FoCoMX is right around the corner and over twenty incredible acts are taking the stage here at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery. This year, FCMoD is home to three unique stages: The Learning Labs, The Launchpad, and the Otterbox Digital Dome Theater. We had the pleasure to speak with some of artists performing at FCMoD, diving into what inspires their music and what you can expect from their performances.  

D.W. Doucet’s unique approach to live shows is sure to make his set stand out at this year’s FoCoMX. Doucet describes his one-man band as “an individualistic blend of blues and folk,” met with “howling, growling, hooting and hollering.” He blends narrative based songwriting with nontraditional instruments like chains and rotary telephones. These unexpected elements give Doucet’s music a sound like no one else, adding a layer of depth to his honest, raw storytelling. His songwriting is inspired by a variety of life experiences, whether it be a personal reflection, or stories heard from friends and relatives. 

Doucet is a seasoned FoCoMX artist, with his first festival appearance back in 2016. He is currently in the process of recording his full-length album “American Dust” at More Door studios with engineer, Johnny Alonzo, and plans to release it later this year.  

You can find D.W. Doucet at the Fort Collins Digital Dome Theater on Friday, April 19th at 8:15PM.

We are days away from Fort Collins’ favorite local music festival, FoCoMX! With over 350 Colorado bands performing on 30 stages, it is impossible not to wonder what goes on behind the scenes. This year, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery has the support of the youth advisory board known as the FCMoD Squad to help run three unique stages: The Launchpad, The Learning Labs, and The Otterbox Digital Dome Theater.

The MoD Squad consists of individuals ages 15-19 from across the Front Range. Squad members meet twice a month at the museum for a one-year period. During that time, they actively engage the community in a variety of ways, including reviewing applications for the Sonic Spotlight Showcase, participating in college level presentations and discussions, emceeing concerts, and much more. This year, MoD Squad members will also be helping out behind the scenes of FoCoMX at the museum.

Months ago, Squad members got a sneak peek into the FoCoMX application process. After intently looking over applications from a variety of different bands, MoD Squad had the opportunity to weigh in on which bands would thrive on FCMoD stages. Now, after becoming these bands’ newest fans, Squad members will help ensure the success of the festival by supporting backstage.

Want to see the MoD Squad in action? We’ve got you covered. Thanks to Visit Fort Collins, admission to the museum is FREE on Saturday, April 20^th. Add Fort Collins Museum of Discovery to your 2024 FoCoMX schedule and don’t forget to say hello to the Squad!

Poster Design by: Elijah Brady

Welcome to Cafecito con Vlad, with your host, Vlad Lora Pardo. Vlad is a former ModSquad member and current ¡Alebrijes! fellow. Working closely alongside the iAlebrijes! artists, staff, and volunteers, Vlad provides a unique perspective into the exhibit and its impact on the local community. Come along as Vlad interviews the people behind our new iAlebrijes! Exhibit. 

In this episode, Vlad has a conversation with Ben Griswold, FCMoD’s Senior Manager of Content, Engagement, and Experience. This week, we’re diving into the team’s vision behind the ¡Alebrijes! exhibit, as well as some of the challenges faced along the way. Join us this Thursday, April 4th to check out the giant Alebrije installment created by our artists in residency, Óscar Becerra Mora and Rubén Miguel. 

Field trips at Fort Collins Museum of Discovery are special and memorable for all ages, and a great way to positively impact students and their learning experiences. Here are some things we thought of to help boost your field trip experience at FCMoD:

