Bears are my favorite animal, and blue is my favorite color. Who knew there would be such a bright…read moresight greeting us all at the convention center for our conference? The Big Blue Bear gets 5 stars from me! Fun for the whole family to take pictures with!

I love me some public art! This 40-foot blue bear is so cute and curious peering through the glass…read morewindows of the Colorado Convention Center. I wonder what the bear is looking for? :) https://yelp.to/JG18P-mkUp I probably only spent a total of 5-8 minutes looking at the sculpture but definitely worth the photo op while walking around Downtown Denver.

Unless you know the precise location of this sculpture, you can easily drive right past it! You…read morecan find it on Champa St. between 17th & 18th Streets. It is set next to the Hotel Registration sign leading to the Residence Inn. Drive by viewing! I couldn't find parking, so luckily, traffic came to a stop and I snapped a quick pic. This is definitely a whimsical piece! It's also a sort of abstract since there's basically only a pair of pants and an odd shaped abdomen with a belt in between. What might be perceived at first as arms are actually pistols. There's no face, arms, hands, nor feet. In summary, this is a cowboy with its guns drawn. Cowboy Pajamas is a solid work made from bronze, weighing three tons! It stands at over 20 feet tall. The sculptor is Sean O'Meallie. It was installed in 2008. Why is this sculpture in front of a hotel? This hotel, the Residence Inn at this address, hosts an Annual Pajama Party fundraiser. The fundraiser benefits and raises awareness for the homeless.

You will find this little nugget right outside of the Residence Inn, in a small alcove. It is the…read morework of Sean O'Meallie who did the sculpture in 2008. It is starting to show signs of wear and is a bit weathered. It also has some graffiti on it. It is 20 feet tall, weighs about 3,000 pounds, and is made from bronze and acrylic paint. It is rumored to have chosen the Residence Inn as the site of the sculpture because the hotel had hosted has a Pajama Party fundraiser benefiting Denver's Road Home program in the past. It is an interesting piece that depicts a cowboy holding up two side arms. The cowboy has heart shaped balloon hat and what looks like a magnet for legs. It is all on a platform. As I mentioned, it is abstract AF. You have to stare at it for a little while to decipher what it is, a cowboy in pajamas. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. Even though I passed it a few times since I was staying at the hotel next door. I recommend making this stop part of a larger itinerary or checking it out if you are in the area and/or on your way somewhere else, to maximize your time.

Strolled the Cole-Clayton Greenway thinking it'd be just another sidewalk--but nope, it's like…read moreDenver put on hiking boots and got a little artsy. There's a creek that's secretly a flood project (sneaky), random sculptures, and even a mini playground where kids were going full chaos mode. I saw a guy walking his cat. It's not long, but it's packed with character--like a park with a personality. Would 100% walk it again, preferably with snacks.

I really like how Denver repurposes land into areas for people to enjoy!…read more This is a 1 mile area with one end at Franklin St and the other at Steele St. I actually started at N. Williams St where I parked. I headed toward Steele St and walked to York St. Between N. Williams St & Clayton St. are four sculptures created by Walczak & Heiss. The first one is called "Flood". There was a catastrophic flood in Denver in 1965. 39th Avenue Greenway is collects and directs rainwater during a flood. The second one is called "Zephyr" that is shaped like a train track rounding a corner. It is about the Burlington Zephyr which set a speed record in 1934, running from Chicago to Denver, and it went right through this site. There are two railroad tracks on the greenway. Oh, this Zephyr sculpture is actually a sundial! The third one is called "whereami". It's a 16 ft tall sign with 37 places pointing in different directions with distances on them. This sculpture was made in collaboration with student at the Bruce Randolph School. Then I walked back to my car and drove to near Clayton St to see the fourth sculpture consisting of 2 metal horns named "Conversation". The two megaphones are across from each other and you can talk into them and your voice (even a whisper) will be amplified loud enough to be heard across the way! Afterwards, I drove to Steele St. to see the steel sculpture which spans Steele St. It is called "Eastgate" and looks like a huge ribbon! Reminds me of the old fashioned Christmas Ribbon Candy. Artist DeWitt Godfrey created this piece in 2021. There is a warning sign to climb to safety in case of a flash flood. So yeah, be alert if it has been raining! This is a great space for people to walk, ride bicycles, and also has a play area for children. The playground includes a cement slide and log climbing structures made of wood pieces handcrafted by Nature's Instruments. I've seen other play equipment by this company at another park. Although it's very pricy, it aesthetically blends in! There's also a small area filled with sand in another nearby section. The day I came to check it out (Oct. 5, 2024), there were families, couples, cyclists, and people walking quickly for exercise here. I mainly came to check out the sculptures. It was great to check those out and get a little exercise and some Vitamin D!

Stumbling upon Quadrivium in Five Points feels like finding a glowing alien artifact parked in…read moredowntown Denver. This huge, geometric sculpture lights up at night in shifting colors--purple, green, blue--like it's quietly DJing the block. It's part math, part art, part "what the heck is that?" and it totally works. It turns an ordinary corner into something curious, colorful, and unforgettable.

This 14' aluminum triacontahedron sculpture with 30 rhombi is the latest mathematically-derived…read moreartwork from the fertile mind of Clark Richert, one of our most noted local artists. The piece is lighted at night with rapidly changing sequences that project an illusion of movement. This is a great addition to Denver's impressive public sculpture collection.

This is BY FAR the best & easiest way how to get to know Denver (better)... Our guide Mark was very…read moreknowledgeable, insightful and showed a great sense of humor... The two hour tour passed very quickly, we stopped twice along the way for taking pictures outside the bus... My original tour that day unfortunately got cancelled, but the team promptly re-scheduled me for a different time the same day... Job well done, Denver Tours!

