The depth and breadth of the Denver Art Museum's collection is breathtaking. There is so much to…read morelearn and enjoy in the standing exhibits and the rotating exhibits that amaze and delight the senses. The current exhibition on Australian Indigenous Art "The Stars We Do Not See" is a stunning example of how much there is to gain and appreciate from going to see something you know nothing about. I particularly enjoy the tours, ongoing programs and lectures that the Museum offers. In conjunction with with the Aboriginal exhibit, the monthly "Mindful Looking" program offered a deep dive into one painting in that exhibit as a group of maybe 50 patrons listened in rapt attention as the curator of "The Stars We Do Not See" gave us a deep understanding of not only how that piece was made, but also its historical, symbolic and hidden perspectives. This is just a tiny slice of the education, amazement and enjoyment the Denver Art Museum has to offer. It's a treasure.

This is a review of the museum in Hamilton Building and Martin Building, which are connected by a…read morebridge. I reviewed The Kirkland separately. I suggest grabbing a map or downloading it on your phone. The Hamilton Building has several floors and houses arts of Africa & Oceania, indigenous arts of North America, Western American art, architecture and design galleries, modern and contemporary art. At the ground floor, there's a spacious gift shop. The Martin Building is an 8-story building with lots of glass tiles. It has indigenous arts of North America, Asian art, Latin American art & art of the Ancient Americas, European/American art before 1900, photography, textile art, fashion and major architecture and design collection. Both buildings are good to explore; but if you're pressed for time, I'd recommend going to The Kirkland first (which is my favorite).

Wow, my yesterday's visit to this historic park was so mesmerizing. It's because of their annual…read more(?) "Bright Nights" (originally a lantern festival.) It is said that they unveil a brand new theme each year and this year's theme appears to be focused on some Eastern cultures such as cherry blossom and bamboo forest with pandas. Not that I have been to many lights shows and yet I must say that I have never seen anything quite like this as far as my recollection is accurate. In its 12-acre land, the installations of lantern lights are everywhere. After 8:30pm or so when it's dark, the illuminations from the lanterns are glowing brighter than Las Vegas' illuminations (LOL - why am I comparing this to Las Vegas!!) According to the park's website, some of the sculptures are 23-foot tall (such as the cherry blossom gate.) It's currently open from Wednesday through Sunday until October 5th. And last night's was one of the adult-only nights where you must be 21+ to enter (I believe the next and last such night is Sept 17th. And this writing is as of late August of 2025.) I am already curious as to what the next year's theme is going to be. There is a centralized bar, some food vendors, a stage where a performer performs, and a DJ booth. Great for family time, girls' night or date night. Helpful staff were working tirelessly to assist all visitors. Although about 1,300 tickets were sold last night, it was never super jammed packed. There is still time to visit this enchanting light show. Not only for the locals but definitely one of the must-visit attractions for out-of-staters as well.

Recently went to the Bright Lights event at this park and had a wonderful experience walking around…read morethe luminous colorful tall lanterns. Every inch of the 12 acres had lights and even in the trees and bushes. So many details that it seemed realistic. Many of the lanterns were interactive such as stationary bikes or cranks to power the lights to glow even brighter. The staff were friendly and happy to help. This event is for young and old and I highly recommend going!

I've been here twice- most recently because I was able to get a free ticket through the Denver…read morepublic library, and previously to attend a wine and Halloween candy pairing party. If you get a chance to attend their events, they are really fun and worth the price of admission. I also really enjoy their ever rotating art collection. They have some really great local and minority artists, but what really tugged on my heart this time was the exhibit of teen artists. Absolutely adore seeing kids express themselves through art, and their statements about their art were truly eloquent. Parking downtown sucks, as usual, but if you come on a Sunday you might be able to find a metered spot for free. I'm sure I'll be back, most likely for an event! I know I'll be recommending their teen program to some of my more artistic students.

