Denver Art Museum - History of The Museum

History of The Museum

The museum's origins can be traced back to the founding of the Denver Artists Club in 1893. William C. and Kenton Forest. Denver: A pictorial history from frontier camp to Queen City of the Plains. Colorado Railroad Museum, 1993. In 1916, the Club renamed itself the Denver Art Association. Two years later in 1918, the Denver Art Association became the Denver Art Museum and opened its first galleries in the City and County building. Later, in 1922 the museum opened galleries in the Chappell House. The house, located on Logan Street, was donated to the museum by Mrs. George Cranmer and Delos Chappell. In 1948, the DAM purchased a building on Acoma and 14th St. on the south side of Civic Center Park. Harris, Neil. "Searching for Form." The First Hundred Years. The Denver Art Museum, 1996, Denver architect Burnham Hoyt renovated the building which became known as the Schleier Gallery. While the Schleier Gallery was a significant addition, the DAM still sought to increase its space. Additional pressure came from the Kress Foundation who offered to donate three collections valued at over $2 million on the condition that DAM construct a new building to house the works. Harris, Neil. "Searching for Form." The First Hundred Years. The Denver Art Museum, 1996, DAM sought help from the city and county of Denver to raise funds. However in 1952 voters failed to approve a resolution bond. Despite this setback, the museum continued to raise funds and eventually opened up a new building. This new building, called the South Wing, opened in 1954 and made it possible for DAM to receive the Kress Foundation's gifts. A major addition opened on October 3, 1971. Jones, William C. and Kenton Forest. Denver: A pictorial history from frontier camp to Queen City of the Plains. Colorado Railroad Museum, 1993, The addition, now called the North Building, was designed by Gio Ponti and local architect James Sudler. The architecturally unique building stands 7 stories tall, has 24 sides, and is clad in grey glass tiles specially designed by Dow Corning.

• 2006 February: The Duncan Pavilion is a 5,700 SF second storey addition to the Morgan Wing that came to receive the bridge traffic from the new Frederic C. Hamilton and the existing 1971 North Building once the renovation is completed. The Duncan Pavilion is designed as a temporary structure intended not to compete architecturally with the existing historical buildings or the new Frederic C. Hamilton building. It provides a large attrium space for a rest half way through museum tours and roof deck where one can see sweeping vistas of the city and stand directly under the prow of the Hamilton. Along with the addition the project renovated the mechanical system and visitor circulation in the Morgan Wing.

• 2006 October: The completion and opening date of a major expansion, the Frederic C. Hamilton building, designed as a joint venture by Studio Daniel Libeskind and Denver firm Davis Partnership Architects(architect of record). The new building opened on October 7, 2006, and is clad in titanium and glass. The project was recognised by the American Institute of Architects as a successful Building Information Modeling project .

History of the museum The museum's origins can be traced back to the founding of the Denver Artists Club in 1893.Jones, William C. and Kenton Forest. Denver: A pictorial history from frontier camp to Queen City of the Plains. Colorado Railroad Museum, 1993. In 1916, the Club renamed itself the Denver Art Association. Two years later in 1918, the Denver Art Association became the Denver Art Museum and opened its first galleries in the City and County building. Later, in 1922 the museum opened galleries in the Chappell House. The house, located on Logan Street, was donated to the museum by Mrs. George Cranmer and Delos Chappell. In 1948, the DAM purchased a building on Acoma and 14th St. on the south side of Civic Center Park. Harris, Neil. "Searching for Form." The First Hundred Years. The Denver Art Museum, 1996, Denver architect Burnham Hoyt renovated the building which became known as the Schleier Gallery. While the Schleier Gallery was a significant addition, the DAM still sought to increase its space. Additional pressure came from the Kress Foundation who offered to donate three collections valued at over $2 million on the condition that DAM construct a new building to house the works. Neil. "Searching for Form." The First Hundred Years. The Denver Art Museum, 1996, DAM sought help from the city and county of Denver to raise funds. However in 1952 voters failed to approve a resolution bond. Despite this setback, the museum continued to raise funds and eventually opened up a new building. This new building, called the South Wing, opened in 1954 and made it possible for DAM to receive the Kress Foundation's gifts.

A major addition opened on October 3, 1971. William C. and Kenton Forest. Denver: A pictorial history from frontier camp to Queen City of the Plains. Colorado Railroad Museum, 1993, The addition, now called the North Building, was designed by Gio Ponti and local architect James Sudler. The architecturally unique building stands 7 stories tall, has 24 sides, and is clad in grey glass tiles specially designed by Dow Corning.