If you are visiting Denver this is one of the best ways to see the city. From the moment we hopped…read moreon the bus the vibe was fun, friendly and full of surprises. Our guide Max was amazing. She kept us laughing, engaged and genuinely excited to learn about Denver's history and hidden gems. Rob our driver was just as awesome and shared some great local insights along the way. One of the biggest highlights was visiting Red Rocks. Pictures do not do it justice. It is absolutely breathtaking in person. Every stop on the tour was interesting, well timed and packed with cool facts and photo opportunities. And let's talk about the ice cream at Little Man. Life changing. I am still thinking about it. This tour felt like exploring the city with two super fun locals who love what they do. Whether you are new to Denver or think you know the city you will walk away with a big smile and probably a new favorite ice cream spot too.

The amount of friendships I've gained in this space is truly indescribable. I've attended several…read moreticketed events here, and the value is always impressive -- you truly get a lot for the price. The selection of vendors is consistently diverse and high-quality, offering everything from local eats to handmade goods. The staff keeps everything running smoothly, and I love how open and welcoming the venue feels, with indoor and outdoor areas, all-gender restrooms, large mirrors, and washing stations. It's the perfect event venue -- and the murals are just the icing on the cake!

RiNo Art Park is like if an art gallery, a playground, and a hipster coffee shop had a very weird…read morebaby. There's a giant metal rhino, murals everywhere, and people doing yoga next to industrial sculptures like it's totally normal. I wandered in for 15 minutes and left feeling like I accidentally joined an art cult. Fun times

This abundantly large sculpture is located outside of the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse. There is a…read morelarge walkable area called the Dale Tooley Plaza between 14th Ave & W Colfax Ave. I used it to walk to the sculpture from Elati St. & W 14th Ave where I parked. There is street parking, but I wouldn't recommend coming during courthouse business hours! The sculpture was designed by Dennis Oppenheim. It is 45 ft tall and made of 29+ tons of galvanized steel. It's basically a flower (maybe a Calla Lily) opening up. You walk inside of those flower petals. True to the name, its structure allows for ample light to penetrate to the interior. It's cool to walk in between the petals and leaves! The shadows cast on the ground are pretty cool as well as eerie. You almost feel like you're in a jail! I don't think that was an intentional feature he was going for. Chamber in the name is for the Judge's Chamber. Come take a look! I thought it was pretty unique!

This is an interesting and interactive art sculpture in Downtown Denver around the 14th and Colfax…read morearea next to the Lindsey Flanigan Courthouse. The interactive part as that since this artwork is formed in a circular pattern, you can walk inside and look at the sunlight shine through the translucent building material. I love to explore Downtown Denver, there is so many displays, murals, statues, and other works of art to admire.

I went to see the beautiful, colorful, psychedelic chapel, but had a lot more fun than expected!…read more As expected, the staff is super laid back and helpful. Tickets are 25 bucks. The light show is timed throughout the day and I arrived like 45 minutes early, so I had plenty of time to explore their "downstairs area." Tons of free arcade games. I played Pac-Man and whatever game it is where you shoot aliens. There is also a car racing game. There is an old school basketball game hooked up to an old TV. They have a large projector screen hooked up to a Nintendo switch with Mario and Zelda games. I actually really enjoyed coloring in the many coloring books they had. They have retro, funky furniture, fun decorations, and merch for sale. The light show itself is a fun time! No videography or photography during, but they do a basic show at the end so people can take photos and videos. You can lay on the floor or back in a pew on one of the many fluffy stuffed pillows and watch and meditate. They have great stoner music too (think Pink Floyd). And of course, the chapel itself is beautiful. No partaking in cannabis while in the building. They keep it family friendly (there were toddlers there when I went, but they were well behaved). They have multi-denominational church services a couple times a month where people can use cannabis. There is a lot of nearby street parking, as it's kinda in a residential area, though I took a Lyft. Also a mile or less walk to some of the main food and bar sites on Broadway.

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...

If you haven't seen, Birthday Candles, I highly recommend it. It is funny, heartwarming, and very…read morewell done!!

Love this place! We were looking for a small, intimate theater setting with high-quality acting,…read moreand Curious Theatre was an excellent choice. It is fun to see big productions like Cats or Phantom of the Opera on Broadway or in larger venues, but it is more engaging to sit 15-20 feet from the stage and feel as if you are part of the action. We tried the Curious Theatre for the first time this fall, and loved their production of "The Minutes" (always enjoy Tracy Letts). We returned for the wonderful production of "Letters to Suresh" as well a month later. The theater uses an old church so every seat is great, street parking is easy, and there are fun food options within a block - we enjoyed Zeps Epic Sandwiches and Torchys Tacos, coffee at Cherry Bean Coffee, and will try Eiskaffee on our next visit. Definitely worth a visit!

A large, impressive museum with something for everyone. The main museum is technically two museums…read more(there are a total of three), the Hamilton building and the Martin building. Sections include modern and contemporary African art, arts of Oceania, Western American art, latin American art, indigenous art, alaskan art. They also have textile, fashion, and architecture exhibitions. They also have rotating temporary exhibitions. When I visited, it was European and American art. I had a little fun finding paintings of judgmental looking people and making a "we listen and we judge" instagram post. All the rooms are large and well curated/presented. I visited on a Tuesday and it was free (I still donated). On regular days, admission is 30 dollars, but gets you into all three museums, including the Kirkland (reviewed separately), which is right next door. I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves as far as the variety available at this museum.

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.