The Ute Indian Museum in Montrose, Colorado is unique in that it is the only non-tribally managed museum in the nation that interprets the culture of one American Indian group.  Permanent exhibits examine the history of the Ute people, U.S. Government, cultural interactions, conflicts, and traditional patterns of Ute life.

The museum lies on 8.65 acres of the original 500-acre homestead deeded to Chief Ouray and his wife, Chipeta, in the heart of traditional Ute territory.  As a History Colorado museum, the Ute Indian Museum is overseen by the Colorado Historical Society.  Built in 1956, and expanded in 1998, the museum offers one of the most complete collections and interpretations of the Ute people.

The Colorado Historical Society holds an important collection of Ute ethnographic objects, and nearly half of this collection is on display at the Ute Indian Museum.  For example, a rare painted bison hide featuring the Ute Bear Dance, a shirt belonging to Chief Severo, and a blanket belonging to Chief Ignacio.  The Museum also cares for a number of objects (including a saddle and a dress) belonging to Ouray's wife, Chipeta, who is buried on the museum grounds.  These Ute objects are a vital component of this state's ethnographic collections and speak to the Society's continuing commitment to share the important story of the Ute people with the citizens of Colorado.

The Ute Indian Museum is an important cultural facility in the Uncompahgre Valley of Western Colorado.  The museum is linked to city and county sites and recreational areas through the regional bikeway and serves as the area's main tourism information and visitor center.

The museum partners with local school districts on the Western Slope to help meet K-12 curriculum objectives, with the Montrose Chamber and Visitor's Bureau to promote heritage tourism, and consults with the three Ute tribes to best interpret Ute culture.

The museum includes the Montrose Visitor Information Center, gallery space, classrooms, and a museum store.  Chief Ouray memorial park, Chipeta's crypt, a native plants garden, shady picnic areas, walking paths, and the Dominguez and Escalante Monument - a memorial to the Spanish conquistadors who traveled through the area in 1776 - complete the museum complex.