Denver Art Museum facts for kids
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Frederic C. Hamilton building at DAM
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| Location | 100 W 14th Avenue Pkwy Denver, Colorado |
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| Type | Art museum |
The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is a famous art museum in Denver, Colorado. It has a huge collection of over 70,000 artworks from all over the world and from different time periods. This makes DAM one of the biggest art museums between the West Coast and Chicago.
The museum is especially known for its American Indian art. It also has a special section called The Petrie Institute of Western American Art, which focuses on art from the American West. The museum's Martin Building was designed by the famous Italian architect Gio Ponti in 1971. In 2018, the museum started a big renovation project. This $150 million project aimed to connect the museum buildings better and update Ponti's original design. It added new exhibit areas, places to eat, and a new welcome center.
Contents
- Discovering the Museum's Past
- Exploring the Art Collections
- Selected Collection Highlights
- Learning and Fun at the Museum
- How the Museum is Funded
- Museum in the News
- See also
Discovering the Museum's Past
How the Museum Started (1893–1923)
The museum began as the Denver Artists Club in 1893. In 1917, it changed its name to the Denver Art Association. Two years later, it opened its first art galleries in the City and County building. In 1922, the museum moved its galleries to the Chappell House. This house was given to the museum by Mrs. George Cranmer and Delos Chappell. Finally, in 1923, the Denver Art Association officially became the Denver Art Museum (DAM).
Growing Bigger (1948–1974)
In 1948, DAM bought a new building on Acoma and 14th Avenue. It opened as the Schleier Memorial Gallery in 1949 after being updated. The museum still needed more space. The Kress Foundation offered to donate three valuable art collections. But this was only if DAM built a new place to keep them.
The museum asked the city for help to raise money. Voters did not approve the funding in 1952. But the museum kept raising money and opened a new building, the South Wing, in 1954. This allowed DAM to receive the Kress Foundation collections.
The North Building, a large seven-story addition, opened in 1971. It was designed by Italian modernist architect Gio Ponti. This building is his only completed design in the United States. Ponti wanted the DAM building to be different from traditional museums. Its "castle-like" shape has 24 sides. Over one million shiny glass tiles cover the outside of the building.
Modern Updates (2006–Present)
In 2006, the Duncan Pavilion and the Frederic C. Hamilton Building were added. The Duncan Pavilion was a second-story addition. It connected the new Hamilton Building to the older North Building. This pavilion was designed to be fun for kids and families. It was also used for events like weddings.
In 2016, the Denver Art Museum announced a big $150 million project. The goal was to connect the museum's campus and update Ponti's building. This building is now called the Martin Building. The project included new gallery spaces, two new places to eat, and the new Sie Welcome Center. The renovation was planned to finish in 2021. This was just in time for the 50th anniversary of Ponti's original building. The Duncan Pavilion was taken down in 2019 to make way for new changes.
The Hamilton Building: A Bold Design
The Frederic C. Hamilton Building holds the museum's Modern and Contemporary Art. It also has African Art, Oceanic Art, and some Western American art. This building was designed by Studio Daniel Libeskind and Davis Partnership Architects. It opened on October 7, 2006. The building is covered in glass and titanium.
The Hamilton building is known for its bold and angular design. It serves as the main entrance to the museum. This project doubled the museum's size. This allowed for many more artworks to be shown. The building's sharp angles are inspired by the nearby Rocky Mountains. Architect Daniel Libeskind said he was inspired by the light and geology of the Rockies.
The museum complex includes a landscaped outdoor area. You can see sculptures there like 'Scottish Angus Cow and Calf' by Dan Ostermiller. There's also 'Big Sweep' by Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg.
The Martin Building: A Historic Update
In 2018, the Denver Art Museum began a major renovation of its North Building. This building was the only one in North America designed by Italian architect Gio Ponti. In 2019, it was renamed the Martin Building. This was to honor Lanny and Sharon Martin, who gave a large gift to help update the building.
The renovation updated all seven floors of galleries. It also created new learning spaces. A new restaurant, cafe, and the Sie Welcome Center were added. The design includes new skylights to show off Ponti's original ideas. The outside of the building also got new lighting and updated glass tiles. The project was completed for the building's 50th anniversary in 2021.