• Find the best time to visit. Finding the best time to visit can make all the difference. If you’re visiting to support your curriculum, consider booking your visit 1-2 weeks before or after your unit to help students feel most connected. If you’re hoping to have lunch outside, experience nearby trails and parks, or visit nearby museums and restaurants in Downtown Fort Collins, you might want to keep seasonal weather in mind. FCMoD asks for reservation requests at least two weeks in advance and works with educators and group leaders to explore availability and itinerary options. Booking your field trip well in advance can help give you more peace of mind and time to plan a more memorable experience for your group.
• Embrace the exploration expectations. FCMoD field trips give groups the experience of limitless discovery and help promote a stronger, accessible connection to history, science, culture, and community. To help ensure that this experience is the most fun, engaging, educational and safe for all, we encourage groups to review a few expectations before their visit. By embracing these exploration expectations before and during their field trip, students can take pride in being respectful of each other and their surroundings, while helping us preserve history, science, and culture in Colorado.
• Access the Archive, Special Exhibits, and more. Before making your field trip request, check out the Dome Show schedule, Special Exhibits, the Archive & Collections and more. All of these can be included in the group rate to boost your field trip experience at FCMoD – whether your group is studying space, wildlife, music and sound, or local and regional history, including an immersive, hands-on, or behind-the-scenes experience can really help keep students excited and engaged. Did you know we have 4 new exhibits coming in 2024 and 2025? Ask about shows, tours and floor program availability when submitting your field trip request.
• Plan some activities and learning tools. Field trips at FCMoD are intentionally self-guided to encourage limitless discovery, exploration, and reflection. That said, the Gallery offers a fresh canvas for educators and group leaders to get creative with how to best engage their students with curricular and extra-curricular goals in mind. Maybe a scavenger hunt connecting what you’re learning in the classroom to artifacts on display? How about museum bingo, to help ensure maximum engagement during visitation? Maybe a field note worksheet, asking students to reflect on their experiences? Options are endless, and we love ideas! To help plan and prepare any activities, educators and group leads are invited to request a complimentary guest pass when booking their field trip so they can tour the gallery floor before visiting.

Don’t delay! FCMoD’s spring field trip season is filling fast, and we’re now booking field trips and camps for the summer. To learn more about group visits and field trips at FCMoD, visit our Group Visits page. When you’re ready to request a visit, please submit this online reservation form. For questions about Group Visits, please contact booking@fcmod.org.

img credit: City of Fort Collins Flickr

Whether you’re a member or first-time visitor, every month at FCMoD is jam-packed with limitless discovery! Here’s some fun you can look forward to at FCMoD in February: 

2/1: Membership Relaunch – in case you missed it, we rolled out all new membership levels to help simplify your experience and better connect you to all the benefits of being a member! To learn more about pricing, benefits and new programs, please visit explore membership preview. 

2/9, 7-9:30am: 17th Annual Winter Bike To Work (or Wherever) Day – Fort Collins’ 17th Annual Winter Bike to Work (or Wherever) Day is almost here! Join 48 stations, hosted by over 100 local businesses and organizations (including FCMoD!), all around Fort Collins for free breakfast, comradery, and two-wheeled fun before and after work. Swing by FCMoD at the corner of Cherry & Mason Streets for some healthy snacks and a chance to win free passes and an Explore 5 Membership! 

2/16, 5-8pm: Monthly Member Night – one of our newest Member perks, FCMoD is extending operating hours to host “Monthly Member Nights” on the third Friday of every month! Join us from 5 – 8 PM and enjoy all that the museum has to offer, exclusively for members, after hours. Not a member yet? Become a member today! 

2/21, 6-9pm: Music Industry Night – calling all musicians, promoters, music lovers and more, Music Industry Night is a regular peer-to-peer evening hosted by FCMoD and Fort Collins Musicians Association for the music community of Northern Colorado to safely connect, find resources, and have fun. Enjoy free dinner by provided by Music City Hot Chicken and join Jamaal “Boss Eagle” Curry for a hands-on workshop on leveling-up your online merch store in time for FoCoMX.  

Every 2nd & 4th Saturday, 10am-12pm: Meet the Animals – join us in our Animal Encounters exhibit and discover some amazing creatures we share this planet with. Animals of all kinds from creepy crawlies, wet and slimy, to soft and furry. Don’t miss out on making a new animal friend! 

Every 1st & 3rd Saturday, 10am-12pm: Ferret Feeding – join us in our Natural Areas Exhibit to learn about the conservation work being done to return black-footed ferrets to the wild, from the national captive breeding program to new advances in cloning. Meet our black-footed ferrets, Dude and Churro, and watch as our furry friends tear into their weekend meal.  

We hope to see you at FCMoD this February – and don’t forget to check our calendar regularly for Dome Shows, Floor Programs, and new events!  

