Amache Museum
The Amache Museum houses many objects donated by Camp Amache survivors or recovered during archaeological research. Exhibits and collections are maintained by the Amache Preservation Society and updated every two years by Denver University’s Amache Project participants.
Collection highlights include a suitcase, symbolizing the struggle to take only what you can carry when heading to assembly cars and leaving the rest of your life behind for an unknown period of time, and a tea crate, which saw life before, during, and after Amache.
Before being forced to evacuate, the tea crate donor’s father obtained the tea crate while working at the Monaka Tea Company in California. While the crate was originally intended to store and transport Japanese tea, the family used it to bring their clothing and other personal belongings to Amache. The tea crate was also used to store their clothing in the barracks during incarceration, as the WRA did not provide any furniture. After leaving Amache, the family continued to use it to store things in their home.
The museum is usually open five days a week in the summer. During the school year, it is open on demand Monday through Saturday. Contact the Granada School at 719-734-5492 to schedule a visit.
Denver University conducts a field school in even years, which changes the operation days of the museum for a month, usually in July.
If you wish to have a private tour, email the Amache Preservation Society at amache@usa.com, and they will schedule a tour for your convenience.
