Museum of Contemporary Art Denver facts for kids
Jonas Burgert's painting Second Day Nothing at the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art
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| Established | 1996 |
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| Location | 1485 Delgany Street Denver, Colorado |
| Type | Contemporary art museum |
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA Denver) is a cool place in Denver, Colorado. It opened in 1996. It was the first museum in Denver just for modern art. For seven years, MCA Denver was in an old fish market in Sakura Square.
Contents
The Story of MCA Denver
How the Museum Started
The MCA Denver began in 1996. A kind person named Sue Cannon, who loved to help others, worked with many volunteers. These volunteers included Marina Graves, Mark Sink, Dale Chisman, and Lawrence Argent. They wanted to create a special place for modern art in Denver. For its first seven years, the museum was located in a building that used to be a fish market. It was in an area called Sakura Square.
Building a New Home
In 2003, two people on the museum's board, Mark Falcone and Ellen Bruss, gave some land to the museum. This land was in Denver's Platte Valley. It was worth a lot of money, about $1.5 million. This gift helped the museum plan for a brand new building.
The museum then started a big fundraising effort in 2005. They wanted to raise $18.6 million to build the new museum. They asked many architects to share their ideas. Out of 47 architects, six were chosen as finalists. Each architect gave a talk to the community about their design.
Opening the New Building
In October 2007, the MCA Denver opened its new home. Cydney Payton was the director at that time. The new building is 27,000 square feet. It was designed by a famous architect named David Adjaye from the UK. This was his first museum project.
The building was made to be good for the environment. It also connects the city outside with the art inside. Hidden skylights let natural light fill the rooms. Large windows let you see the city streets from inside. The museum has five art galleries. It also has spaces for learning, a shop, a library, and a cafe on the roof.
New Leadership and Growth
In March 2009, Adam Lerner became the new director of MCA Denver. He used to work at a place called The Lab. The Lab offered modern art, talks, and fun activities. When Adam Lerner moved to MCA Denver, the two places decided to join together.
In August 2019, Nora Burnett Abrams became the new director. She is known as the Mark G. Falcone Director.
Art at MCA Denver
No Permanent Collection
Unlike many museums, MCA Denver does not have a permanent collection of art. This means they don't own a set group of artworks that are always on display.
Instead, they show different art exhibits. These exhibits usually stay for about 2 to 4 months. The museum changes its art displays about 3 to 4 times each year. This way, visitors can always see something new and exciting.
Artists Who Have Exhibited
Many famous artists have shown their work at MCA Denver. Some of these artists include:
- Tatiana Blass
- Brian Bress
- Damien Hirst
- Jonas Burgert
- David Altmejd
- Chris Ofili
- Wangetchi Mutu
- Lorraine O'Grady
- Jane Hammond
- Dana Schutz
- Paul Sietsema
- Mark Mothersbaugh
- Tara Donovan
And many others!
Museum Programs
Feminism & CO
One special program at MCA Denver is called "Feminism & CO." It was started by Elissa Auther and Gillian Silverman at The Lab. When The Lab joined MCA Denver, this program became part of the museum.
This program is unique in the United States. It is the only dedicated museum program that focuses on how feminism and modern art connect.
Who Runs the Museum?
Museum Directors
Here are the people who have led MCA Denver:
- 2001–2009: Cydney Payton
- 2009–2019: Adam Lerner
- 2019–present: Nora Burnett Abrams
Board of Trustees
MCA Denver is also guided by a group called the Board of Trustees. These are people who help make important decisions for the museum. Currently, Michael Fries is the head of this board.
