2018 was a wonderful year for the AMF; I give many thanks to our Board of Directors, Directors Emeritus, Aurora History Museum leadership & staff, City of Aurora, our many volunteers, our fabulous donors and of course our glorious members.  Our current active membership is 129, while this is a fine group, Aurora is growing and we plan to grow our membership in 2019 and the years ahead.  Social media has been one important tool in our quiver to help stay in touch with our members and citizens who may not know more about us, and the Aurora History Museum.  We currently have 201 Facebook followers, up from 112 this time last year.  Please, when you see a Facebook post from us "Share" it with your friends and groups, this is one way we cast a wider net.  In July of 2018 Morey Miller and I made a presentation to the Smoky Hill Rotary about the history and volunteer restoration efforts to Trolley Trailer 610 and its new home within the Ruth Fountain Gallery of the Aurora History Museum.  We plan on making many more presentations like this in 2019.  The AMF advocated for a State Historical Fund Grant to rehabilitate the Delany Farm Loafing Shed, the grant was awarded and construction is to begin soon.  We have also advocated another State Historical Fund Grant to restore and repair the historic Fox Arts Center Theatre main neon sign and marquee.  In 2018 we again had successful Antique Appraisal Fairs, and one of our most successful Festival of Wreaths fundraisers.  You may have noticed that we are purposeful in directing our fundraising efforts to specific needs of the Aurora History Museum and Historic Sites.  This is how we will operate moving forward so that our members and contributors know where their donations are going.  The 2018 fall Antique Appraisal Fair funds went to purchase the new photo clings installed on the History Museum, the 2018 Festival of Wreaths funds raised are dedicated to the Fox Theatre Center neon sign and marquee rehabilitation effort, and our upcoming April 27th Antique Appraisal Fair will raise funds for the restoration of portions of the original Gateway to Aurora sign.  This year will be our 20th year for both the Antique Appraisal Fair and the Festival of Wreaths, so please help us spread the word.  The essence of our mission is to support and assure the continued viability of the Aurora History Museum, that is why in 2018 we funded a large portion of the cost for a new Strategic Plan for the History Museum.  Their new Strategic Plan will be completed by May and on the heals of it's completion the Aurora Museum Foundation will launch into its own renewed Strategic Plan.  This new plan will be built to follow the leadership and direction of the museum while embodying new meaning into the future for the Aurora Museum Foundation.  We closed our annual meeting with the viewing of a TED Talk video presentation, titled the "Art of Relevance" by Nina Simon, Executive Director, Santa Cruz Art and History Museum.  I feel the message of this presentation aligned perfectly where the AMF and the Aurora History Museum are today.  How do we stay relevant?  We will be taking to heart the lessons learned from this presentation to turn metaphorical & literal walls into construction sites and work diligently with the many outsiders within our community.  I encourage you to look it up and watch it; let us know your thoughts. 

We are grateful for your support and look forward to a fantastic 2019.  If you have any questions or wish to speak with me about the Aurora Museum Foundation please feel free to contact me directly.

Our Next Fair is Apirl 27, 2019 9am to 3 pm  call 303-739-6705 or use the link below to

sign up.

Current Events

Cultivating Community: Hoery Family Photos
Experience Aurora through 100-year-old photographs of the Hoery family.

Whether by farming, education, business ownership, land stewardship

or leisure – the Hoery family helped shape early Aurora’s community and created an enduring legacy. The exhibit “Cultivating Community: Hoery Family Photos”

runs through March 10, 2019 and long-time Aurora residents

are encouraged to contact the museum staff to share

their memories of Aurora’s agricultural history

DRINK LOCAL: Aurora's Craft Beer Scene

               The Aurora History Museum celebrates Aurora’s craft brew industry

with a new exhibition, “Drink Local: Aurora’s Craft Beer Scene”.

The exhibition runs through April 7 and invites visitors to get to know

Aurora’s dynamic brewers and their craft. It showcases

the history of craft beer, the passion Coloradans hold for the brewing industry,

how beer and other brews are produced, and the importance of drinking local. 

Brown Bag & White Linen Lecture Series
Third Wednesday of each month; noon to 1 p.m.
Cost: $4 ($3 Aurora Residents) Aurora Historical Society members FREE. Bring your lunch.

Past Events