3 Iconic Buildings to Explore in La Plata County

The Animas Museum is a small, local history museum owned and operated by the La Plata County Historical Society. Its mission is to collect, preserve and interpret the history, culture and heritage of the San Juan Basin, with a focus on La Plata County. It also offers a wide variety of exhibits and educational programs to people of all ages; a research library and photo archive; a gift shop; award-winning gardens; and a restored pioneer log cabin.

The Southern Ute Museum and Cultural Center is an iconic facility highlighting the Southern Ute people through cultural, historical, and current event exhibits. It’s found in the town of Ignacio, just a thirty minute drive southeast of Durango.The building features contemporary materials reminiscent of traditional structures and fills in missing elements in design awareness across the Western Hemisphere's Indigenous architecture. The museum also houses 1500 artifacts.

This is an interactive science center located in Durango, Colorado. The plant was a very early alternating current power plant, the power we use today, meaning the town of Durango had AC powered street lights before many large cities in the East. The renovated Mission-style powerhouse is a state and national historic place. Today, the original boiler room remains intact and serves as the science center's theater.