The Canyons of the Ancients Monument Visitor Center and Museum has reopened to the public and will hold regular hours Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a news release.
The building was closed for renovations to the lobby floor. According to Ray O’Neil, monument manager, the building was opened in 1988 as mitigation for McPhee Reservoir, and over the past few years the floor has been settling and cracking. A 3-to-4- inch crack created safety concerns for staff.
The renovations consisted of drilling holes into the concrete floor and then installing jacks into each hole to raise the floor. The floor was then epoxied and sealed. The business hoped to accomplish the work during the slower winter months, but supply chain issues and other delays dragged out the project for months.
“We are glad to be reopening to the public. And, we are now back to our normal summer schedule,” O’Neil said in an email.
A Journal reporter toured the visitor center and museum to learn more about the monument’s upcoming events.
On Aug. 8, Delbert Anderson Quartet Jazz Band will hold a community workshop at 10 a.m. and invites the public to bring instruments or just themselves to “jam together and learn about musical improvisation,” according to the poster for the event, posted on the Bureau of Land Management website under the Canyons of the Ancients tab. The band will hold a community concert at 6 p.m. in the plaza.
The special exhibit area is empty, but by the end of August, a series of landscape paintings by Stanton Englehart will be on display. The exhibit will feature 12 paintings, representing the 12 months of the year.
On Sept. 15, the Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance will host a Star Party at the museum, featuring an archaeoastronomy lecture by Rory Tyler in the museum’s theater. The party will be from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Southwest Colorado Canyons Alliance has a partnership with Canyons of the Ancients that allows for more outreach, education and stewardship. Last month, they hosted an Indigenous art market outside the museum, and O’Neil said they hope to bring it back annually. The San Juan Mountains Association also partners with Canyons of the Ancients to help program K-12 projects and educational opportunities.
