Image Credit: Bob Ashe, Denver Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau
Denver captivates visitors with its diverse cultural offerings and natural wonders. Meow Wolf invites exploration into an immersive art experience, while nearby Red Rocks Amphitheatre stands as a geological marvel. The Denver Art Museum showcases global and regional art, while Larimer Square exudes historical charm and modern flair. Vibrant street art districts like RiNo and Santa Fe add color and creativity to the urban landscape, making Denver a bustling hub of artistic expression and natural beauty.
Aside from the premier conference on computer graphics and interactive techniques, what else does Denver have to offer?
Meow Wolf
Meow Wolf Denver is a massive and immersive art exhibition created by more than 300 collaborating artists. It is also known as “Convergence Station” and covers approximately 60,000 square feet. It features a paranormal motif and an interplanetary transit hub where four different worlds have converged. Visitors can explore dozens of installations, rooms, tunnels, and secret passages that weave together to form an overarching narrative.
Catch a Concert!
Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also known colloquially as simply Red Rocks) is an open-air amphitheater in the western United States near Morrison, Colorado, approximately 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Denver, which owns and operates it. The natural features surrounding the amphitheater were formed millions of years ago as part of the Fountain Formation, then lifted and tilted during a geological upheaval event called the Laramide Orogeny, the same time in which the nearby Garden of the Gods and Flatirons were formed.
Denver Art Museum
Founded in 1893 as the Denver Artists’ Club, the Denver Art Museum today is one of the largest art museums between Chicago and the West Coast. The museum’s global art collections represent cultures around the world, with over 70,000 works of art in 12 collections, including African art, architecture and design, art of the ancient Americas, Asian art, European and American art before 1900, Latin American art, Oceanic art, modern and contemporary art, photography, textile art and fashion, Indigenous arts of North America, and western American art. The museum’s global collections also reflect work by artists from Denver and the Rocky Mountain region — and provide invaluable ways for the community to learn about the world.
Visit the Historic Larimer Square
Denver got its start on Larimer Street between 14th and 15th in the late 1800s. Named Larimer Square for the pioneering General William Larimer, it was the city’s first block, its first commercial district, home to its first residence and first city hall, and was the city’s first designated historic district. While Larimer Square began as Denver’s first city block, it’s also one of the city’s most chic fashion districts. You’ll find trendy people as well as the latest fashions from New York, Paris, and Milan. Grab a latté and do some window shopping.
Murals and Street Art
Denver street artists have been busy brightening (and enlightening) the urban landscape for decades by making canvases of the city’s alleyways, building exteriors, warehouses, garage doors, and storefronts. If you’re interested in tracking down thought-provoking murals, graffiti, and street art in Denver, we invite you to embark on a tour of the areas and compositions listed below.
- One of Denver’s creative hubs, River North Art District (RiNo), leans heavily on its industrial past, preferring to revitalize historic warehouses and factories rather than tearing things down.
- East Colfax is abuzz with energy 24/7. Some of Denver’s best live music venues are here, and its solidly urban, slightly gritty nature is both a draw and incubator for artistic expression.
- The Art District on Santa Fe is a designated Colorado Creative District, with the largest concentration of art galleries in Colorado.
- In Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood, west of downtown, discover the burgeoning creative scene of the Tennyson Street Cultural District. The neighborhood boasts a growing number of art galleries, where you can spend an afternoon browsing antique prints, photographs, and paintings from local artists. You’ll also find a few live music venues and some great Italian and Mexican food.
- In southwest Denver, Morrison Road cuts diagonally through the heart of the colorful Westwood Creative District. The neighborhood’s Mexican-American roots shine through in the form of culturally inspired murals adorning walls, electrical boxes, and even trash cans, as well as the food, with Kahlo’s Mexican Restaurant (named for iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo) and other eateries on the main drag.
Don’t forget the biggest attraction of all … SIGGRAPH 2024. Explore registration options today!
