What to See and Do at the Denver Art Museum - Spring 2026 Guide

Are you planning a visit to the Denver Art Museum this spring? Here are highlights of new exhibitions and fun activities and events at the DAM in April and May. All of the exhibitions mentioned below are included with general admission, which is free for members and everyone 18 and under.

Don’t miss these temporary exhibitions

• See two paintings from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. One masterpiece by celebrated Dutch portrait painter Rembrandt van Rijn, and another likely painted by his studio, are now on view in the European Art Before 1800 galleries. The artworks are on loan as part of the National Gallery of Art's "Across the Nation" program, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America in 2026. Now on view on level 6 of the Martin Building. The two portraits, A Woman Holding a Pink and Portrait of Rembrandt, showcase how Dutch artists of his time challenged traditional conventions by capturing the subject's personality and individuality, instead of just their economic and social status.
• The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art (opens April 19 on levels 1 and 2 of the Hamilton Building) offers Coloradans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore more than 130 artworks by contemporary Australian Indigenous artists (many of which have never been shown outside of Australia).

Dive into design

• Step inside the dynamic world where fashion meets art, culture, and history in Conversation Pieces: Stories from the Fashion Archives. See more than 60 unique designs from the DAM’s fashion collection, most of which have never been shown before. Now on view on level 6 of the Martin Building.
• In 'Round the Clock: 24 Hours of Colorado in Prints, we look at an imaginary day in the life of Colorado through the eyes of printmakers, one hour at a time. The media and techniques are as varied and diverse as the people and places they represent. Now on view at The Kirkland.
• Discover the Space Age through a dynamic display of furniture, accessories, painting, and sculpture, revealing the cosmos as the ultimate muse. Space Is the Place: Art & Design in the Atomic Age is on view now at The Kirkland.
• Knife Fork Spoon: Everyday Tools, Extraordinary Design (opens May 17 on level 2 of the Martin Building) features approximately 150 flatware sets spanning over a century from 1900 to 2026. This exhibition brings together works from the DAM’s collection with significant loans from collector Dung Ngo.

See what’s new in our collection galleries

• Grass Scripts: Bamboo Art from the Abbey Collection delves into how pioneers of modern bamboo in early 1900s Japan sought recognition for their millennia-long tradition as art rather than as craft. Now on view on level 5 of the Martin Building
• Picture yourself at our latest photography exhibition, What We’ve Been Up To: People, which features portraits from our collection. Now on view on level 6 of the Martin Building.
• In May, Francisco Clapera's remarkable series of casta paintings will be reinstalled in the Latin American art galleries on level four of the Martin Building for the first time since 2017. These artworks, often produced for a Spanish audience, visualize the racial intermixing taking place in Mexico in the wake of colonization. Clapera's series is the only complete set in an American museum.
• Making a Mark: The Noelle and George Beatty Collection (opens May 31 on level 3 of the Hamilton Building) features watercolors, lithographs, woodcuts, and etchings, spanning the 1800s and 1900s.

Learn something new

• Take a tour of different galleries and exhibitions, join a Drop-In Drawing class with artist Anna Kaye, and more, including:
• Explore your artistic side with a Creative Class. Learn painting, drawing, and more from local professional creatives. Registration for summer/fall classes starts in May. Classes begin in June.
• There’s still time to sign up the kiddos for a Summer Camp (which begin in June) or a Teen Studio (which begin in July).
• Hear from contemporary artists Enrique Chagoya (April 14, 6 pm) and Hayv Kahraman (May 19, 6 pm).
• Learn about printmaking at a panel discussion (May 12, 6 pm) with artists Melanie Yazzie, Leon Loughridge, and Mark Lunning, in conversation with curator Chris Herron.
• Interwoven: Creating Community by Supporting Artistic Innovation in Textile Arts and Fashion on May 15 is a daylong symposium with leading textile arts and fashion organizations.

Engage with local artists

• Join a local artist in the Cosmic Studio during a Studio Saturday (noon–3 pm). Alexa Mae is in the studio March 28 and April 4. Lilian Lara will be in the studio April 11, 18, 25, and May 2. She also will be there for a special session during Día del Niño.
• Check out Untitled: Artist Takeover (April 24, 6–10 pm), our quarterly after-hours event with local artists and creatives featuring live performances, fun artmaking activities, cash bar, and more.
• Join us for Día del Niño, our 24^th annual Children’s Day celebration, (April 26, 10 am–5 pm) with live music, dance performances, and artmaking. Admission is free all day!