Denver Firefighters Museum

Purpose: Sustaining Cultural Heritage The Denver Firefighters Museum offers educational programming to schools and the community at large to provide a broader understanding of the history of the Denver Fire Department and to teach children and their families about fire safety and prevention. The museum is centrally located to serve the diverse ethnic communities in Denver's inner city. In 2003, the museum had 17,000 onsite visitors and 13,000 visitors to its Web site. The museum's interpretive master plan is a two-phase project. In phase 2, the museum will revise its existing exhibits and complete the implementation of the master plan. New exhibits with hands-on activities will focus on communication; teaching about the emergency response system (911-how it works and how to use it); and the day-to-day lives of firefighters-what they do and what communities they serve. Other exhibits will focus on the history of the Fire Department, the ethnic diversity of firefighters past and present, and the many ways in which firefighters serve the public, whether through philanthropic actions or volunteerism. Exhibit components will include objects from the collection, label copy, and historic photos, as well as hands-on activities. Temporary exhibits, which will be rotated annually, will focus on a variety of firefighting issues.