As an institution, the unique and treasured Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum—housed in the old, historic El Paso County Courthouse, which functioned from 1903 to’73—has undergone an extensive renovation with the intention of preserving their priceless values.
Preserving the Past
What did this involve? Essentially, an entire overhaul of their HVAC system, so they can house their valuable art and historical artifacts at a proper temperature. Atmosphere control is vital for any museum.
“So first and foremost, this project began with the need to replace an ailing, aged HVAC system,” says Leah Davis-Witherow, historical curator of the Pioneers Museum.
Witherow is well aware of the professional preservation of history and art. It’s critical for museums to have their environment controlled in order for their collections to exist, preserved in perpetuity.
“That is our number-one responsibility,” says Witherow. “The project began—and burgeoned—because our HVAC system has been faulty occasionally. I wanted it nipped in the bud before it became a real problem.”
Witherow has a Bachelor of Arts in history, with a certification in Eastern European and Russian studies. She’s also highly experienced and specialized in the historical culture of Colorado—and specifically, Colorado Springs. To put it simply: she knows what she’s doing.
New Exhibit
In addition to the HVAC overhaul, there are other visible, fresh changes. One is a grand and brand-new exhibit featuring women: 50% of the Story: Women Expressing Creativity.
“If we’re not talking about women in history and their impact on culture, we’re missing 50 percent of the story,” Witherow says. “This is the first time that there will be a significant regional exhibit on women artists. And that should be surprising to most folks. Why hasn’t this happened before?”
Museum collections across the country are vast.
“But on average, museums that collect art, 92 percent of that art is created by men and eight percent is created by women,” Witherow says. “So, museums have a collecting problem. We’ve missed out on opportunities to feature women artists.”
“Women have always imbued memory and meaning into objects,” Witherow says. “Weaving, or a piece of embroidery that your grandmother or your aunt made—the intention, the meaning, the memory, that connection in that object is a powerful storytelling tool. Women share stories, memories and history.”
The Building Itself
“The historic 1903 El Paso County Courthouse is the museum’s largest artifact and home,” adds Diane Stine, development director. “In order to protect the building, our collections, and exhibits, we need to be able to maintain a stable environment in these spaces. For most visitors, they will not see the result of this work, but they will feel it.”
What Else Is New?
- Camping in the Rockies. A fun play space where kids aged two to eight can practice camping in “the great outdoors” of Colorado.
- Accessorize It! Drawing on the vast collections of the CSPM, this open storage display shares a wide variety of interesting objects. From shoes and hats to jewelry and pipes, there’s something for everyone in this eclectic exhibit.
- Visible Collections Workspace: A behind-the-scenes view of how the museum works. See how objects are catalogued and prepared for exhibition in the newly renovated collections workspace.
And, of course, there are still so many existing exhibits to explore at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, such as The Story of Us and COS@150.
Website: https://www.cspm.org/
Facebook + Instagram: @CSPioneersMuseum
“Women have always imbued memory and meaning into objects.” -Leah Davis-Witherow