Fort Collins Museum of Discovery

We’re an interactive and immersive museum, featuring hands-on and collections-based exhibits that tell the stories of Northern Colorado and beyond.

Come face to face with two endangered black-footed ferrets

Feel the stories of those who called this region home long ago

Marvel at the curated light and sound shows in the OtterBox Digital Dome Theater 

Jam out on guitars, drums, and a Theremin in the Music & Sound Lab

Connect with nature as you support an entire ecosystem in the Funky Forest

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (FCMoD) is not like any other museum you have experienced.  Our exhibits and collections are broad and diverse, seamlessly weaving together scientific phenomenon with historical reflection. Our programs are innovative and intriguing, inspiring generations of life-long learners.  And our organizational model is different from most, featuring a pioneering public/private partnership. All of these elements come to life every day at FCMoD to ensure that the museum, its staff, its supporters, and visitors experience the best we have to offer.

First, a Little History

The Fort Collins Museum of Discovery of today was built from a partnership between the City of Fort Collins Museum (established 1941) and the nonprofit Discovery Science Center (1989). After merging operations in 2008, and with the generous support of many members of our community, we built a new museum to share unique and fun learning experiences that explore the interplay of science and culture. The partnership between the City and the nonprofit continues on today, creating extraordinary opportunities for visitors to engage with that interplay in ways that are deeply relevant to our community, our geography, and our shared history.

Since opening in 2012, we have welcomed over 700,000 visitors from all 50 states. Our exhibits gallery boasts long-term exhibits in science, music, agriculture, astronomy, first peoples, wildlands, and more, including 4 buildings of regional historical importance at our Heritage Courtyard, the on-site Archive & Collections, and Northern Colorado’s only 360° immersive theater – the OtterBox Digital Dome Theater. Since 2016, we have welcomed national touring special exhibitions from producers including National Geographic, American Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonian, and more. Each year, we offer 400 unique science- and culture-based programs for learners ages 2-102.

We were proud to achieve accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums in 2018, the highest recognition of excellence in museums in our nation. We received the greatest compliment from our peer reviewers during the accreditation process: “Fort Collins has a ‘vibe’ about it and the museum is clearly in sync with the intangibles that make up this vibrant community.”

More About Our Dynamic, Innovative Partnership

FCMoD’s public/private partnership presents a unique opportunity to jointly manage operations and create a shared long-term vision for the museum. The Executive Director of the Non-Profit Partner (NPP) and the City Partner’s (CP) Executive Director cooperatively manage the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (FCMoD). 

Both the NPP Executive Director and the CP Executive Director work together in a Co-Director relationship of equal standing; one does not have decision-making authority over the other.  The Co-Directors together to envision, develop and implement strategy and management that allow FCMoD to thrive as a dynamic, sustainable institution.

In 2019 the City Partner (the City of Fort Collins) contributed roughly 38% of FCMoD’s annual budget.  The City also provides critical support in the form of building, grounds, and technology maintenance. The remaining funding for museum operations comes from earned revenue from ticket sales, memberships, and retail operations as well as from generous community supporters.  Our total annual combined budget from both partners is $2.8 million. We have a staff of 53 professionals, 19 of whomare employed by the City of Fort Collins, while 34 are employed by the nonprofit partner.

Additionally, the museum benefits from a highly dedicated volunteer corps, with 323 current active volunteers. Our volunteers are involved in all aspects of museum operations, from greeting visitors to preparing exhibits, to supporting administrative activities.

Staff and volunteers blend their many talents on a daily basis to deliver on our core mission – to create meaningful opportunities to learn, reflect, and have fun through hands-on and collections-based explorations in science and culture.