Visitor's Guide To Clyfford Still Museum

Museums, exhibits and other showcases provide us with a medium to connect with artists that can only be accomplished by seeing their works in person. They give insight into their life, the time period in which they lived and their creative process that would otherwise be impossible to attain without personally knowing them. The newer Clyfford Still Museum here in Denver does exactly that by showcasing the works of one of the fathers of Abstract Expressionism, Clyfford Still. If you are curious about the movement of Abstract Expressionism, or the artist that started it all, this museum is the place for you.

Clyfford Still Museum
1250 Bannock St.
Denver, CO
(720) 384-4880
www.clyffordstillmuseum.orgMuseum History

Clyfford Still passed away in 1980, leaving behind a will that required his works be bestowed upon an American city willing to dedicate a museum solely to his collection. In 2004, Still's wife, Patricia, chose Denver as the lucky city to receive the extensive estate. In 2011 the two-story, 28,500-square-foot museum opened its doors to the public. The museum now houses approximately 825 paintings and 2300 works on paper, as well as notebooks, journals and other archives left to Patricia Still upon Clyfford's death.

Admission And HoursThe museum offers different, inexpensive price levels of admission depending on age. You can view the full pricing list as well as hours of operation here. They also offer an exclusive membership package that comes with plenty of perks such as free admission, guest tickets, discounts to the gift shop, access to private events and much more. If you are someone who loves Abstract Expressionism and plan to visit the museum more than a couple times in a calendar year, the membership package is definitely the way to go. More information on the varying levels of membership can be found here.

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Getting There/ParkingThe museum is located right next to the intersection of 13th Avenue and Bannock Street, and directions from anywhere are available on their website here. There are a multitude of lots and garages available nearby for parking as well as the metered spots on the street. The museum has also partnered with Parking Panda, and if you use their service along with the promotional code "CLYFFORD15," you can get discounts on the expensive parking spots downtown as well as find the closest open spots to you.

Little-Known FactsThe museum has plenty of "free hours" set up where they offer free admission to all patrons within a certain timeframe.  Also, on the last Friday of every month, admission is free all day. (If you want some more information on free hours and other discount days throughout the year, click here.) The museum also allows personal photography (no flash, no video recording and no commercial use of the photos), so feel free to snap a selfie with your favorite piece. Lockers are available to rent as well if you're doing a downtown day trip and don't want to carry all of your heavy belongings with you. Lastly, the museum is offering its educational programs free of charge this year, so gather your friends and come down to learn about one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

Upcoming ExhibitsThe current exhibit, "Clyfford Still: The Colville Reservation and Beyond, 1934-1939" contains works from Still's time with the indigenous people of Northeastern Washington State and will be running through Sept. 13th. On Sept. 18th, the museum will begin showing Clyfford Still's replicas, which will include at least 19 pieces that have never before been shown to the public (for more information on this exhibit, click here). The museum does have a ton of upcoming member and patron events as well, and that calendar can be found here. 

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