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Koshare Indian Museum 115 West 18th Street La Junta, CO 81050 (719) 384-4411

WORLD FAMOUS KOSHARES

You will find authentic Native American and Western crafts and gifts to give, to collect, and to appreciate in the Koshare Trading Post.

In addition, to the art and artifacts, see the largest self-supported log roof in the world -- one of the most popular features in the museum.

Discover the inspiring story of how a group of boys built the Koshare program. The story begins at the bottom of the Great Depression.

The Koshare Indian Dancers are the members of Boy Scout Troop 232 and Venturing Crew 2230 of the Rocky Mountain Council, Boy Scouts of America.

...More than a Museum

Koshare Indian Museum

Visiting the Gateway to the Southwest

In the book The Great Southwest, author Erma Ferguson called La Junta "...the gateway to the southwest," due to places like Bent's Old Fort and the Sante Fe Trail. Located in southeastern Colorado, La Junta is about one hundred miles from the Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico boarders.

The Koshare Indian Museum invites you to step into another time, to experience a culture unlike your own and to take advantage of unique opportunities in Southeastern Colorado. Begin your journey at the Koshare Indian Museum which is patterned after the Pueblo architecture found throughout the Southwest. You will discover that the Koshare Kiva is one of the most unique buildings to be found in this corner of Colorado. Many foreign visitors who come to the museum have told us that their travel brochures have mentioned that one of the most interesting and unusual things to see in America is the Koshare Indian Museum.

The dinosaur tracksite south of La Junta is the largest documented in North America. Today, over 1,300 of these footprints are exposed at the Picketwire Canyonlands dinosaur tracksite.

Bents Fort

Dinosaur Tracksite

Vogel Canyon

John Martin Reservoir

Sante Fe Trail

Local Attractions

Everyone has their own favorite time to visit the Koshare Indian Museum and throughout the year the Koshare Indian Museum has many unique opportunities to be discovered.

June, July and August
During these months the Koshares Indian Dancers perform their Summer Ceremonials enjoyed by thousands of area citizens, travelling Boy Scout and youth groups and tourists from all parts of the globe. The Koshares typically perform over twenty dances practiced by Plains Indians including a must see Fire Hoop Dance.
See Summer Show Schedule

End of December and Beginning of January
The Koshares transform their spectaclular Kiva into a ceremonial room to perform dances done by the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. For over fifty years, the Koshare Winter Shows have become a La Junta tradition. During this time, the Koshares will lower the great ladder from the ceiling of the Koshare Kiva, put an actual fireplace into the center of the floor and cover the room with evergreen to make the whole building smell of pine. The dances performed by the Koshares during December and January is the only time the Koshares will perform these dances during the year.
See Winter Show Schedule

First Sunday of the Month
On the FIRST Sunday of each month, visitors to the Museum will enjoy FREE ADMISSION and the opportunity to meet personally with the artist of that specific month. The artist will be on hand from 12:30-4:30 p.m. to mingle with visitors, as well as to provide demonstrations and sell his/her unique collection of art or crafts.
Kiva Presents...

Best Times to Visit