Colorado Snowsports Museum and Hall of Fame

This is such a fun museum to check out when in Vail! I went with some family and we had a really great time. They have great displays from ski fashion through the years, to skis and snowboard design evolution, chairlifts over the years as well as information about the mountain troops. I learned a lot going here and really enjoyed it. They also have a cute gift shop too. Definitely stop in!!

It was refreshing to have something interesting for the family that was actually free! Not much hands-on for small children, but with my youngest at 13, it was a very interesting stop for a couple hours. Truly a spirit of honor to the various pioneers of the sport. I also geeked out a bit learning how the ski binding evolved over time.

A small sweet museum. It is worth a one-time exploration.

Very interesting museum, I also watched the movie, I don't know how long it is but it felt very long for a museum. It helps to understand more about Colorado ski history and about people who contributed to the growth of that place.

Great place to gain an appreciation of how the 10th Mountain Division was formed during WW II. Also exhibits about the winter Olympics, the evolution of ski gear and technology. Good perspective with interactive exhibit and informative about Colorado ski areas. Fun gift shop as well.

A museum near Transportation Center with several artifacts, and chronological display of progressing of snow sports as well as legendary pioneers. There is also gift section inside the museum that offers souvenirs for visitors to take back home. It is free admission with suggestion of donation to help run the museum.

Stopped by before heading to the Vail Village. It was very informative and I learned quite a lot about Snowsports and its role in Colorado history. It covered everything from World War II, skiing history, snowboarding history, evolution of those sports and equipment, the Olympics, Collegiate sports, growth of ski resorts, etc . There's also a small gift shop with nice souvenirs. Nice place to stop and learn about Snowsports and its role in Colorado history.

What a delightful find! Conveniently located in the Vail Transportation Center, this compact, but world-class museum is a must stop for all lovers and visitors to Vail. Informative displays of the valley's history past and present and snowsports in general. There is even a well-stocked gift shop with many Vail themed items. Highly recommended!

A lovely exhibit honoring the talent, enthusiasm and beauty of Vail's winter sports heritage. Definitely a must.

Tiny museum packed with Colorado winter sports history. Friendly staff. Parking garage nearby. Highly recommended!

What a wonderful little museum, great history of the 10th Mountain division and so much snow and ski history. Worth a visit when in Vail and a lovely shop, too.

A great way to spend an hour or more. I love the content about the 10th Mountain Division. You've seen the statue by the covered bridge? Come learn the background, with great exhibits, reading, and a video. Other highlights for me were history of Vail's founding, exhibit of skis and bindings over the years, and how snowboarding came to be. Free, but a suggested donation if you visit.

Who knew that it was the US Army who brought European ski resorts to Colorado? I did not! And as a prior service Army veteran, I was fascinated. The museum displays on the people who were instrumental in slowly standing up Vail Ski Resorts. Starting from a 5 man team where one was in charge of trails, one in charge of lifts, etc. And then there was a couple who provided lodging and entertainment. There was a really neat video that we did not have time to watch - but I will make sure we go again next time we're there. Also, a cool video on ski clothing through the decades. I really liked this museum - it was short enough to enjoy, but not too long.

Cool museum in Vail Village right above the parking garage. Is free and has a bunch of cool stuff. Especially the ski maps. Has a gift shop with cool stuff as well. Highly recommend.

The Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum is a quick stop filled with lots history and artifacts. It is located in Lionshead Village and has a gift shop attached. There are several galleries to browse through ......my favorites being the Colorado Skiing Timeline and the National Ski Patrol. The museum is free but accepts donations.

Loved this accidental find!! Cute little museum that has free entrance (but accepts donations) with lots of stuff to look at, located by the Vail welcoming center. The chairs outside are pretty cool too made out of skis

Interesting, free museum to browse in Vail. We especially enjoyed the ski fashion video presentation and the video on the 10th Mountain Division. Very educational. Staff is friendly and lets you do your own thing. There's a small gift shop with some cards, outerwear and small gift items too. Great authentic Mexican place right next door too as well as public bathrooms.

A fun place to visit on a snowy, windy day. It was small but all the exhibits looked very nice and well made. There was a cool movie playing on a loop in the back about the 10th Mountain Infantry where they had professional skiers wear the gear and try to ski. It was interesting and held my 6 year old's attention. The 100 years of ski fashion exhibit was also fun. We watched it twice. My kid and I had a good discussion about when helmets came on the scene and why they are important. There were interactive screens to watch videos and look at old pictures, which were a little buggy and frustrated my kid when they didn't work right. The snowboard exhibit in the back was pretty cool. Souvenirs for sale in the front.

Definitely a timesuck, but in a good way. We checked it out on the way out of town. Looking at the evolution of skis and snowboards (and the associated fashions) is a great way to kill an hour.

Who goes to a museum on a trip to Vail? Well I did and it was fun and very interesting. I'm not very into history but the 10th mountain division really got my attention, before I knew it I caught myself watching documentary for 30 minutes. It´s a very small museum, in the middle of town with a little souvenir shop. The best of all? it´s free (donations encouraged).

Interesting history on the 10th mtn division. $11 for a small souvenir pin was a bit steep. Glad I found it.

This place is definitely worth a visit next time you're in Vail Village. It's right next to the visitor center, FREE and won't take up too much of your winter activity time. There is an awesome map on the wall that shows all the resorts in the state, as well as the "ghost" ski places - over 130 spots where locals used to make tracks. The walls are also filled with vintage ski equipment and stories about how many local companies started and gear evolved. As you turn a corner, you can read about each Winter Olympics going back many many years, with photos and even the official outfits to illustrate. Some looked more appropriate for dressing up as Michael Jackson or Prince for Halloween rather than downhill ski racing...and one tasteful merino wool suit even had metal studs on the knees. What's that about? Couldn't find a valid explanation anywhere. I didn't know Denver turned down an Olympic bid in the 70s - jeez! How embarrasing. Then the museum goes into detail about how Vail started, both the resort and the town, and who founded it. And finally it ends with info about Colorado's 10th Mountain Division ski troops who trained at Camp Hale. Pretty intense to see the actual equipment these guys used when spending up to six weeks entirely outside in the dead of winter. There are videos and audio recordings throughout, all of which were quick but truly interesting. Edutainment at its finest. Open daily from 10am to 6pm.

Free! Educational! The gift shop has some unique stuff. Worth a visit for sure.

A very educational place! A small facility, but packed with information and memorabilia.

I have been skiing since the days of, well, a long time. I had half the equipment in this place at one time or another. It was great to learn the history of skiing and who started it. "Head" and "Hart" now mean something more than just skis. Who these people were, how they helped us during the great war WWII was a real treat. Smart video, clean displays, real hostory, includes snowboards and some of the first of everything. I remember rope tows, T-bars, and cold feet. Great for the kids to see. You even get to choose if you want to pay for the experience (volunteer admission box). Free if you want, but why not give something to keep this around.