Photo: James Florio Photography
Art museums play a vital role in the culture of a city or town. The collections in these institutions often showcase works and objects from other places, exposing visitors to many ways of life. But these museums also offer a valuable opportunity to appreciate and participate in the cultural happenings of the place where they live. The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is fostering these connections through its vast collections and emphasis on community engagement.
DAM has more than 80,000 works spanning the world and across centuries, highlighting the development of art through time. But it also emphasizes its regionality and the continent at large; it has one of the most comprehensive collections of Western American art in the U.S., along with a world-renowned collection of Indigenous art in North America.
There’s always something new to see at DAM, and it hosts multiple exhibitions that range in subject matter and medium. Given its size—it’s one of the largest museums between Chicago and the West Coast—it brings incredible shows that are hard to find in other places. An example of this is the upcoming exhibition titled The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism. It’s the first major U.S. retrospective of Pissarro’s work in over 40 years, and it’s the only place in the U.S. to see the show.
My Modern Met Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief Eugene Kim had the opportunity to tour the institution while visiting Populus Denver. “I had an incredible time exploring the Denver Art Museum,” he shares. “The Indigenous and Western art collections were definite highlights, and Daniel Libeskind’s striking architectural design made the experience even more memorable.”
My Modern Met spoke with Andy Sinclair of DAM, who shared what makes the museum so special and how visitors can take advantage of all it has to offer. Scroll down to read our exclusive interview.
Photo: James Florio Photography
For those unfamiliar with the Denver Art Museum, how would you describe it?
The Denver Art Museum isn’t just a place to look at old paintings—it’s one of the largest art museums between Chicago and the West Coast, and an energetic hub for creativity right in the heart of Denver. It’s a campus of striking, architecturally distinct buildings that house an impressive collection of more than 80,000 works spanning the world’s cultures across centuries of global history. The collections are incredibly diverse: our world-renowned Indigenous Arts of North America, one of the most extensive collections of Western American Art in the U.S., arts of Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, the ancient Americas, and outstanding Photography and Modern & Contemporary arts collections. Visitors can travel the world and through time—right here in Denver! Most of all, the DAM is all about being an inclusive and dynamic space. Throughout the museum, visitors find interactive spaces, hands-on studios, and family-friendly activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity, whether they’re 5 years old or 55.
Photo: Denver Art Museum Photography
What’s a unique element of the museum that helps set it apart from other institutions?
One of the best things about the DAM is our commitment to making art accessible to everyone. Thanks to our Free For Kids program, general admission is free every single day for all visitors aged 18 and under. It’s an easy, budget-friendly way for families and students to explore. Also, the museum offers free general admission to all visitors at least once a month through our SCFD Free Days program. Check out the DAM’s website for a complete, up-to-date calendar of all the upcoming free days. Although Free Days cover general admission, exciting special exhibitions sometimes require a separate ticket. Even here, the DAM offers great value: youth (18 and under) get a discounted rate, often just $5, for these ticketed shows. Members also enjoy the best price on all ticketed exhibitions, sometimes including complimentary tickets depending on the membership level. DAM is a vibrant, welcoming, and world-class museum designed to connect, inspire, and empower people through the transformative power of art.
Photo: James Florio Photography
Denver is considered the Mountain West, with the community embracing its roots. The museum has a significant collection of Western art. Can you talk about how that came to be, and what it means for the community to have that?
The Denver community has always embraced its roots in the Mountain West, and that passion is fully reflected in the museum’s incredible Western American art collection. This wasn’t just a sudden decision; the DAM has been collecting art related to the West for over 60 years, and a series of generous gifts from art collectors and supporters of the museum truly elevated it to a national treasure.
The department that champions this art is the Petrie Institute of Western American Art (PIWAA). Its origin story is one of commitment: while the DAM always collected Western art, a major turning point came in 2001 with a significant gift from William Sr. and Dorothy Harmsen. This momentum led to the formal establishment of the Institute of Western American Art.
In 2007, a generous financial gift from Tom and Jane Petrie further secured the department’s future and led to its current name, the Petrie Institute of Western American Art. More recently, unprecedented gifts from individuals like Henry Roath and the acquisition of the Dr. George C. and Catherine M. Peck collection have added even more significant pieces.
