Colorado Springs Official Visitors Guide 2009 - (Page 16) Itineraries VisitCOS.com company and arts school with exhibitions, productions and learning experiences for young and old. The newly renovated Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center opened to the public on August 4, 2007 after a $28.4 million transformation which allows the art museum’s permanent collection to be on display like never before. American Numismatic Museum (1-2 HRS) (pg.48) While you’re on this side of town, visit “The Money Museum” which has just recently undergone a major remodeling. Using money as a springboard, America’s largest museum dedicated to numismatics brings culture to life. The museum explores art, history, science and much more to reveal the diverse nature of money and related items. The museum includes exhibits in three main galleries, where visitors can find spectacular rarities and learn about the history of our nation and the world as seen through money. magnificent pipe organ. A must-see if you’re in the Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak Region. You can end your visit with a self-guided driving tour of the Academy, which also serves as a large wildlife sanctuary. The Academy is one of the most beautiful university campuses of the service academies. Rock Stars! Attractions Time . . 7 Hrs Travel Time . . . . . . 1 Hrs Dining Time . . . . . . 1 Hrs TOTAL HOURS . . 10 Hrs Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center (1-2 HRS) (pg.22) A short drive offers a spectacular and unique view of the famous, frequently-photographed red rock formations of the region. Get an up-close look at how those red rocks got there in their new theater presentation, which features stateof-the-art technology, and is one of the first theaters in the United States to utilize BluRay High Definition technology for playback and projection. A massive 23 ft. screen vividly displays the historic, geographic and geological story of the Garden of the Gods Park. The center’s theater presentation combines High Definition technology, theatrical lighting, and a surround sound audio system to dynamically present the story of the Garden of the Gods. This incredible movie creates a "bird's eye view" of Garden of the Gods with a series of helicopter aerial views, time-lapsed sequences and footage of seldom explored, remote locations. Utilizing the Sony “CineAlta” – a top-of-the-line High Definition 1080P Camera – to capture all imagery, the footage was then edited and mastered to stunning 1080P High Definition to ensure the highest resolution of the images. Garden of the Gods Trading Post (1-2 HRS) (pg.22) Head west Reaching For The Stars and Stripes! PARTIAL-DAY ITINERARY Attractions Time . .3 Hrs TOTAL HOURS . . .3 Hrs The United States Air force Academy (1-3 HRS) (pg.51) An early morning drive is a great way to take you to the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy, where you will enjoy an informative exhibit about cadet life in the spacious Visitor Center and Gift Shop. A short walk along a nature trail will lead you to the famous Cadet Chapel. With spectacular Pikes Peak in the near distance, The chapel is an A-frame metal church with gorgeous stained glass and a to the Garden of the Gods Trading Post where you can shop for unique and beautiful souvenirs of the region, as well as have a light or hearty lunch. In the early 1920s Charles Strausenback built the Trading Post to resemble the homes of the Pueblo Indians. Since that time, the Trading Post has expanded six times to become Colorado’s largest trading post. Native American jewelry, Navajo rugs, sand paintings and Pueblo pottery can be found in the vast collection located in the Southwestern Art Gallery. Traditional Colorado gifts and souvenirs and the Balanced Rock Café complete with buffalo burgers complement the experience. Manitou Cliff Dwellings (1-2 HRS) (pg.24) The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are a rare historical treasure. Preserved under a protective red sandstone overhang, authentic cliff dwellings, built by Ancestral Puebloans more than 700 years ago, await you here. There are no “Do Not Touch” signs. You are free to touch and even go inside these fascinating architectural remnants of an American Indian culture that roamed the Four Corners area of the Southwest from 1200 B.C. to 1300 A.D. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are located in Manitou Springs, at the foot of Pikes Peak, the mountain that provided the inspiration for the writing of “America the Beautiful.” The dwellings are open seven days a week, year-round, except for Christmas Day and Thanksgiving.
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