Fort Garland was once commanded by the legendary frontiersman Kit Carson. Established in 1858 in southern Colorado, Fort Garland, with its garrison of over 100 men, served to protect the earliest settlers in the San Luis Valley. Approximately 45 miles southwest of Fort Garland is Pike's Stockade on the Conejos River, where Zebulon Pike and his men camped during the cold winter of 1806 and 1807. The stockade was reconstructed from notes in Pike's journal.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, and educational programs.