Kids who visit Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum are infatuated with the “City of Sunshine” exhibit.
That’s where they learn how the city attracted those infected with tuberculosis back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, luring them with our sunny climate, which was said to help heal the disease. They love hearing about the rare, raw and rye diet given to tuberculars: rare beef, raw eggs and up to a gallon of milk a day. It helped patients gain weight, which could help them heal.
“They love the exhibit because it’s on an illness,” said CSPM Program Administrator Meg Yevara. “We talk about some of the approaches to treatment before the discovery of streptomycin in the 1940s. Treatments that seem wacky to us today, but back in the day anything you could come up with was better than nothing.”
The museum’s free Summer Family Fun Days offers kids and families the opportunity to do activities in each exhibit, including “City of Sunshine,” where they get to build a plate of food a typical tubercular would eat at a sanitorium, a place for people who are convalescing from a serious illness.
“It’s hands-on and relatable and has that intrigue kind of factor,” Yevara said. “Kids love that space.”
The next free Summer Family Fun Day is Saturday. RSVP online at cspm.org. During the two-hour events families can participate in a scavenger hunt throughout the museum and exhibits and participate in activities, crafts and other hands-on experiences. It’s probably best for kids in first through fifth grades, says Yevara, but other ages also are welcome.
“My goal is to teach people about local history, art and culture,” Yevara said. “I want people to know this museum is for everyone. That’s why we make it a free experience. We want people to feel comfortable in new spaces and engage with new ideas. Kids might not want to sit through a lecture but playing an I Spy game might inspire them to learn about artifacts and how we take care of them.”
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Current exhibits include “Accessorize It,” which features a variety of objects, including shoes, hats, jewelry and pipes; “Camping in the Rockies,” where kids can pretend to fish and make a campfire; and “Until Forever Comes: This is Ute Homeland,” with touch screens and videos and other activities.
“We’re here for families and want them to come,” Yevara said. “It’s a free experience and we want them to take some ownership and connect to the stories we tell.”
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