Today, PIWAA not only oversees the collection, which spans two centuries of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper, but it also actively promotes scholarship through annual symposia, publications, and exhibitions. This means the collection is constantly studied, shared, and brought to life.
Photo: Denver Art Museum Photography
Beyond art, there are other ways visitors can interact with the museum, from public tours to in-person drawing sessions. What is the benefit of having this sort of programming, and how has it cultivated a community of art lovers?
While the collections anchor the museum, it’s the programming—like tours and creative sessions—that truly transform it from a repository of objects into a living, social, and educational center for the community. These interactive opportunities are the engine of genuine engagement, and their benefits are immense. The Denver Art Museum’s robust suite of interactive programs, from daily Public Tours to monthly Drop-In Drawing sessions, serves a deeper purpose than just entertainment; they actively foster a personal and meaningful relationship between the visitor and the art.
Benefits to visitors are many, transforming passive viewing into active conversations, encouraging visitors to look closely and think critically. Additionally, artmaking provides an alternative, non-verbal mode of engagement, proven to improve mental wellbeing and encourage mindfulness. Interactive programming is critical to cultivating an invested community of art lovers—they are the bridge between simply visiting a museum and belonging to one.
Photo: Denver Art Museum Photography
Are there any elements of the museum—be it a collection or programming—that you feel people should take advantage of more?
That’s a fantastic question! The Denver Art Museum has so many layers beyond the blockbuster exhibits. Here are some key collections and programs that visitors, both local and tourists, should definitely take advantage of more often:
- Avenir Institute of Textile Arts and Fashion. This collection of over 5,000 objects is a major resource. It spans from archaeological textiles to contemporary works of art in fiber and fashion. You can see stunning objects from Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
- The Thread Studio. Located adjacent to the Textile Arts and Fashion galleries on level 6 of the Martin Building, the studio allows visitors to get hands-on with textile-based activities, which is a great way to engage with the art.
- Arts of Africa and Oceania. The DAM has a focused collection on the diverse artistic traditions of Africa, including rare works in sculpture, textiles, and jewelry. Similarly, the Arts of Oceania collection has strengths in 20th-century New Guinea and 19th-century Polynesian art. These collections offer a wonderful opportunity to explore global art history.
- Architecture and Design. Comprising over 18,000 objects, this is considered one of the preeminent modern and contemporary design collections of any comprehensive museum in the U.S. It offers a fascinating look at the art of everyday objects and structures.
- The Kirkland Museum. Now part of the DAM, the Kirkland Museum is a hidden gem. It brings to life 150 years of artistic innovation, focusing on international decorative art, Colorado’s art history, and a retrospective of the visionary artist Vance Kirkland.
My suggestion: Visitors can plan their next visit around a few specific, lesser-known collection galleries (like Textiles or Ancient Americas) and set aside time for a drop-in activity at The Studio or Creative Hub to make art.
Photo: Denver Art Museum Photography
Do you have a favorite collection? If so, what is it?
My favorite collection at the Denver Art Museum isn’t a single genre or department, but the entire permanent collection itself. With more than 80,000 objects spanning countless cultures and histories, the collection’s sheer breadth is what I find most compelling. It embodies a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and representation by providing a comprehensive, global perspective on art. The collection is a truly global showcase, continually being enriched with works from a diverse range of artists.
Camille Pissarro. “Hoar-Frost, Peasant Girl Making a Fire,” 1888. (Photo: akg-images / Laurent Lecat)
There is always something new to see at the museum. What’s an upcoming exhibition you’re excited for?
All of us at DAM were buzzing about the upcoming The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism, which opened on October 26 and will close on February 8, 2026. This is the first major U.S. retrospective of Camille Pissarro, known as “the first impressionist,” in over 40 years.
The exhibition presents an overview of the artist’s illustrious career and examines his singular role within the Impressionist movement. Bringing together more than 100 paintings from nearly 50 international museums and private collections, alongside six works from the Denver Art Museum’s holdings, the exhibition features landscapes, cityscapes, still lifes, and figure paintings, showcasing the breadth of Pissarro’s oeuvre and the various influences that shaped his practice as he responded to the social and political environment of the day. Co-organized with the Museum Barberini in Potsdam, Germany, Denver is the only U.S. stop for this show.