San Luis Valley Museum

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Located behind the Chamber Depot, this museum has a small but well-arranged collection of ‘then and now’ photographs and artifacts from early farm life in the valley. Knowledgeable volunteers answer questions and can help plan excursions to historical sites.

For a regional museum, there’s some offbeat stuff here, including an interesting exhibit about the nearby La Jara Buddhist Church, the story of the Japanese in the valley and a Nazi uniform worn by a prisoner of war stationed near here during WWII.

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Nearby attractions

1. Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge

3.91 MILES

This wildlife refuge on the banks of the Rio Grande is a special spot, and will give you some idea of what the valley must have looked like before it was…

2. Blanca Wetlands

10.46 MILES

The Bureau of Land Management has restored the wildlife habitat at Blanca Wetlands, northeast of Alamosa. Activities include fishing for bass or trout in…

3. San Luis State Wildlife Area

15.32 MILES

This state wildlife area is a patch of bleak terrain on the edge of the Great Sand Dunes National Park, where dunes covered with saltbush and rabbitbrush...

4. Jack Dempsey Museum

20.68 MILES

Manassa, a 10-minute drive northeast of Antonito, is home to a tiny one-room cabin where boxing legend Jack Dempsey was born as the ninth child of a poor…

5. Fort Garland Museum

23.9 MILES

A restoration of the fort's buildings and exhibits are maintained by the Colorado Historical Society. A good stop for visitor information.

6. UFO Watchtower

25.06 MILES

Don't panic! The visiting aliens are harmless. Or mostly harmless anyway. And if you're eager for a glimpse (or perhaps want to leave an offering for a…

7. Viejo San Acacio

26.85 MILES

The beautiful Viejo (old) San Acacio is a historic Catholic church where mass is still occasionally held. To get here, head 4 miles east of San Luis on…

8. Great Sand Dunes National Park

27.67 MILES

Landscapes collide in a shifting sea of sand at Great Sand Dunes National Park, making you wonder whether a spaceship has whisked you to another planet…