Vibrant, liberal, artistic and welcoming, the capital of Colorado has enjoyed considerable growth and popularity over the last decade. So much so that almost a thousand people choose to settle in the Mile-High City every month. With so many amazing things to see and do, it can be tough to decide how to spend your free time. The Denver Art Museum is definitely worth checking out (probably more than once!). The beautiful museum houses amazing collections of artwork and has a steady rotation of interesting exhibits. Whether you’re thinking of having an afternoon to yourself, spending time with a friend, or taking the whole family, visiting this museum is a great way to spend the day.
What is the Denver Art Museum?
This eclectic museum is known not only for its vast collection of artwork but also for itself being a masterpiece of architecture.
The Denver Art Museum has had numerous homes since its inception as the Denver Artists Club in 1893. It is an architectural monument composed of two different buildings. The North Building, inaugurated in 1971, has several floors and is covered by more than one million bright grey tiles. It was designed by the famous Italian architect Gio Ponti in collaboration with James Sudler Associates of Denver. The Frederic C. Hamilton wing, inaugurated in 2006, connects to the North Building via a bridge. This section was designed to reflect the peaks and rock formations of the surrounding mountains. It was created jointly by the renowned architect Daniel Libeskind and the Denver-based architects firm Davis Partnership Architects.
Variety
The Denver Art Museum houses around 70,000 works of art, with historic and modern works from various continents. The museum houses the world’s largest Native American art collection in the North Building, and you’ll also find African, Asian, European, American, and other beautiful collections throughout the museum. There are many interesting exhibitions of paintings, sculptures, furniture, silver, ceramics and pre-Columbian decorative works. Check out the gallery’s website to find out about current exhibitions.
Something for everyone
The museum also welcomes families in its gallery, where younger ones will find many activities to enjoy such as crafts and interactive exhibits. During the weekends and school days, you can visit the Family Activities Cart near the entrance of the museum to find out about the activities available.
More than a museum
The museum’s store offers engravings, books, jewellery and handmade objects by local artists. The museum has three restaurants within its facilities. At the Callahan Café you’ll find tea, coffee, pastries, wines, and cheeses; at Mad Greens Inspired Eats you’ll find salads, soups, and sandwiches; and at the Palettes restaurant you can sit down to a full three course meal.
Easy to get to
The Denver Art Museum is located at 100 W 14th Avenue Parkway in Denver. You can easily reach the museum by public transportation or by car. The museum, located in the Civic Center, has nearby parking, and you can also take a shuttle bus into the 16th Street Mall shopping area.
There is so much to see in this museum that it can easily become a favorite place to visit. With the variety of temporary exhibits, it feels as though there is always something new to enjoy. Whether you want to spend a few hours immersed in incredible artwork or an entire day learning with your kids, this is the perfect museum to visit.