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January-March 2023


Our Core Exhibit

We are open! Come see the new core exhibit, "Splendid Valley and Brighton: Story of a Place." We also have exhibits throughout Historic City Hall. Come and visit us Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (11 a.m. - 3 p.m.) Our museum is free to visit, but we always accept donations.

COMING SOON: Cabinet of Curiosities 

Every few months we will update the third- floor exhibit case with our newest and most fascinating artifacts donated to Brighton City Museum.Axe

These staff picked items we have dubbed “Cabinet of Curiosities.”  These new items are featured in our second-floor exhibit cases and will be updated as we receive new and interesting artifacts.

The History Of Our Museum

The Brighton City Museum was established in 2016 by the Brighton Historic Preservation Commission when newspapers and artifacts were found during the renovation of Bromley Koizuma-Hishinuma Farm. The Commission decided it was worth becoming a State Repository to keep those items in the city for the community to learn more about their history. Thus a museum was born. Over the years, we collected, received as donations, and saved items pertaining to our city's history, adding to nearly over 10,000 items. Come visit us to see the latest exhibits and learn more about the history of Brighton.

Looking for answers?

Trying to find that old address where you used to live? How about Grandpa's crazy cousin's criminal history? We can help you find answers to those long burning questions about local and family history! Simply fill out the research request form and we can begin searching our archives to let you know.

Check Your Attic!

The Brighton City Museum is presently taking in specific items of Brighton’s past. If you have an item that you believe is one of a kind to telling Brighton’s history, or other questions about the donation process and what items we are currently seeking, call Bill Armstrong, Museum Specialist at: 303-655-2288.

2022 Holiday Open House

On December 10th, we held our annual “Old Fashioned Christmas Open House” event. The open house was held prior to the Christmas parade and was a huge success.

Our guests were served hot chocolate or hot apple cider and cookies. In addition to the goodies, two craft stations were in place; so that everyone could create popcorn/cranberry strings and paper chain tree decorations.

Photo of “Our Elves” by: Rich Knapfel
Staff, Volunteers, and Historic Preservation commissioners

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2023 Fee Schedule

With the change of the year brings new fees to our research archives and services. Due to overwhelming response from scholars all over the country (and some from the wider world), we are now charging nominal fees for reproducing images, conducting research, and copying/scanning documents from our archives. The process remains unchanged, but with the in-depth nature of most requests, the museum needs to cover costs of the services to researchers. 

Records Search

  • Up to 1 hour - Free
  • Research time exceeding 1 hour - $20/hour after the first hour

Copies

  • Color map (11"x17") - $5/each
  • Color Map (18"x 24") - $12/each
  • Color Map (24" x 36") or (24" x 30") - $15/each
  • Color Map (36" x 45") or larger - $20/each

Black & White Copies:

  • Letter or legal size - $0.25/page
  • Color Copies:
  • Letter or legal size - $1/page
  • Photographs: $3/photograph

Individual research is permitted by appointment only during open museum hours, please contact us.

Curator’s Notes

With all the success this past year, it is time to put our eyes on 2023.  What will the future bring?  In the planning phases now are two new exhibits focusing on our more unusual items in our collection, and a focused exhibit on the efforts to preserve some of our oldest homes.  

Additionally, the staff are pursuing grants to take the unique history of Brighton to local schools, underwrite events, and bring more visitors than ever to the museum. Since the designation of the Black Cemetery, the museum has been given access to the resource, which will become the focus of pioneer and graveyard history within the community as part of our expanded programing. We look towards spring to add lectures and “first Friday” evening open house events. 

We invite you, our community members, to become involved.  The Brighton City Museum still has plenty of room for volunteers. We always try to marry interest with drive and passion for the past.  What better way to help your community than to help preserve its unique story for future generations? The staff believe that “many hands make for light work “especially while feeding your interest in history and educating others. 

Welcome to a new bright year for Brighton City Museum! Please consider donating to the Museum your talent, time, or heirlooms to help us meet our mission of educating our community, visitors to the city, and youth about Brighton’s unique history. 

With your assistance 2023 will surpass 2022!

What we accomplished in 2022:

  • Over 1,000 volunteer hours
  • Over 890 visitors to the Museum
  • New Core Exhibit 
  • State Repository Status renewed 
  • Received over 30 new artifacts
  • Pioneer Cemetery new interpretive site
  • Summer History Events