ART: The Van Briggle Pottery Museum, Colorado Springs, CO

The Van Briggle Pottery Museum, Colorado Springs, CO

The Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado houses a 

very special pottery collection, the Van Briggle Pottery Museum. 

Artus Van Briggle was a potter who in his early years experimented with the various 

types of clay from the Colorado region. He combined the  most important features of

the clay he liked best from the Georgia and Tennessee areas to create his own very special mix.

 Next Artus made a plaster mold from the original clay piece. Then a liquid clay 

mixture was poured into the mold and left to hardened. 

The next step was to very carefully remove the now hardened clay piece, removing 

the seam lines and retouching the design. The clay piece was then ready to be fired 

in the kiln.

The Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum is free and open to the public. It is a 

gorgeous building with beautifully restored rooms. The courtroom is exceptionally 

well done. The Briggle Pottery Museum is just one of the many wonderful exhibits 

in the museum. If you are in the area, please stop in for a delightful afternoon of 

tracing the history this part of our wonderful country.

Photos by Carol Kauffman