Entry No. 12 — the Boulder file — filed under: roadside attraction
Dougherty Museum
Founded in 1977 by Ray G. Dougherty, a Boulder County farmer who simply refused to stop collecting, this roadside compound on a working property south of Longmont is a floor-to-ceiling fever dream of mid-century Americana. More than 30 prewar brass-era automobiles — spanning 1904 to 1929, many in running order — share space with steam-powered vehicles, antique tractors and threshers, Civil War–era weapons, and a remarkable trove of player pianos, phonographs, and wax cylinders. The Dougherty family has kept the doors open since Ray's death in 1988, adding layers of ephemera across multiple outbuildings that feel less like a curated institution and more like the world's most organized hoard.
The move: Spend a Saturday morning wandering outbuilding to outbuilding, letting the family volunteer-guides wind up the player pianos and fire up the old phonographs. Pack a cooler and find a shady spot on the property afterward — the surrounding farm fields make for a surprisingly serene picnic backdrop.
📍 Before you go Open Saturdays only, June through August, roughly 10am–4pm; the final weekend of August expands to Friday–Sunday 10am–5pm for the Annual Farm Show. Admission runs about $10 for adults, $6 for kids 6–12, free under 6. Private tours are available year-round weather permitting — call 720-947-9573 to book. The museum is seasonally closed September through May and was listed as temporarily closed on Yelp as recently as December 2025, so call ahead before making the drive.
- 📍 Longmont
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 8306 N 107th St (Hwy 287), Longmont, CO 80504
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4
last checked: 2026-06-11