North America’s first and only Leonardo da Vinci Museum is taking shape in the heart of downtown Pueblo, with an eye toward opening later this year.

Since receiving final approval from the Colorado Economic Development Commission in February, development of the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) focused museum has been underway, and museum officials have released a series of renderings that show what the interior and exterior will look like.

Board President Joe Arrigo said he hopes the museum, which will be housed in the former Professional Bull Riders Center near the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk, will open in early November.

“It’s an ambitious goal, but I think we can get there,” Arrigo said. “We’re going to do everything we can to make that work.”

At present, there are five Leonardo da Vinci museums, located in Italy, France, South Korea, Australia and Brazil. The idea for a Pueblo location stemmed from a relationship between the city and the Artisans of Florence, an international touring exhibit company.

In 2022, Pueblo’s Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center hosted “Da Vinci Machines and Robotics,” a collection of over 60 machines and reconstructed art pieces based on da Vinci’s work. After the show concluded its run, Pueblo kept many of the models, distributing them to exhibits across the U.S.

About 100 machines and exhibits are stored at the PuebloPlex east of the city proper, but there won’t be enough interior space to display them all at once, Arrigo said.

“The intention is to rotate some of the exhibits from time to time, so the interior has a different look for people who want to (visit) more than once,” he said.

When completed, the museum will feature more than 60 interactive machines dreamt up by da Vinci more than 500 years ago. Reproductions of the Renaissance artist’s most famous paintings and facsimiles of his drawings will also be on display. An interactive “STEAMWorks Lab” will feature robot obstacle courses, 3D printing and a wind tunnel, officials said.

Some of the displays and exhibits won’t be available until spring or fall of 2026, Arrigo said.

“We will be doing this in phases,” he said. “It’s going to take some time.”

City leaders expect the museum to drive regional, national and international tourism, which would give Pueblo a welcome economic boost. A financial analysis by the Hasan School of Business at Colorado State University-Pueblo estimates the museum would generate an annual output of about $2.3 million after five years.

But what truly excites Arrigo is the prospect of exposing young minds to the possibility of pursuing STEAM-related careers.

“In my experience, people are usually inspired by something early in life, whether it’s a teacher, a mentor or an experience that sparks their curiosity,” said Arrigo, a former educator.

“We live in an area with some low-income and sometimes underserved communities. Most of those youngsters tend not to go into science and technology fields because they’re not exposed to those possibilities. We’re hoping to change that.”

In the long-term, exposure to science and technology could translate into workforce development in a state that boasts the second-largest aerospace economy in the U.S., according to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.

“Truthfully, we don’t know if that part will be successful for another 10 or 15 years,” Arrigo said.

“It’s a long-term investment in our community, and investments take time to pay off. For now, we want to inspire young people to be the best they can be. If a little girl wants to grow up to be an astronaut, we want her to believe she can do that. That’s what we hope to provide, by sparking their imaginations when they’re young.”

Could Pueblo land North America’s first da Vinci museum?

Pueblo receives final approval for Leonardo da Vinci Museum

Pueblo Riverwalk expansion project on track for completion in 2025