History Colorado gears up for state's 150th birthday, country's 250th

A pair of George Washington's spurs — on loan from Mount Vernon in Virginia — now sit at the center of a powerful new exhibition in Denver. And like many of the artifacts on display, they carry a story shaped at every turn.

"These have a truly remarkable story," said Gwendolyn Lockman, who's guiding visitors through "Moments That Made Us," a museum exhibition that highlights pivotal chapters in both American and Colorado history.

Set to coincide with the nation's 250th anniversary and the state's 150th anniversary in 2026, the exhibition marks what Lockman calls "a once-in-a-generation moment for a once-in-a-generation anniversary."

Among the artifacts is a striking poster celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation — and the groundbreaking shift it represented for those enslaved in the South. The exhibit also showcases Colorado's own trailblazing role in the women's suffrage movement. In 1893, the Centennial State became the first in the nation to grant women the right to vote by popular vote.

But "Moments That Made Us" isn't just about displaying well-known milestones. It invites visitors to see history through unexpected lenses.

"It's very important to learn a different perspective — to put yourself in someone else's shoes," Lockman explained. "With this exhibition, we're hoping to highlight historical moments and stories you might think you know. But here, you can understand them in a more complete way."

"Moments That Made Us" is now open, offering Coloradans the chance to step inside the stories that shaped the nation, and to see the past from angles they may have never considered.