When Ponti's building was first built in 1971, it was made for about 100,000 visitors a year. By 2017, the museum had about 850,000 visitors annually! To handle more people, the renovation added over 72,000 square feet of new and updated spaces. It also made important safety and building improvements.
The Sie Welcome Center: A New Entrance
The new Sie Welcome Center was built as part of the museum's big update. It creates a new, friendly entrance to the Martin Building. It also connects to the Hamilton Building. This round, glass building is named after Anna and John J. Sie, who supported the project. It is the main entrance and ticket area for the Martin Building.
The Sie Welcome Center is home to The Ponti, a restaurant with local food. There is also a more casual cafe. On the second floor is the Sturm Grand Pavilion. This is a large event space with curved glass panels that offer great views of the city.
The Martin Building renovation also created new gallery spaces. The Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Galleries now show temporary exhibits from the museum's huge art collections. New Design Galleries were also created on the second level. These include the Joanne Posner-Mayer Mezzanine Gallery and the Amanda J. Precourt Design Galleries.
What Happened to the Duncan Pavilion?
The Duncan Pavilion was an addition to the Bach Wing of the Denver Art Museum. It opened in 2006. This pavilion connected the Hamilton Building and the 1971 Ponti-designed North Building. The Duncan Pavilion was taken down in 2017. Its location is now where the Sie Welcome Center stands.
Exploring the Art Collections
The Denver Art Museum has many different art collections. They include:
- African Art
- Architecture and Design
- Art of the Ancient Americas
- Asian Art
- Modern and Contemporary Art
- Native Arts (African, American Indian, and Oceanic)
- Latin American Art (pre-Columbian and Spanish Colonial)
- European and American Painting and Sculpture
- Photography
- Western Art
- Textile Art and Fashion
African Art
The African art collection has about 1,000 pieces. Most are from the 19th and 20th centuries. It includes rare sculptures, textiles, jewelry, paintings, and drawings. The collection mostly focuses on West African works. But it also has pieces from many other regions and made from different materials like wood, metals, and fabric.
Art of the Ancient Americas
This collection covers over four thousand years of art. It includes historical works from people and communities across Mesoamerica, Central and South America, and the Caribbean and Southwestern United States. The department started in 1968. It is known for its collection of Central American ceramics, jade, and stone sculptures.
Architecture & Design
This department was founded in 1990. It collects Italian design from the 1960s and 70s. It also has American graphic design from the 1950s to today. You can also see furniture and product design from after World War II in America and Europe.
Asian Art
The museum's Asian art collection has galleries for art from India, China, Japan, and Southwest Asia. It also includes works from Tibet, Nepal, and Southeast Asia. The collection started in 1915. It includes art from the fourth millennium B.C. to the present day.
European & American Art Before 1900
The Denver Art Museum started getting important European art in the 1930s. Funds from the Helen Dill Bequest helped the museum buy paintings by famous artists. These include Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. American artists like Winslow Homer and William Merritt Chase are also represented.
Some famous works include:
- Claude Monet (Waterlilies)
- Camille Pissarro (Autumn, Poplars, Éragny)
- Winslow Homer (Two Figures by the Sea)
- Gustave Courbet (Valley of the Black Pool)
- Giuseppe Arcimboldo (Summer)
- Thomas Cole (Dream of Arcadia)
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The Berger Collection
The Berger Collection is a large private collection of mostly British art. It has about 200 works covering more than six centuries. It is strong in Renaissance portraits, including works by Hans Holbein the Younger. Other artists include Nicholas Hilliard, Thomas Gainsborough, and David Hockney.
The Hamilton Collection
Frederic C. Hamilton gave 22 Impressionist artworks from his private collection to the museum in 2014. This gift included Vincent van Gogh's Edge of a Wheat Field With Poppies. There are also four works by Claude Monet and paintings by Paul Cézanne and Edouard Manet.
Indigenous Arts of North America
This collection includes works by many contemporary artists. Some names are Jeffrey Gibson, Kent Monkman, Rose B. Simpson, and Fritz Scholder. It also features works by Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, James Luna, and Marie Watt.
