Top Public Art In Denver
Ground Beef", a Design and Build project from 2000 by students at Denver School of the Arts (credit: Museum of Outdoor Arts)Iconic painter Pablo Picasso once said, "Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Fortunately, in Denver, a person is surrounded by tons of outdoor public art to beautify his or her daily routine. As if Denver wasn't gorgeous enough with the snow-capped purple peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the west, parks and other outdoor spaces house vast collections of public art. However, these five spots have the top public art in Denver.
Museum Of Outdoor Arts
1000 Englewood Parkway
Englewood, CO 80110
(303) 806-0444
www.moaonline.org
A short trip south on the C or D light rail lines will deliver you right at the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Englewood. There are a handful of exhibits located inside the museum but really, you visit for the outdoor, public art. While the museum began with only 19 pieces, today their collection has more than 150 pieces of public art. The museum is spread throughout Englewood, Denver and Greenwood Village.
1000 Englewood Parkway
Englewood, CO 80110
(303) 806-0444
www.moaonline.org
A short trip south on the C or D light rail lines will deliver you right at the Museum of Outdoor Arts in Englewood. There are a handful of exhibits located inside the museum but really, you visit for the outdoor, public art. While the museum began with only 19 pieces, today their collection has more than 150 pieces of public art. The museum is spread throughout Englewood, Denver and Greenwood Village.
Denver Art Museum
100 W. 14th St.
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 865-5000
www.denverartmuseum.orgWithin its walls, the Denver Art Museum houses an incredible collection of art. However, the museum didn't want to keep all the beauty indoors. With ten pieces on-site, and another located near Broadway and I-25 (Articulated Wall by Herbert Bayer), art lovers can appreciate a variety of public art exhibits free of charge. A large aluminum statue, "Shoot-Out" by Red Grooms, is the oldest piece of the museum's public art, from 1982. Due to its close proximity to the main branch of the Denver Public Library and Civic Center, public art aficionados would be remiss if they didn't take the time to view these other locales' amazing outdoor art pieces.
100 W. 14th St.
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 865-5000
www.denverartmuseum.orgWithin its walls, the Denver Art Museum houses an incredible collection of art. However, the museum didn't want to keep all the beauty indoors. With ten pieces on-site, and another located near Broadway and I-25 (Articulated Wall by Herbert Bayer), art lovers can appreciate a variety of public art exhibits free of charge. A large aluminum statue, "Shoot-Out" by Red Grooms, is the oldest piece of the museum's public art, from 1982. Due to its close proximity to the main branch of the Denver Public Library and Civic Center, public art aficionados would be remiss if they didn't take the time to view these other locales' amazing outdoor art pieces.
City Park
2001 Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80205
(720) 913-1311
www.denver.orgCovering 330 acres of prime Mile High City land, City Park is home to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, along with two lakes, basketball and tennis courts, fields for soccer, baseball and football, two playgrounds and a boathouse. On top of all that, City Park houses stunning fountains and historical statues. In keeping with the times and efforts to snag people's interests, City Park continues to add work to its outdoor collection, including the recent additions of two new pieces: "Iridescent Cloud" and "Avian Front." Be sure to visit City Park between Memorial Day and Labor Day so you can see the fountains when the water is turned on for the summer season.
2001 Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80205
(720) 913-1311
www.denver.orgCovering 330 acres of prime Mile High City land, City Park is home to the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, along with two lakes, basketball and tennis courts, fields for soccer, baseball and football, two playgrounds and a boathouse. On top of all that, City Park houses stunning fountains and historical statues. In keeping with the times and efforts to snag people's interests, City Park continues to add work to its outdoor collection, including the recent additions of two new pieces: "Iridescent Cloud" and "Avian Front." Be sure to visit City Park between Memorial Day and Labor Day so you can see the fountains when the water is turned on for the summer season.
Related: Top Summer Art Festivals In Denver
Colorado Convention Center
700 14th St.
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 228-8000
www.denverconvention.comWhile Colorado Convention Center's most well-known piece of public art, the big, blue bear ("I See What You Mean" by Lawrence Argent), is clearly visible to anyone traveling past the complex, venturing inside is a worthwhile endeavor. Due to Denver's Public Art Program, established in 1988, the Colorado Convention Center is fortunate enough to house the city's public art collection. With more than 300 pieces in the collection, the Colorado Convention Center is filled with murals, paintings, sculptures and other forms of conceptual public art. Especially when there isn't a major convention taking place here, Colorado Convention Center feels more like an art museum than an event space.
700 14th St.
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 228-8000
www.denverconvention.comWhile Colorado Convention Center's most well-known piece of public art, the big, blue bear ("I See What You Mean" by Lawrence Argent), is clearly visible to anyone traveling past the complex, venturing inside is a worthwhile endeavor. Due to Denver's Public Art Program, established in 1988, the Colorado Convention Center is fortunate enough to house the city's public art collection. With more than 300 pieces in the collection, the Colorado Convention Center is filled with murals, paintings, sculptures and other forms of conceptual public art. Especially when there isn't a major convention taking place here, Colorado Convention Center feels more like an art museum than an event space.
Burns (DC) Park
250 S. Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80246
(720) 913-1311
www.denver.comWhile this triangular patch of grass is wedged between three major thoroughfares and surrounded by commercial buildings, Burns Park is a one-of-a-kind piece of Denver. Covering 13 acres of land in the heart of the city, a selection of modern, minimalist sculptures live in the park, some dating as far back as 1968. A local artist hosted a sculpture festival in Burns Park 47 years ago, and since then artists such as Angelo Di Benedetto, Roger Kotoske, Anthony Magar, Wilbert Verhelst and Barbara Baer have contributed their work to the open space. While this Denver park faces much scrutiny and is the topic of many heated debates for local bureaucrats, these large outdoor sculptures are at the least worth a gander, if not a thorough examination.
250 S. Colorado Blvd.
Denver, CO 80246
(720) 913-1311
www.denver.comWhile this triangular patch of grass is wedged between three major thoroughfares and surrounded by commercial buildings, Burns Park is a one-of-a-kind piece of Denver. Covering 13 acres of land in the heart of the city, a selection of modern, minimalist sculptures live in the park, some dating as far back as 1968. A local artist hosted a sculpture festival in Burns Park 47 years ago, and since then artists such as Angelo Di Benedetto, Roger Kotoske, Anthony Magar, Wilbert Verhelst and Barbara Baer have contributed their work to the open space. While this Denver park faces much scrutiny and is the topic of many heated debates for local bureaucrats, these large outdoor sculptures are at the least worth a gander, if not a thorough examination.
Related: Top Art Walks In Denver
A Denver native, Alli Andress has been a writer for over a decade. Over the course of her career, Andress has written about topics ranging from indie music, animals, health issues and the best of the Mile High City. Her work can be found on Examiner.com
