Take a Trip to the Money Museum

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Did you know Colorado Springs is home to America’s largest museum dedicated solely to money? Conveniently located on the Colorado College campus, the Edward C. Rochette Money Museum is a hidden gem that’s fun for the whole family!

Boasting more than 250,000 objects, the Money Museum explores CASH—culture, art, science, and history. Visitors are immersed in the fascinating stories behind money through exhibits that illuminate how cash has transformed the way people live and interact with each other. Though divided by creed, culture, and continents, humanity is united by the simple act of exchange. Over 5,000 square feet of gallery space, guests can view spectacular rarities—coins worth millions over their face value—and experience exhibits that explore a variety of topics through the unique lens of money.

Exciting Exhibits

A visit to the Money Museum begins with a step back in time. The Silk Road(s) exhibit is a journey of discovery across Eurasia. Cutting-edge technology brings Marco Polo and Rabban Sawma to life as museum tour guides, directing visitors along the 5,000-mile trade route. Through the economic tool of currency, guests travel the world’s first global trade network, which fostered the exchange of people, goods, and ideas. Following the trail of coins, they discover the empires that developed in tandem with the Silk Road and learn about their complicated military, economic, and political relationships.

Then, the next stop is the Americana Gallery—a feast for the eyes, glittering with gold. This exhibit presents the history of America told through its money. Featuring some of America’s rarest coins, including California and Colorado gold, it relays the rags-to-riches story of a struggling, gold-poor nation that blossomed into the world’s greatest economic power.

The money used today developed over thousands of years. In the History of Money exhibit, visitors explore currency’s evolution. From the earliest forms of traditional money—such as shells, furs, and cocoa beans—to modern polymer notes used around the world today, the History of Money features a diverse collection. Guests can see the first coins ever made over 2,600 years ago, or the largest denomination note ever produced by the United States. A journey through time, the exhibit traces the remarkable development of money from cows to cowries and metal to polymer.

Kids (and parents) can take a break to play at the Kids’ Zone. Little spenders can barter and trade, design their own money, and negotiate inside a Mongolian yurt. Additionally, kids can dive into the museum’s treasure chest filled with coins from around the world. They can also earn prizes through exhibit-based trivia.

Stunning Specimens

Finally, the Money Museum showcases several spectacular rarities. The 1804 dollar, also known as the “King of U.S. Coins,” has a royal value of upwards of $4 million. Visitors won’t want to miss the mysterious 1913 Liberty Head nickel, which sparked a national treasure hunt. Also on display is a 1792 half disme, minted in the presence of George Washington and personally distributed by Thomas Jefferson. The half disme announced to the world that the United States was now a sovereign and independent republic!

At the Money Museum, visitors will discover that money truly does make the world go round. Currency is a common thread that stitches humanity together, passing through every hand, every day. Today, coins are among the most valuable artifacts available to historians. They represent the economic power of empires, present how a culture viewed itself, and provide dates for important moments in history. Without coinage, many of the facts we take for granted today would be lost to the sands of time.

Did You Know? George Washington refused to have his image placed on coins? He was horrified at the thought! Only monarchs put their likenesses on money. Therefore, Lady Liberty—an allegory of freedom—graces America’s first coins.