Getting ready forthe CU Museum of Natural History.
A free natural history museum on the CU Boulder campus, with sensory backpacks to borrow at the front desk and the museum's own photo social story of every gallery.
Sensory supports. Free, with sensory backpacks and a social story.
Hours
Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, and until 7 pm on some Thursdays. Closed on university holidays, including Nov 26 and 27, 2026. Call 303-492-6892 before a Thursday evening, Sunday or Monday visit.
Henderson Building, CU Boulder campus, 15th St and Broadway, Boulder 80309
“Sensory backpacks are available for checkout at the front desk!” colorado.edu/cumuseum
“This backpack has lots of tools that I can use. I can ask at the front desk to use it. It has fidgets, a wiggle seat, headphones, and a weighted lap pad.”
“I can move my whole body by climbing up the treehouse stairs, or find a quiet and dark space to rest under the treehouse.”
The backpacks are lent first come, first served, and the museum started with just two, so bring your own headphones as a backup.
The museum's photo social story is from 2024. Use it for the pictures of the doors, galleries and play space, and go by the hours above.
Food and drinks stay in the BioLounge downstairs; no food or drink in the fossil and people galleries.
Gallery videos, like the TV in the fossil gallery (the museum's social story says they can be too loud; the front desk can turn the sound off)not stated
Quieter, in the museum's words
Under the treehouse in the Discovery Corner, a quiet, dark spot to rest (kids 7 and under)quiet zone
BioLounge, downstairs: breaks and snacksquiet zone
Break spots in Tree Space and in the Anthropology gallery's activity cornerquiet zone
If you need a ramp, use the north entrance by the Mary Rippon Theater, which has an automatic door button. The south entrance, closer to Broadway, has several small stairways.
Strollers are welcome. The elevator is at the west end of the lobby.
Accessible restrooms are on the second floor, with a changing station.
Exhibits are in English and Spanish.
Things with a touch sign are for touching, like dinosaur tracks and bones. No flash photos in the fossil gallery.
Snacks and drinks are sold at the front desk. Drinking fountains are on both levels.
Parking: free street parking west of Broadway, 2-hour or all-day (check the signs), or the Euclid Parking Garage, between Broadway and 18th St, which is pay-by-plate (card, coins or the Parkmobile app), so have your license plate number. Metered ADA parking is on the east side of the University Memorial Center on Euclid Ave; Parking Services, 303-492-7344, weekdays 8 am to 4 pm.
Bus: the Broadway and Euclid RTD stop (#12433) is next to the museum.
To plan your visit with the access team: museumaccessibility@colorado.edu. Questions: 303-492-6892 or cumuseum@colorado.edu.
