southern ute cultural center and museum

staybolt

Like many people I have been to Durango several times without making the short trip out to Ignacio to see this Museum. And once I did I kicked myself for not going before. Very well presented historical and cultural exhibits of the Southern Ute peoples. Despite is being a relatively small museum, some of the textile exhibits rivaled or exceeded those of the Smithsonian's Museum of the American Indian, which is no surprise as they are best displayed in context here, anyway. I learned quite a bit touring here, although the gift shop is closed you will leave with trinkets of the mind.

buffaloman69

if traveling in the 4 corners area is a nice place to visit, it shows the history of the Southern Ute people. A very interesting shaped building

godu

I wish this wonderful museum was listed as an attraction in nearby Durango. It is well worth the drive. Gorgeous architecture, well designed and informative. Good for all ages.

snoopysoupy

A definite!! Beautiful building...wonderful displays, videos, hands on displays and lots of interesting history. Gift shop closed down. The whole area is Ute so it is appropriate that we learn as we are on their land!

broome2408

Stopped here while touring through the Southern Ute Reservation. This is an excellent venue for displaying the Southern Ute Tribal Culture. As I drove through the Reservation I noticed irrigation for all farms, many oil wells on tribal land, a proximity to the Navajo Lake, and in the village of Ignacio a new tribal office building under construction, a Tribal Casino, and a large medical center. It seems the Tribe has the resources to take care of their members and is doing so.

Herman02

The architecture is really beautiful and well thought out. I hope you find someone who can share with you how the whole building came to be. This is a pretty new (2-3 years) museum and it's a work in progress. So, not everything is ready to view. What was there was wonderful and VERY informative. If your in the Durango/Pagosa Springs area with a day... make this a side trip for sure!! You can do Chimney Rock and even visit the winery in Ignacio as well... a full day!! This is well worth your time, they have done and are doing a great job with this museum, I look forward to another trip to see how it is coming along!!!

ColoradoLiketoTravel

We really enjoyed the exhibits and introductory film. I highly recommend arranging a tour. We were fortunate to have Tallas, education coordinator, show us around. Hearing about the architecture and landscape features made the experience all the better.

891jennm

This museum has an aesthetic beauty and a peaceful feeling as well as informative, interactive exhibits and a library. For $7 it is a bargain! Well worth the trip over to Ignacio. Closed on Mondays.

baplloans

This 2 year old facility uses the best of today's technology to help tell the story of the Southern Ute Indians. Interviews with elders about being sent away to government boarding schools helps to explain some of the heartbreak these people experienced. Beautiful examples of beading workand ceremonial clothing. Located about 15 minutes past the turnoff for the Durango-LaPlata airport when coming from a Durango. We spent about an hour there.

Ldr1953

I visited this museum by myself one morning and you can see everything in about 2 hours. That's why I like it - the museum is modern, pretty, very nicely laid out, staffed by friendly folks who go out of their way to help you - and you don't wear yourself out or spend a whole day.I knew locals who complained that there wasn't any information about other Indian tribes, and I had to laugh to myself. Duh. This is the UTE museum on the UTE reservation and it seems normal to me that they are entitled to tell THEIR story. There is a nice little gift shop with a good selection of books for those who want to pursue studies about Ute culture and history.Well worth a visit!

jmdrmd2

This Museum has only two rooms open.The architecture is nice,but the $7 entrance fee is steep when you can see everythingthere in 30 minutes or less.One room is about Ute history and life,while the other features basket weaving and baskets.

1RoseP

It may seem out of the way but is less than 30 minutes from Durango through beautiful farm/ranch land. The view of the La Plata Mountains on your way back to 160 and Durango is outstanding!The Museum is beautifully laid out with a wide variety of historical facts and items. The descriptions are informative but not too lengthy. The short video at the beginning is nicely done. There is a section for those interested in beadwork, They also have a few exhibits for the youngsters to interact with and they can go inside a large tepee. The gift shop off the entrance has many beautiful items. Call before you go to be sure the museum is open since they often change their times due to the tourist fluctuation.

PeripateticEric

We were traveling through the area and decided to stay in Ignacio at a nearby RV park. We spent the afternoon, probably almost 3 hours, at this museum. This is a top notch, modern museum with many, many interesting and well designed displays. It tells the story of the Utes and does it in a way that is interesting and engrossing. Don't come here expecting some dusty display cases with a couple of artifacts. This is like Smithsonian quality displays, interpretations. In many areas when you enter a motion detector senses you and a voice recording begins with actual Ute elders telling stories related to that area. Very interesting and well done. If you are near here and have any interest in the history of the Ute people don't miss it. We were glad we stopped here.

Souerpow

This wonderful museum is about 25 miles from Durango. It is worth 1-4 hours (or longer) to learn the history of these people. The permanent gallery is very well done, interesting, engaging, interactive, and very informative. One gets a good sense of the history and timeline of how this culture evolved and developed. It is a marvelous exhibit space with words, shounds, images and a host of great artifacts that will have you remembering and thinking for a long time after your visit. Staff are also very friendly and helpful. For a deeper dive, there is a deep library where visitors can hear stories from Utes in their own words on a number of topics.

VLA-traveler

My wife and I were on our way to Durango via US550 north and we turned east on CO172 to Ignacio, CO and the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum. There is amply parking and the Sky Ute Casino is nearby. The "connect with nature" architecture of the building is striking. There is a small fee. The young lady at the museum entrance was very helpful and told us a lot about the museum. The museum has a nice gift shop but was closed as the employees were attending to a family emergency. The museum contains an interesting history of the Southern Ute Nation.If you are continuing to Durango (a short drive away), you can drive north on CO172 and take US160 west to Durango.If you are in the Durango area and have some time, I recommend seeing the museum.