The Powerhouse Science Center, long known locally as the Durango Discovery Museum, occupies the brick 1893 Durango Light and Power plant at 1333 Camino del Rio, on the banks of the Animas River just west of downtown. The coal-fired generating station once electrified the mining-era town. Today families and students come for hands-on science housed inside one of the American West’s early alternating-current power plants.
Inside, tall industrial windows, exposed brick and steel trusses frame interactive stations built around energy, physics, engineering and the natural world. Kids generate electricity, test structures, experiment with light and sound, and work through tinkering challenges, while younger children have their own play-based exploration zones. Interpretive displays tie the exhibits to the building’s own history, so visitors learn how power was produced in the very room where it happened. Rotating exhibits, camps and STEM workshops keep repeat visits fresh for local families.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Plan on one to two hours. Weekday afternoons are generally quieter than mornings, when school groups often arrive, and summer weekends draw the heaviest crowds as train passengers fill town. Hours and admission change seasonally, so confirm current times and any special programming on the museum’s official website before you go. The Animas River Trail runs right past the building, making it an easy walk or bike ride from Main Avenue, and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad depot sits a short stroll away for a full day of local history.