Image Credit: City of Fort Collins

We’ve got exciting news! Starting on February 1, 2024, we’ll be rolling out all new membership levels to help simplify your experience and better connect you to all the benefits of being a member. Our new Explore 2, Explore 5 and Explore 8 levels of membership will get you:

• a year’s worth of unlimited gallery access
• admission to three free special touring exhibitions in 2024
• discounted admission to the Otterbox Digital Dome Theater
• discounts in the Museum Café, Store and on birthday rentals
• access to hundreds of ASTC museums worldwide
• access to 11 History Colorado Sites and Museums
• subscription to newsletters and member updates

For those looking for the deepest connection to YOUR museum you can level up with an Explore More Add On which gets you all of the above plus:

•  access to hundreds of North American Reciprocal Museums (NARM)
• early Registration for programs and workshops
• free Admission to Daily Dome shows and Weekend Music Shows
• Meet & Greet Behind the Scenes tour with Executive Directors

It’s a brave new era for Members here at FCMoD – come explore more!!

To learn more about pricing, benefits and new programs please see our membership page

Sonic Spotlight is back! Now in its fourth year, this musical showcase highlights emerging music and young artists living in Northern Colorado. Musicians 22 and under are encouraged to apply. Sonic Spotlight provides opportunities for musicians looking to level up their craft while making new friends and connections.

Selected artists and bands will get a chance to work with industry experts, connect with creative peers, receive radio airplay, create a professional music videos, book live shows, and reach new creative heights. You and/or your friends should apply! 

Applications are open now through August 31st! https://www.sonicspotlight.org/apply

Sonic Spotlight is a music competition for Front Range musicians under 22 years old. Now in its third year, Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is helping musicians connect in our space and with industry leaders.

The Run Down

In our first phase of the competition, Sonic Spotlight judges chose eight semifinalists to compete in the Sonic Round. From now until November, Sonic Round members will work to craft songs that will be airing live on Thursday, November 3 on 105.5 The Colorado Sound and KCSU, found on 90.5. From there, the competition will be narrowed to three finalists who will perform at Washington’s in Fort Collins, live and amped up with new music during the Spotlight round of the competition.

After the show, a winner will be chosen for this year’s Sonic Spotlight.

The experience

Sonic Spotlight supports fresh sounds from any genre; selected artists and bands will get a chance to work with industry experts, connect with creative peers, receive radio airplay, create a professional music video, play festivals, win prizes, perform live, and level up their music. 

This year’s semifinalists

AUTUMNAL | FORT COLLINS

Autumnal is an indie-folk band from Fort Collins comprised of two long time best friends. Their music is reminiscent of indie singer-songwriters such as Daisy the Great, Samia, and Indigo De Souza. Find their music on Youtube and their website.

CLEMENTINE | FORT COLLINS

This quintet freshly squeezed out of Fort Collins, Colorado consists of bright guitar riffs juxtaposed with heavy hitting drums and lyrics. The music released by clementine is only a taste of what they are capable of, as clementine continues to push its limits for what is possible musically. Their music is on Spotify and Soundcloud.

FIONA SOFIA | FORT COLLINS 

Fiona Sofia is a singer/songwriter/producer based in Colorado. She writes from the soul and aims to embody every aspect of life through music- the highs, the lows, the confidence, the lessons, the love, the everything. Listen to her music on Spotify and YouTube.

HOSPITAL SOCKS | FORT COLLINS 

All growing up in the Fort Collins area, their first EP shows only a small portion of what the band is capable of both sonically and emotionally. Already hard at work for their next project, hospital socks are here to stay and are craving to make a mark. Hear them on Spotify.

HYGEIA | FORT COLLINS

HYGEIA is a four piece progressive hard-rock band based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Taking inspiration from modern metal bands like Jinjer, Periphery, and Bring Me the Horizon, HYGEIA breaks boundaries in the music scene. Listen to them on their website and Spotify pages.

JONAH AUSBUN | GREELEY

Northern Colorado-based Jonah Ausbun has developed a nostalgic pop sound for people wanting to live a little. Grab your friends, hop in the car, and play the soundtrack to experience being human right now. Here they are on Bandcamp and Spotify.

SAUCE K. | GREELEY

Sauce K is a Hip Hop artist from Greeley. It wasn’t until after a year of my graduation that Sauce K. became a Rap/Hip Hop Artist. Sauce K. was the Sonic Spotlight 2021 Listener’s Choice winner! Experience the Sauce K. on his website and Spotify

TY_MAKES_MUSIC | FIRESTONE

Ty_Makes_Music combines colorful and complex sound design that holds the audience’s hand through experiences and to help listeners grow. Listen to Ty_Makes_Music on Youtube and Spotify.