden
Western Colorado Botanical Gardens
This botanical garden along the Colorado River offers a delightful escape into the natural world. Located on 15 acres, the facility s home to more than 600 exotic tropical plants, both indoors and outside. In the butterfly house, visitors stroll through a lush forest of flowering… - Park/Garden
Western Colorado Botanical Gardens and Butterfly House
This botanical garden along the Colorado River offers a delightful escape into the natural world. Located on 15 acres, the facility includes a butterfly house, greenhouse with more than 600 exotic tropical plants, paved trails, and outdoor gardens and demonstration areas. In the…
More About Grand Junction Attractions
Grand Junction Shopping
For Colorado's most artful shopping experience, head to Grand Junction's Downtown Shopping Park, where you'll find a variety of shops, art galleries, and restaurants set amid an outdoor sculpture garden that runs some 7 blocks along Main Street.
One of the best galleries in the Downtown Shopping Park is Working Artists Gallery and Studio, 520 Main St. (tel. 970/256-9952), with a wonderful variety of large -- and expensive -- wondrous things and quite affordable smaller items, including hand-thrown pottery, delightful sculptures, weavings, and wind chimes. In addition, there is an area in the back where you can usually watch an artist at work. There's also a resident cat, though he doesn't always show himself. Another not-to-be-missed stop here is Monument Art Glass, 428 Main St. (tel. 970/245-6800), a galley and studio specializing in handblown glass. You can often watch a glass blower at work, or browse the fascinating and colorful glass objects, ranging from Christmas ornaments to bowls to paperweights, lamps, and bottles.
The western slope's largest indoor shopping mall, Mesa Mall, is located at 2424 U.S. 6 and 50 (tel. 970/242-0009; www.shopmesamall.com). It's anchored by Sears, JCPenney, Target, and Herberger's.
