The creative side of Denver, Colorado, is on display all over the city. From fine art to decorative art, paintings to sculpture, photography to mixed media collages, furniture to murals, The Mile High City has it all. Denver Art Museum’s extensive collection features art from nearly every continent and time period, including galleries dedicated to both American Indian art and Western American art. DAM also attracts some of the most exciting touring art exhibits in the world. Past exhibitions have included prints by Rembrandt, paintings by Degas, and fashions by Dior. At the Denver Art Museum, even the buildings themselves are works of art, from the castle-like North Building designed by Italian architect Gio Ponti to the geometric Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by Daniel Libeskind.
For a more modern take, check out the ever-rotating exhibits at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, then enjoy the view of the city’s skyline (along with a coffee or cocktail) from the museum’s charming rooftop cafe. If you’re in a rush, it’s worth simply walking by both museums to get a glimpse at the sculptures on display outside, like MCA Denver’s “Toxic Schizophrenia,” a giant, illuminated heart pierced by a dagger, or DAM’s “Big Sweep” broom and dustpan by Claes Oldenburg and larger-than-life bronze cow and calf sculptures by Dan Ostermiller.
