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Visit The Best Museums in Denver

Visit The Best Museums in Denver

With its beginnings dating back to 1858, Denver is a city that was established as a result of the Colorado Gold Rush. This boom in gold prospecting led to the discovery of the area’s natural resources and beauty. Since that time, Denver has grown to not only become one of the top tourist destinations in the country, it is also consistently ranked as one of the top cities in which to live according to U.S. News & World Report. Today, Denver is known as a lively and eclectic city with an array of activities and events that include world-renowned museums that showcase history, science and art.

Denver Art Museum

Located in the popular Golden Triangle Museum District, the Denver Art Museum is considered one of the largest museums in the country between California and Chicago. Originally founded as the Denver Artists Club back in 1893, the Denver Art Museum, or DAM as it known around the city, houses over 70,000 works of art. The modern steel building is the result of many additions and renovations throughout the years and today the museum complex covers over 356,000 square feet. Visitors can enjoy a wide range of art and artifacts from many collections including African, American Indian and European exhibitions.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science

With a mission to foster the community’s love for learning, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science includes both permanent and rotating collections. Making its home in the City Park area, this museum is fun for all ages with exhibits on health, gems and minerals, and space. The Discovery Zone is a fully interactive area that allows guests to learn using a hands-on approach. In addition to the museum’s exhibitions, a variety of shows and movies can be experienced through the museums Gates Planetarium and IMAX Theater.

Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus

Photo courtesy of Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus

Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus

Spread out over nine acres, the Children’s Museum of Denver is located in the heart of downtown Denver. With more than 46,000 square feet filled with fun and learning, the Children’s Museum of Denver showcases areas that include technology, science, health and literacy through interactive exhibits. Kids and their caregivers can enjoy hours of play and exploration in areas such as the Adventure Forest aerial course, Kinetics! physics playground and the Ready, Vet, Go! animal clinic.

Museum of Contemporary Art Denver

Known as the MCA Denver, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is the area’s first museum dedicated to contemporary works of art. Open since 1996, the MCA Denver is located in the lower downtown area and is housed in a 27,000 square foot building with environmentally sustainable features. Established as a non-collecting institution, this museum brings in traveling exhibitions which are rotated every couple of months. In addition to its works of art, the MCA Denver offers special events which include musical guests, beer tastings and symposium speakers.

History Colorado Center

In 2012, the History Colorado Center opened its doors in a new building in Denver’s Golden Triangle Museum District. Formerly the Colorado History Museum, this museum is a destination for exploration, self-discovery, inspiration and fun, designed to ignite the imaginations of all ages about Colorado history. Exhibits share the stories and spirit of Colorado’s people over the past 10,000 years. The latest exhibit, Zoom In, features 100 objects to tell 100 Colorado stories. High-tech and hands-on highlights include soaring off a virtual ski jump, taking a virtual ride across the plains in a Model T and pushing an interactive “time machine” on a 60-foot floor map of Colorado. Public programs, activities, and special events for children, families and adults are also available.

kirkland museum denver

Kirkland Museum, Modern Italian Room Shot, Credit Wes Magyar, Press Kit

Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art

Highlighting works from 1870 to the present, the Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art opened recently in its new home in the Golden Triangle area. Initially open to showcase the works found in the estate of artist Vance Kirkland, the museum now also highlights works from over 1,500 artists and designers. In addition to the original studio pieces by Kirkland, visitors can also enjoy furniture and accessories from the International Decorative Art collection as well as hundreds of works from the Colorado and Regional Art collection.

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