This is a non-collecting museum which means there is no permanent collection, but instead a…read morecontinuing series of temporary exhibits, some unique to this facility and others traveling between multiple museums. Quality can be highly variable, but that's always in the eye of the beholder. The focus is on contemporary art, as the name says, and much of this is intended to be highly provocative. I'm not a fan of art that requires a lengthy, written explanation to make sense and the curators here are often fond of that stuff, but I've also seen many beautiful, moving, thought-provoking, and inspiring exhibits. This is a bite-size facility with three floors of galleries. There is an elegant cafe on the top floor with a full bar and a nice selection of snacks, sandwiches, wine, beer, soft drinks, espresso drinks, and cocktails. The views from the roof deck outside the cafe are excellent. Street parking is metered and limited in this area; however, the museum has a deal with the parking garage across the street (1900 16th Street). Turn right off 15th Street onto Delgany Street, then immediately turn left. You'll see a large banner on the parking garage building touting museum parking as you turn off 15th Street. Use the QR code at the MCA's front desk to get one hour of free parking and two more hours at $5 each. All of the parking and access options can be found on the Web site at: Visit/Getting to MCA Denver The MCA has a very active schedule of events including lectures, classes, tours, film, parties, and many experiences geared to teens. The museum operates a second facility at the Holiday Theater in Lower Highlands in addition to the main Fries building. The Fries building is an excellent space for the display of contemporary art and was designed by starchitect David Adjaye. The Holiday Theater, built in 1914, then the Egyptian Theater (1926-1953), has been restored by the MCA as a 400-seat venue and performance hub for arts programming. Another facet of the museum is the Octopus Initiative. The MCA has assembled a collection of works by local Denver artists. Any Denver resident can create a list of favorites, then participate in a rotating lottery where these works are loaned out for ten month periods. The MCA has something for almost everyone and is certainly a major Denver treasure worth checking out.

Took my 6 & 7 year old daughters for their first visit to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science for…read morethe Brick Planet exhibit and ended up staying for everything. From Space Odyssey to Prehistoric Journey, Gems & Minerals, Exploring Colorado History, the Mummies exhibit (so fascinating!), and of course the Discovery Zone where they could roam and just be kids -- we truly made an afternoon of it. Every staff member we encountered was so friendly and informative, which made the experience even better.

Denver has a great museum, so if you come here be sure to check it out. It's a great experience of…read moreColorado history, while also having tons of science and the exhibits that rotate in and out are great too. They have free days every so often. They tend to be packed but it's a great time, the building feels so alive with so many people. Come by and check it out, you will love it.

Wow! This place is gorgeous. We came here because the Zoo was inaccessible (or we couldn't figure…read moreout how to access it) due to the marathon. There is a good amount of parking and street parking as well. I quite enjoyed the orangerie, and the dome with rainforest inside, which had a wonderful little treehouse you could walk up. Lots of really cool tropical plants live here, away from the arid Denver environment. Further into the garden, you can enjoy multiple different styles of gardens, surrounding various beautiful water features. The japanese garden surrounds a large calm pond, and there were a lot of bunnies frolicking about. Further in there is a small bonsai garden. There is also a plains garden, an alpine garden, and a few different types of flower gardens including a Victorian secret garden. I really enjoyed the vibe of walking through these areas, and feel very jealous of people who live in the apartments nearby and can walk through this garden in their free time anytime they wish. The garden features two cafes -- one more interior to the garden which has ice cream and a few entrees, and one more near the exit of the garden which is covered and has bathroom access. I recommend heading to the first one to shelter from rain. Loved the hot cider, it was so good! There's also a huge gift shop with a lot of different things you can buy. I highly recommend visiting for people who hare in the area. It's a great place to burn a few hours and relax/decompress in nature!

I enjoy the peacefulness and serenity of walking through Botanical Gardens. We were in town for…read morespring break and I read that the Denver Botanic Gardens was amazing. We decided to check it out. We arrived to Denver Botanic Gardens on a Saturday morning. The gardens are located in a nice lush area in Denver. Free parking is accessible in the parking garage across. There's nothing better than starting your morning with a brisk walk through a natural setting of tranquility. I felt that with the Denver Botanic Gardens as soon as we started our journey. Besides the magnificent vast variety of curated plants and flowers, there was themed gardens, harmonious architecture, indoor conservatories, and cultural ponds. The Japanese gardens were my favorite. A cozy cafe is available for small bites and refreshments as well. The property is extensive and immense but just the right size to explore. There were plenty of benches everywhere to relax and rest. I found that to be a nice touch. Beautiful picture opportunities were boundless. Overall we enjoyed our experience at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The staff were all nice and accommodating. The atmosphere was welcoming and family friendly. Price point was fair. I would love to share the experience with other loved ones when we eventually come back into town.

