The newest hands-on exhibit at the Longmont Museum arrives this summer! In “Tipi to Tiny House: Hands-on Homebuilding,” visitors will explore, experience and even build different types of homes in the Museum’s gallery including a tiny house, log cabin, shepherd’s wagon, tipi, and even a pillow fort.

Throughout Colorado’s past and present, building a home has been an evolving conversation between humans and their environment—and has led to shelters of many shapes, sizes and materials. In this exhibit, visitors will learn about past, present and future methods in homebuilding across cultures and explore how people have used their available resources in innovative ways.

“Each type of home in this exhibit tells a different story about human ingenuity and our adaptive responses in finding a place to live,” said Kim Manajek, Longmont Museum director.

Visitors will learn about building shelters that stand up to wind, rain, snow, sunshine, floods, drought, and fire, in addition to how humans’ homebuilding decisions impact the environment.

“While the exhibit asks a lot of serious questions about the environmental impact of homebuilding, it’s also engaging, educational and fun,” said Manajek.

In the Museum’s adjacent portal gallery, patrons can view intricate, architectural-scale models of urban city skyscrapers created by Colorado wood worker and artist William Ohs, which explore what it’s like to build up rather than out.

The “Tipi to Tiny House: Hands-on Homebuilding” exhibition opens Saturday, June 11 with a free opening reception and runs through January 8, 2023. Exhibition cost is $8 for adults and $5 for students, seniors, and veterans. Longmont Museum members and children age 3 and under are free. Admission is only 25 cents with a qualifying Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) card, and the second Saturday of each month is free.

Installation photo opportunities and interviews with the curators are available by contacting Joan Harrold at joan.harrold@longmontcolorado.gov or 970-380-4943.

Opening Reception
Saturday, June 11, 11 am – 2 pm; free
Free family day! Be among the first to see the new exhibit, plus walk through real tiny houses, a tipi village, camper vans, travel trailers and more at the Museum for this special day only. Featuring live bluegrass music by Jake Leg, food carts, and a cash bar in our outdoor courtyard. The exhibition will be free all day on June 11.

Members of the Longmont Museum’s Giving Club are invited for a private preview and tour of the exhibit under construction with Curator Jared Thompson prior to the opening. To learn more about how to get involved with the Giving Club, visit longmontmuseum.org and click on Join & Support.

LONGMONT MUSEUM
The Longmont Museum is a center for culture in Northern Colorado where people of all ages explore history, experience art, and discover new ideas through dynamic programs, exhibitions, and events. Regional history, internationally-known artists, and hands-on learning are all part of the mix of exhibitions at the Longmont Museum. Permanent exhibits document the 14,000 years of human history in Longmont and the people who helped to create this community. Special exhibits in the Museum’s main gallery, Portal Gallery, and Swan Atrium change several times a year. Learn more at www.longmontmuseum.org or visit us at 400 Quail Road, Longmont CO 80501.

###