The Museum of Northwest Colorado began as the Moffat County Museum in 1964. Until 1990, it was housed in the Moffat County Courthouse. In 1991 it opened at its new location at 590 Yampa Avenue in the former Colorado State Armory.
At present, our building has been almost totally renovated and restored. This was made possible with excellent support from Moffat County. Also, from 1990 to 1996 grants received towards this project have totaled $155,400 from the following: Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Colorado Historical Society, and the Gates Foundation. In 1992 the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum's operational budget is approximately $150,000 per year, which is currently funded by Moffat County. The building plus the museum's permanent collection is now valued at more than $1.1 million.
Moffat County is the second largest county in Colorado, but 55% of the land is public domain (BLM, Forest Service, State, County or City). The county exceeds the classification of Frontier (per federal definition of six persons per square mile). Moffat County actually has only 2.56 persons per square mile. "Frontier" accurately reflects our ranching, farming and homesteading background plus the fact that some of the "Wild Bunch's" stomping grounds are located in Moffat County.
Craig is located approximately 90 miles north of I-70 and 100 miles south of I-80. It is west of Denver about 200 miles and Steamboat Springs about 40 miles and east of Salt Lake City, Utah about 300 miles.
