The CSU Spur celebrates its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours on Jan. 7. Photos by John Eisele/CSU Photography
The CSU Spur campus is now open to the public, as a year-round destination in Denver.
On Friday, Vida, a building focused on animal and human health, opened to the public as part of the Colorado State University System’s new K-12 learning campus on the grounds of the new National Western Center.
The new building is made for visitors, field trips, and community to get a glimpse inside research, science, and careers. The top 10 attractions within the free, public building include:
- The kitten: Spur’s resident 9-foot kitten will greet you … approach from the front and you’ll hear a purr, and approach from behind and you’ll hear a hiss!
- Dumb Friends League Veterinary Hospital: A donor-subsidized Veterinary Hospital offers veterinary services, and allows visitors to watch dogs and cats in surgery.
- Mock Exam Clinic: students become veterinarians as they check out X-Rays and bandage up stuffed animals.
- Temple Grandin Equine Center: A second location of the Temple Grandin Equine Center, offering 7,500 equine assisted services appointments annually.
- Mural: NYC artist Priscila De Carvalho created a tile mural up the stairwell complete with many of the animals in the Vida building.
- Horse artwork: Outside the arena, a reclaimed wood mural of a horse is the profile of an EKG from the side
- Virtual reality: toss on a VR headset and have a real-life experience.
- Exhibits: educational exhibits throughout Vida connect visitors to facts, careers, and extra information!
- Interactive display: step up to the screen and interact with a digital dog, cat, and horse to learn about their daily life!
- Equine Sports Medicine: Watch equine athletes walk on underwater treadmills, and receive treatments such as acupuncture or vibration therapy.
- Bonus: Horses! Seven horses live onsite at CSU Spur, come meet them!
The CSU Spur Vida building opened in alignment with the National Western Stock Show, which runs from Jan. 8-23, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. during the Stock Show and will resume normal hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday the rest of the year.
CSU Spur is made up of three state-funded buildings for the public, with the Terra building (focused on food and agriculture) opening in April and Hydro building (focused on water) opening in November. Learn more at CSUSpur.org.
