Collection
Collections
The Louisville Historical Museum began collecting items about the town's history in 1986. Today the collection holds over 21,150 items.
The collection started with a focus on Louisville's early coal mining years, from 1878 to 1955. Its greatest strengths are:
- Artifacts, maps, and records about coal mining in the area
- Historic photos of downtown Louisville
- Items about Louisville families and houses
- Items about immigrants who came to the area
- Business items from the Louisville area
The Museum keeps growing its collection to reflect the growth and diversity of Louisville's people and businesses from the 1950s to today. Our holdings include artifacts that are displayed and explained for visitors, and archival materials used for research. (Archival materials are historic documents and records.) The Museum is also the home for historical items from the town's government.
All items the Museum receives become property of the City of Louisville. As the caretaker of these collections, the Museum and the City preserve and interpret them in keeping with the Museum's mission.
Conservation projects
Conservation means cleaning, repairing, and protecting historic items so they last. Here are two of our notable projects.
Rex Theatre Curtain
This painted theater curtain features ads from local businesses in the 1920s and hangs in the Museum. Local fine arts restorer Lisa Capano cleaned the curtain in 2016, removing decades of dust and grime. The Museum is honored that the curtain was named one of Colorado's "Ten Most Significant Artifacts" in 2016.
Antique Safe
Town Council minutes suggest Louisville bought this safe in 1895 for use in City Hall. Louisville resident Helen Caranci recalls using it when she worked for the town in 1943. In late 2006, ahead of a City Hall renovation, the safe was moved to the City Services building on Empire Road, since it was too large to fit through the doors of the Museum's historic buildings. Lisa Capano restored the safe, and it is now on display at City Hall.
How the collection is organized
The Museum's collections have three parts:
- Permanent collection. Original, one-of-a-kind artifacts, photographs, and archival materials that tell the story of Louisville's history, residents, and businesses. These items are displayed or stored in protected cases or controlled spaces.
- Education collection. Artifacts, photographs, and archival materials, which may include reproductions and newer items. These let visitors learn by touching and using historic items. They are used for demonstrations and can travel off-site to reach a wider audience.
- Reference collection. Books, newspapers, and other resources used for research and to give a fuller picture of Louisville's place in larger historical events.
Collections Management Policy
You can read the Museum's full collecting scope in the Collections Management Policy.
Donate to the Collection
Interested in donating an item or artifact? Please visit our Donations page to learn how.