Latin American Art
The Denver Art Museum has the largest collection of art from Latin America made between the 1600s and 1800s in the United States. It has over 6,000 objects. These works represent art from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the Southwestern United States.
Modern and Contemporary Art
DAM's Modern and Contemporary Art collection has works by artists like Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, and Henri Matisse. It also includes 33 paintings and drawings by Robert Motherwell. The collection shows major art movements after World War II. These include abstract expressionism, minimalism, and pop art.
Herbert Bayer Collection and Archive
This collection has over 8,000 works by Herbert Bayer. He was an Austrian-born Bauhaus master who lived in Colorado for 28 years. Scholars from around the world visit to study this collection.
Linda
Linda, by Denver artist John DeAndrea, is a very popular sculpture. It is a life-size, realistic sculpture of a sleeping woman. It is made of polyvinyl and looks so real that people often think it is breathing! Because it is sensitive to sunlight, it is only shown for short times.
The Shootout
In 1983, the museum became home to The Shootout by Red Grooms. This pop-art sculpture shows a cowboy and an Indian shooting at each other. It had been moved from two other places in Denver because some people protested it. The sculpture was removed from view in 2017. The space where it was is now part of the Sie Welcome Center.
AS TO BE IN PLAIN SIGHT
This piece is an aluminum cutout of the words "AS TO BE IN PLAIN SIGHT" by contemporary artist Lawrence Weiner. It is on a wall on the museum's third floor. It is hard to see from most parts of the museum, which is ironic given its name! It was moved to its current spot in 2009.
Oceanic Art
The Oceanic art collection has about 1,000 objects. It focuses on 20th-century New Guinea art and 19th-century Polynesian art. These collections include sculptures, bark cloth, wood carvings, and some works by modern artists.
Photography
DAM created a special department for photography in 2008. The collection has many 19th-century works, especially from the American West. It also includes European and American modernist photography. You can see works by early Western photographers like William Bell and Timothy O'Sullivan.
Textile and Fashion
The Textile Art and Fashion department has over 5,000 pieces. They come from Asia, Europe, and North and South America. This collection includes ancient textiles and modern art and fashion from the 18th century to today.
Western American Art
This collection focuses on art about the American West. It shows its people, history, and landscapes. Key works include In the Enemy's Country by Charles M. Russell and The Cheyenne by Frederic Remington.
The Harmsen and Roath Collections
In 2001, the Western American Art collection grew with a gift of over 700 artworks from the Bill and Dorothy Harmsen Family. This led to the creation of the Petrie Institute of Western American Art. In 2013, Henry Roath gave over 50 American artworks to the museum. This gift greatly improved the museum's Western collection.
Selected Collection Highlights
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Camille Pissarro
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Claude Monet
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Claude Monet
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Charles Marion Russell
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Learning and Fun at the Museum
The museum's Learning & Engagement department focuses on making visits fun and successful. They create learning materials like audio tours and hands-on art areas. They also offer interactive learning for young people, both in school groups and families.
Family-friendly programs include:
- The Just for Fun Family Center
- Gallery games
- The Discovery Library
- Kids Corner
- Family Backpacks
The museum also has programs for visitors with special needs. These include Art & About tours for people with early Alzheimer's or dementia. There are also Low Sensory Mornings and Tactile Tables.
A main goal of the museum's renovation was to put its educational programs at the center of the campus. The new Bartlit Learning and Engagement Center has over 12,000 square feet of flexible space. It has workshop rooms and the Singer Pollack Family Wonderscape. This area will show student-created exhibits and host school events. The interactive Bartlit Center also has the Morgridge Creative Hub.
How the Museum is Funded
The Denver Art Museum is run by a non-profit organization. It gets a lot of its money from a special sales tax in the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). This district includes seven counties in the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area. This tax helps fund about 300 arts, cultural, and scientific groups. The museum also gets large private donations and loans of art. The Denver Art Museum welcomes over 600,000 visitors each year.
Museum in the News
The museum has been featured in the media. It was mentioned in the Smithsonian Channel's Aerial America "Colorado" episode in 2012. In 2022, the Denver Post reported on a museum trustee's connection to the trade of ancient artifacts. In 2024, employees of the Denver Art Museum announced their plan to form a union.
See also
In Spanish: Museo de Arte de Denver para niños
