Entry No. 69 — the Denver file — filed under: history
Forney Museum of Transportation
A 70,000-square-foot warehouse on a forgettable industrial stretch of Brighton Blvd holds 800-plus vehicles, and nobody driving past would guess. Inside: Amelia Earhart's actual 1923 Kissel 'Gold Bug' (she nicknamed it the Yellow Peril), Union Pacific's Big Boy 4005 steam locomotive, gangster-era cars, and period mannequins frozen mid-scene. It reads less like a polished museum and more like someone's obsessive private collection that outgrew the garage. Most Denverites have never set foot inside it.
The story
The Forney Museum doesn't exist because of a city planning committee or a corporate endowment; it exists because a Fort Collins welder named J.D. Forney couldn't stop trading. During the Depression, Forney patented an instant-heat soldering iron and built a business selling portable welders to Rocky Mountain farmers. When broke ranchers couldn't pay in cash, Forney took old buggies, tractors, and vintage cars in trade instead. In 1955, his wife and son secretly tracked down a 1920s Kissel—the exact model he used to woo her in college—and gifted it to him, igniting an unhinged collecting habit under the motto 'Anything on Wheels.'
That hoarding impulse eventually outgrew every garage in northern Colorado, eventually settling into a 70,000-square-foot warehouse on a dusty industrial stretch of Brighton Boulevard. Inside, polished chrome sits alongside raw steel in a space that feels less like a sanitized cultural institution and more like an eccentric uncle's sprawling hangar. The lineup includes Union Pacific Big Boy 4005—a 600-ton steam engine that ranks among the largest ever built—gangster-era sedans, a 1916 Detroit Electric coupe, and Amelia Earhart's personal 1923 Kissel 'Gold Bug' roadster, which she infamously dubbed the Yellow Peril.
What elevates the warehouse from a standard auto collection into something distinctly strange is the human element—or the mannequin element. To populate the vehicles, the Forney family dressed static, dead-eyed mannequins in authentic 1920s apparel from J.D.'s wife's personal vintage collection. Positioned behind steering wheels and frozen mid-scene beside antique carriages, their unblinking glass gazes give the giant, echoey room the distinct atmosphere of a mid-century fever dream.
What it's like
You pull off Brighton Boulevard onto an unpretentious industrial block where a plain parking lot offers over 100 free spaces right at the entrance. The moment you step through the lobby doors, you'll hit a strict security rule: no bags or purses are allowed on the museum floor, so you'll lock your belongings in a free lobby locker before getting buzzed through a heavy door into the main warehouse. The interior is vast, quiet, and slightly drafty, populated by a mix of train obsessives and curious locals taking in the sheer volume of iron. Wear comfortable walking shoes to cover the 70,000-square-foot concrete floor, don't miss the elevated walkway that lets you stand eye-level with the massive Big Boy locomotive cab, and keep your eye out for the stiff synthetic figures staring back at you from inside the vintage sedans.
The move: Wander the warehouse together hunting for the weirdest vehicle, then climb up to gawk at the Big Boy locomotive and argue over which mannequin diorama is the most unsettling.
📍 Before you go This is a drive-to spot, not a walkable one — the warehouse sits on an industrial block off Brighton Blvd with its own large lot (100-plus spaces, free except during special events), so you park at the door rather than circling for street parking. Being fully indoor, it's a reliable rainy, snowy, or scorching-day plan in any season. Budget a solid hour or two; 70,000 square feet and 800-plus vehicles is real walking, so wear comfortable shoes. It's self-guided, so no reservation needed for a normal visit. Afterward, you're minutes from RiNo's breweries, murals, and food halls — an easy pairing.
- 📍 North Denver (Brighton Blvd, RiNo-adjacent)
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 4303 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216 (industrial block in North Denver near RiNo)
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm; last admission 4:15pm daily. ~$13 adult.
Pair it with
- Fort Greene — After wandering through cold steel and warehouse grease, drive less than a mile north into Globeville to hunt down this signless 1880s neighborhood bar.
- One River North (MAD Architects canyon floors) — Pair Forney's mid-century industrial relics with a four-block trip down Brighton Boulevard to gawk at a modern 16-story apartment tower ripped open by a planted mountain canyon.
- Squirm Gallery — Just half a mile down Brighton Boulevard, this former DIY space gives you a dose of contemporary Denver underground art right on the same industrial corridor.
- Black American West Museum & Heritage Center — Extend your offbeat Denver history day by driving a mile south into Five Points to explore forgotten Old West history housed inside a historic Victorian home.
Good to know
What are the admission prices and hours?
Tickets are approximately $13 for adults. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with daily last admission at 4:15 PM.
Do I need to book tickets in advance or reserve a time slot?
No. The museum is entirely self-guided, so you can purchase tickets directly at the front counter when you arrive.
What is the parking situation?
The warehouse has its own dedicated surface lot with over 100 spaces, which are free for visitors during standard museum hours.
Can I bring a purse, camera bag, or backpack inside?
No. The museum strictly enforces a no-bag policy on the display floor. You must lock up all bags and purses in the free lockers provided in the lobby before being buzzed into the exhibit space.
How long does a visit usually take?
Budget between 1 and 2 hours to walk the entire 70,000-square-foot floor and take in the 800-plus vehicles and artifacts.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Westword · Atlas Obscura · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-07