In June 2020, the Denver Art Museum will kick off a phased reopening of the united museum campus, welcoming visitors to the first three levels of the refurbished and renamed Martin Building (previously the North Building) and the new, curved glass-walled Anna and John J. Sie Welcome Center.
Championing lifelong learning and creative pursuits for visitors of all ages has always been at the heart of the DAM’s mission. With the addition of the Bartlit Learning and Engagement Center, on the main and lower levels of the Martin Building, the museum now has physical space that brings that commitment to the center of the campus. With more than 12,000 square feet of classrooms and flexible multi-use space this new addition will help visitors of all ages explore creativity in all its forms.
A brand new conservation laboratory, also on the lower level, will provide the necessary space and equipment for museum conservators to prepare artworks for exhibition and preserve them to be enjoyed by museum visitors for decades to come. The conservation lab will include north-facing windows allowing visitors to be able to see the work in action.
Even our members may be surprised to learn that for the last 10 years, the museum had been using the Bonfils-Stanton Gallery on level one for art storage. It is sometimes hard to find space for a collection of 70,000 art objects! After finding different storage solutions, the museum was able to add nearly 15,000 square feet of additional gallery space by bisecting the two-story tall room into two stacked galleries. The completely renovated Bonfils-Stanton Gallery on level one will be dedicated to temporary exhibitions pulled from the museum’s extensive global art collections. And directly above that, on level two, the museum will open the brand new Amanda J. Precourt Design Galleries and the interactive Design Studio. Building on the popularity of our Studio in the Hamilton Building, the Design Studio will allow visitors the chance to explore their own design talents with hands-on exercises and demonstrations.
Next summer also ushers in the reopening of the completely refurbished Northwest Coast and Alaska Native Gallery on level two of the Martin Building. At this time visitor favorites from the collection including house posts will come back on view. We can’t wait to see them in their new home.
In addition to serving as an entrance and ticketing center for museum guests, the Anna and John J. Sie Welcome Center will house two dining options, the family activity center, and the Sturm Grand Pavilion, which adds 10,000 square feet of event space that can accommodate public and private events.
The entire renovated and unified campus at the Denver Art Museum will be fully reopened to the public by end of 2021, in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Gio Ponti-designed Martin Building and launch a new era for the museum, its programs and its visitors.
As always, DAM members will have the first opportunity to see new spaces before they open to the public. We will continue to share more details as we have them. We look forward to welcoming our members—as well as our Denver partners and community members to our expanded campus starting next summer.
