Such is the case for the latest exhibition at the History Colorado Center, The Disappearance of Thomas Riha, which takes a local mystery and investigates the many remaining unanswered questions.
“This is a true crime cold case that’s never been told publicly in a museum setting,” said Katherine Mercier, exhibition developer and historian at History Colorado. “We felt we finally had the space to experiment with the kind of exhibit we’ve never done before.”
The Disappearance of Thomas Riha will be on display at the Center, 1200 Broadway, Denver in Denver, through March 15.
According to the provided information, the exhibit tells the story of University of Colorado Boulder Russian history professor Thomas Riha, who vanished on March 15, 1969, right in the middle of the Cold War.
The exhibition features never-before-displayed declassified documents from the Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is deepened by History Colorado’s archives. Museum researchers had a wide range of materials to use, including the journals of a woman who may or may not have played a role in Riha’s disappearance.
“Despite the case never being solved, we have hundreds of pages in our collection that provide unique insights,” Mercier explained. “We don’t claim to have the answer as to what happened, but we want people to be able to go through the evidence and come up with their own theories. There’s even a space at the end of the exhibition where guests can share them.”
While the mystery is the main draw of the exhibit, Mercier said she also hopes visitors get a glimpse of Colorado’s role as a hotbed of activity during the Cold War. With sites like Rocky Flats and the Air Force Academy, the state saw plenty of intrigue.
“People may not understand how big the Cold War was and how it integrated itself into everybody’s life,” she said. “I hope people think about what it would’ve felt like to be living at the time and how they would cope.”
Riha’s disappearance received a great deal of press coverage at the time, but eventually faded away, leaving everyone without answers. So, this exhibit was carefully designed to also include the stories of the people who were affected.
“The exhibit focuses on the people and lives that were wrapped up in the events,” Mercier said. “Thomas had a family that never got answers about what happened to him. This is ultimately a story about humanity.”
For more information, visit www.historycolorado.org/exhibit/disappearance-thomas-riha.
See How Englewood Works at Civic Center
How well do you know the people who keep your city running? Englewood residents have the chance to meet those behind the scenes at the Celebrate Englewood event, held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 17 at the Englewood Civic Center, 1000 Englewood Parkway.
Attendees can meet employees and participate in other activities like Touch a Truck, where people can get up close to a fire truck, police cars, bearcat, police motorcycles and command post, and more. There will be vendors and other activities as well.
More information at https://www.englewoodco.gov/our-city/events/upcoming/celebrate-englewood.
Jefferson Symphony Plays Star Wars Score
May 4 may have been more than a week ago, but the Jefferson Symphony will be celebrating the immortal John Williams Star Wars score with two performances at 1 and 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 18 at the Mines Green Center, 924 16th St. in Golden.
In addition to the timeless music, Conductor Arturo J. Gonzales will be holding a pre-concert talk at 12:15 and 3:15 p.m. on the day of the concert in Metals Hall. According to provided information, he will discuss the history and composition of the Star Wars Soundtrack, what to listen for, and how to break down John Williams’ brilliant compositions.
Costumes are encouraged and those who wear costumes will get a discount on tickets. Information and tickets are available at https://www.jeffsymphony.org/.
Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Toro y Moi and Panda Bear at the Fillmore Auditorium
There is some music that’s made to get lost in. It’s less about the lyrics and more about the mood, a sonic energy that can transport you if you allow it. In their own ways, both Toro y Moi and Panda Bear, a member of indie rock legends Animal Collective, have been building these musical worlds for years. Their music is very different, but the vibes are strong with both.
The two musicians are a perfect pairing and they’ll be performing at the Fillmore Auditorium, 1510 Clarkson St. Denver, at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 16. They’ll be joined by Kassie Krut for an evening to carry you away.
Information and tickets are available at www.axs.com.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.