Edwin Carter Museum & Discovery Center

Edwin Carter came to Breckenridge in 1868 seeking gold and fortune, but his goals changed when he saw the devastation mining had on the environment and local wildlife. Carter became a taxidermist and collected thousands of Rocky Mountain animal specimens in his museum, which doubled as his home. Scientists from all over the world came to Breckenridge to see Carter’s collection.

Carter worked and lived in his museum for 25 years. When he passed away in 1900, Carter's collection of almost 3,300 Colorado wildlife specimens formed the nucleus of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Today, the Edwin Carter Museum honors the life and legacy of Edwin Carter. The museum, which underwent a rehabilitation in 2008 and 2009, feature interactive exhibits, a hands-on taxidermy workbench, a children's room and a theatre.

In 2010, the Carter Museum was the recipient of the prestigious Caroline Bancroft History Award from the Colorado Historical Society. The museum also received awards from the National Association of Interpretation and the American Association of Museums. The film "Edwin", a 20-minute film about Carter's life and legacy, was a 2009 Telly award winner. The film can be viewed in the museum's theatre room.

The Carter Museum is available for private site rentals and meetings.

Museum hours are Tuesday - Sunday, 11:00AM to 3:00PM.