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 as the first museum in Denver just for modern art. For seven years, it was in an old fish market in downtown Denver's Sakura Square.
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About MCA Denver
The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver is a special place for modern art. It shows art made by artists living today. The museum does not have its own permanent collection of art. Instead, it changes its exhibits often, usually three to four times a year. Each show stays for about two to four months. This means there is always something new to see!
History of the Museum
How MCA Denver Started
The museum started in 1996. A kind person named Sue Cannon and many volunteers helped create it. They wanted a special place for modern art in Denver. For its first seven years, MCA Denver was located in a renovated fish market. This was in the Sakura Square area of downtown Denver.
A New Home for Art
In 2003, two members of the museum's board, Mark Falcone and Ellen Bruss, gave land for a new building. This land was worth a lot of money. The museum then started a big fundraising effort to build a new home. They raised over $18 million!
They looked at ideas from 47 different architects. Six architects were chosen as finalists. Each one gave a talk to the community about their ideas.
In October 2007, the new museum building opened. It was designed by a famous architect named David Adjaye from the UK. This was his first museum project. The building is 27,000 square feet and is designed to be good for the environment.
The Building's Design
The new building was made to feel open and connected to the city. It has hidden skylights that let natural light fill the rooms. Large windows let visitors look out at the city streets. The museum has five art galleries. It also has special rooms for learning, a shop, a library, and a cafe on the roof.
Museum Leaders
After the new building opened, Cydney Payton was the director until 2009. Then, Adam Lerner became the director in March 2009. He had worked at another art place called The Lab. When he moved to MCA Denver, the two art groups joined together.
In August 2019, Nora Burnett Abrams became the new director. She leads the museum today.
Artists and Exhibitions
Many famous artists have shown their work at MCA Denver. Some of these artists include Damien Hirst, Jonas Burgert, Chris Ofili, and Tara Donovan. The museum always brings in new and exciting art for people to experience.
Special Programs
MCA Denver has unique programs for visitors. One special program is called "Feminism & CO." It started at The Lab and moved to MCA Denver when the two groups joined. This program explores how feminism and modern art connect. It is a very unique program for a museum in the United States.
Who Manages the Museum?
Directors of MCA Denver
- 2001–2009: Cydney Payton
- 2009–2019: Adam Lerner
- 2019–present: Nora Burnett Abrams
Board of Trustees
A group of people called the Board of Trustees also helps manage MCA Denver. They make important decisions for the museum. Michael Fries is currently the head of the Board of Trustees.
