As these summer days continue to reach peak levels of heat, a great alternative to sweating under the sun is visiting the air-conditioned galleries of the Denver Art Museum. In August, four don’t-miss exhibitions are closing, so now is the perfect time to escape the heat and catch the following inspiring, thought-provoking art installations.
Abstract Expressionism from the Denver Art Museum – On view through Aug. 6, Hamilton Building – Level 3
There’s always plenty for kids and families to explore at the Denver Art Museum. This summer, if you visit the museum with children, here are some suggestions for fun exhibitions and activities. All of the following are free for youth 18 and younger.
1. The Western: An Epic in Art and Film
According to recent studies, people value experiences more than things. Dads say they’d rather spend time with their kids than get another tie for Father’s Day.
If dad is an art lover, a trip to the Denver Art Museum for Father’s Day is a no-brainer.
With the Juneteenth Music Festival (June 17) and the Colorado Black Arts Festival (July 7-9), this summer the Denver metro area will be celebrating black history, culture, and art. Here at the DAM through July 16, we’re showcasing Mark Bradford, one of the stars of the contemporary art world, in Shade: Clyfford Still/Mark Bradford.
About the Artist
Howdy partners! Kids and families are invited to play a new gallery game as you explore The Western: An Epic in Art and Film. (This exhibition is free for youth 18 and younger. Learn more about adult ticket prices.)
The game will have you searching for different imagery of key aspects of the Western genre: people, places, and stories. The exhibition features sculpture, paintings, and video clips of well-known Western movies, so there’s plenty to look at and a lot of high-action content to keep everyone interested.
If you’re coming downtown for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, we invite you to include the Denver Art Museum in your visit. The DAM features a host of programs and exhibitions for you and your family to explore Latino arts and culture.
Below are cinco ideas for things to do at the DAM during Cinco de Mayo. All of the following are included with general admission (which is free May 6). Youth 18 and younger always receive free general admission to the DAM.
Fiber, paper mache, painting, ceramics, mixed media, and fashion are all represented in this year’s Citywide Elementary Arts Showcase at the Denver Art Museum. The artworks by these Denver Public School students highlight the creative and expressive nature of their art education. Many of the teachers were here to help install the showcase to highlight the imagination and craftsmanship of their students. Their love for what they do and pride in their students’ work was clear in our conversations.
“Easter eggs” are inside jokes or references for fans added to movies. (Learn about some famous Star Wars references in other films.)
In that spirit of fun, guests at the Denver Art Museum don’t have to wait till Easter to hunt for "Easter eggs" in the exhibition Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume. (Get tickets. Time slots are selling out quickly.) We have hidden several inside jokes and authentic props from the Star Wars films throughout the exhibition. Try to find (in order of appearance):
In honor of Spring Break at the Denver Art Museum (March 18-April 2, except Mondays) we put together this list of some of the ways art helps children grow and develop, with tips on creative activities kids and families can do at the museum. (Youth 18 and younger always receive free general admission at the DAM.)
Annually, the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers partners with visual arts and literary arts organizations across the country and brings the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards to local communities. Students in grades 7-12 apply and submit their work in 19 different categories in art and writing while panelists look for works that best exemplify originality, technical skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision.
Internationally renowned conceptual photographer Daniela Edburg created the photograph above, titled The Plan, on a visit to Colorado. Daniela was inspired by the landscape of the Pawnee National Grassland, just northeast of Greeley, Colorado, and subsequently created the textile works in the photograph as part of a storyline. She then staged figures on the prairie to suggest a mysterious narrative in her installation Uprooted, part of Mi Tierra: Contemporary Artists Explore Place at the Denver Art Museum.
Each year the DAM's Petrie Institute of Western American Art hosts a symposium that explores themes about the West. This year, the symposium, Set in the West: Telling Tales in Art and Film, focuses on the Western and explores the dialogue between film and fine art, fact and fiction.
Art and film scholars will discuss interesting facts about the genre, including: