Entry No. 197 — the Denver file — filed under: oddities
The Terrorium Shop (Terrorium Annex classroom)
This Denver oddities shop runs hands-on insect-pinning and taxidermy classes in a separate classroom space called the Terrorium Annex, a few blocks from the Yates Street storefront. Sessions cover things like pinning and displaying a tarantula or other specimens, alongside terrarium building and bone-cleaning workshops (using their dermestid beetle colony). New class dates are listed about every couple of months and full classes drop off the site, so offerings rotate. It is the kind of place where a date night involves preserving a real specimen together rather than sipping wine.
The story
What happens when a gardener who collects skull fragments teams up with a professional taxidermist? You get the 'terrorium'—a living ecosystem built around ethically foraged bones, preserved reptiles, and pinned insects. Founders Amber Hage-Ali and Ian Johnson began selling these dead-meets-living compositions at Denver craft markets in 2017 before opening their retail store on Yates Street in Berkeley in May 2019. Every specimen they use is strictly ethically sourced, coming from natural deaths, butterfly farms, local breeders, or animal control pickups rather than commercial culls.
While the Yates Street storefront holds glass domes, wet specimens, and over 100 drawers of pinned bugs, the real hands-on work takes place a few blocks north at 3611 West 49th Avenue: the Terrorium Annex. This dedicated classroom space is where you trade a standard date night for rehydrating insect wings, mounting tarantulas, or learning the logistics of cleaning bones using the shop's active dermestid beetle colony. You're not sitting through a lecture; you're sitting at a table with tweezers, pins, and actual biological material.
Keeping the classroom separate from the main shop gives the Annex a distraction-free, working-lab feel. Because new dates only drop about every couple of months and full sessions automatically drop off the booking system, the class roster is in constant rotation. You didn't hear it from us, but if you want a slot for a specific specimen, you have to snag it the week the bi-monthly schedule goes live.
What it's like
When you arrive at 3611 West 49th Avenue, remember that this isn't the retail store—it is a plain-spoken workshop space outfitted for small groups, pinning boards, and precision tools. The atmosphere inside is focused and methodical rather than squeamish, filled with curious locals and couples carefully positioning legs or working with preservation gear. Make sure you check your confirmation email for the exact specimen type and address before heading out; showing up at the Yates Street shop by mistake will put you behind schedule before you even pick up your tweezers.
The move: Book a two-person insect-pinning slot and each mount and pin your own beetle or tarantula to take home as a matching pair of framed specimens.
📍 Before you go Classes are posted bi-monthly and book by the session, not drop-in; the classroom (Annex, 3611 W 49th Ave) is a different address from the retail shop. Confirm a date and the specimen type before going.
- 📍 Sunnyside / Berkeley, Denver
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Shop: 4416 Yates St, Denver, CO 80212; classes at the Terrorium Annex, 3611 W 49th Ave, Denver, CO
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Alley Brews — Head here after your workshop for a post-class drink hidden down an alley off Tennyson Street.
- Old Elitch Carousel Dome (with floor labyrinth) — Take a short walk south after pinning insects to explore a quiet 1926 bell-roofed pavilion on Tennyson.
- Botanica Yemaya — Pair your bone preservation class with a trip to Federal Boulevard for floor-to-ceiling candles, devotional statuary, and spiritual supplies.
Good to know
Are the retail storefront and the classroom at the same location?
No. The retail shop is located at 4416 Yates St, while all hands-on classes take place at the Terrorium Annex a few blocks away at 3611 W 49th Ave.
Are the specimens used in classes ethically sourced?
Yes. All animal and insect specimens are sourced from natural deaths, butterfly farms, taxidermy studios, local breeders, or animal control.
Can I walk in and join a class without booking in advance?
No. Classes are ticketed per session, posted roughly every two months, and frequently sell out. Walk-ins are not accepted.
What is the cancellation policy for workshops?
You must provide at least 72 hours' notice before the class start time to receive a refund or class credit.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Yelp · visitdenver.com · Atlas Obscura
last checked: 2026-06-23