Visit this high-quality museum for both its excellent collections and its fabulous built design.
Denver Art Museum (DAM) began life as the Denver Artists’ Club in 1893. During the course of its nomadic life it has been housed in a number of different places, but its current home is the most impressive yet. The museum is found in the Denver Civic Centre, and takes up 32,500 square metres over two separate buildings.North Building was designed by the Italian modernist architect Gio Ponti, and finished in 1971. It is covered in over one million reflective grey glass tiles, and takes the dramatic form of a castle. The angular contemporary design of the Frederic C. Hamilton building is also highly eye-catching, with its surfaces created to reflect the images of Denver's surrounding summits and rock formations. This building was designed by the world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, along with the local firm Davis Partnership Architects.There are over 70,000 pieces held in the museum's collections – some reaching back over the centuries, some with a much more modern vibe – and works of art from many different corners of the globe are represented. The American Indian collection in the North Building is particularly well known for its beautiful works. The museum was one of the first to collect First Peoples' pieces based on artistic merit, rather than as anthropological objects. It now contains a diverse collection of woodcarving, weaving, painted leather clothing and pottery.You’ll also find excellent pre-colonisation art from around the Americas here, as well as artworks from the days of Spanish Empire rule. These include paintings, statues, silverwork and decorative arts. Temporary exhibitions are also a regular feature of the museum's programme, and details of these can be found online.The museum's gift shop offers a range of posters, books and locally made jewellery, while there are three different eateries to choose from on site.Denver Art Museum is easily reached by car or by public transport. There is a shuttle bus from 16th Street Mall, and parking is available close to the museum.