I loved the experience super long so relaxing pleaseee I BEG YOU COMEEE it is so beautiful we need…read moremore places likes this

Do you want an afternoon to just chill? Do you NEED an afternoon to just chill? The International…read moreChurch of Cannabis is your place. First, it's not quite what you think - nothing is sold and nothing is used there. I wouldn't say it's exactly family friendly for every family but there were little kids there. We started with the meditation/laser show. The room, once the church sanctuary, is painted in the brightest colors imaginable. It's absolute eye candy. You sit (or lay) on church pews that are full of squishy pillows. The lights dim, the meditation starts and the lasers illuminate various parts of the room. Even with the rock music, it really was mellow and relaxing. I don't know if you're permitted to sit through it more than once but I know that I would have liked too. While the laser show and "brightness" may be the main draw, the arcade was the most fun for us. Everything is included, no quarters needed. I played ski-ball until my arm was tired. While my husband played Galaga, I was drawn to the lite-brite. Simple? Yes but I wasn't allowed to have one when I was little and this was an absolute thrill for me. We then went into another room where we played Mario Cart - the game was projected onto an entire wall. There were board games, more arcade games, crayons and markers...everything needed to unleash your inner child - my husband and I spent the entire afternoon doing just that. We're back home now. I'm looking at the clock thinking about what to make for dinner. You know what? Heck with it - I'm going to go color instead...

Loved it! We spent about an hour there. It is better if you go with someone because some of the…read morephoto ops require two people. There are many employees around to explain what you are looking at, and help you get the best picture. There is a small gift shop also. I thought it was worth it but some friends thought the entry fee was too much.

Our daughter was visiting from out of town and we were looking for an interesting afternoon…read moreactivity. Our daughter is 31 years old so perhaps we were a little above the targeted demographics but we had a nice time. The exhibits were interesting and many photo opportunities that presented interesting illusions. The staff were amazingly friendly and helpful, guiding guests through each activity, helping to explain the setup, and even taking our photos. It was the Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving so the building was somewhat crowded with families but we never had to wait more then a few minutes before accessing one of the exhibits. Highly recommend MOI to families with preteen and younger children. It may even be enjoyable for a young couple on a date night. We were able to finish all of the exhibits in 30 minutes, we thought there may be a second floor but after walking through the space a second time we realized that was it. Fun but the ticket price and cost for parking may be a bit steep for some.

We were fortunate enough to get passes to this museum through our local library. The museum is…read morebeautiful and has so much information on the life and works of Mr. Still. The staff there is extremely knowledgeable and was able to go even more in depth to answer our questions.

Solid museum for some modern art. While not the biggest museum around, I enjoyed the focus on…read moreClyfford Still's work. Some of the works are quite thought provoking and innovative. Definitely causes you to think about things from perspectives you would never have considered. The short video clip being played in the lobby of the museum also gives you more insight into the museum itself and how they put everything together. Overall, a worthy place to visit in Downtown Denver :)

Love this sweet little art space so much! This was a foodie snack attack art opening with fun art…read moreand Voodoo Donuts! Yum! They are an inclusive welcoming space and you can always find affordable art and prints-FUN!

Spectra Art Space is such a gem in Denver! This women-owned art center is dedicated to giving…read moreartists a platform through immersive exhibits, workshops, classes, and music showcases--and it shows in everything they do. Their current installation, Spookadelia: Unspoken, is an all-ages, narrative-driven, and highly interactive art experience that's unlike any other exhibit I've seen. It's part art, part theater, and completely mesmerizing. The mix of colors, textures, lights, and sounds pulled me in from the moment I walked through the door. If you visit on a Friday or Saturday, you'll even get to see some of the Spookadelia characters come to life, walking through the space! It's creative, inspiring, and a total must-see.

Beautiful! Done so well! Don't miss it!…read more Great music! Beautiful visuals. Definitely a must! Great art and entertainment.

Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist artist who emerged as one of the most famous…read morefigures in the history of Western art after his death. 1853-1890 CE. Now that we are caught up in history lesson, onto the immersive (of a computer display or system) exhibit. There are no physical pieces of art just some random crystal mirrors and railings. Book online for the 1 hour slot you enter into room warehouse proceed to the second warehouse you will feel sand on the ground getting all over your Gucci shoes dirty. The 3D show last about 30min but you can stay longer. The building itself use to house the former Hyatt hotel since renovated into student housing for Auraria campus. Overall cool experience especially for the BFA type. The price ranges from $40-$60. Interesting facts: Van Gogh committed suicide at the age of 37. Six weeks prior he finished the "Portrait of Dr. Gachet" was purchased for $82 million in year 1990 the most expensive sold painting at the time. As of 2022 the most expensive painting title is held by "Salvator Mundi " by Leonardo da Vinci was purchased for a whopping $450 million USD and is rumored to be owned by MBS the crown prince of Saudi Arabia.