Three photos, a boy and an older woman holding up art projects, a girl making art, a boy holding up an art project he made

October 2017 Family Fun

Autumn has arrived! As the weather cools outside, head inside to the Denver Art Museum for a bundle of new activities to enjoy. Youth 18 and under receive free general admission to the DAM. October 7 is Free First Saturday—general admission is free for everyone.

Create Playdate

Create Playdate returns for a new season of hands-on creativity on October 11. Kids ages 3-5 and their adults are invited to join us from 10 am to 1 pm as we explore the innovative chairs in Unseated: Contemporary Chairs Reimagined and make a miniature chair to take home. Sign up for a story time and join us as we read a book that gets us thinking—who might sit in these crazy chairs?

Foxy & Shmoxy

Our favorite artful foxes are back on October 8 with a new clue. Pick up a letter from the Fox Box and follow the hints and (paw) prints to catch Foxy and Shmoxy: Art Detectives in the galleries at 10:30 or 11:30 a.m.

Gallery Games

New fall exhibitions mean new opportunities for families to have fun together! Ganesha: The Playful Protector has many different artworks featuring Ganesha, the Hindu deity with an elephant head. In the exhibition, read aloud an illustrated story that tells how Ganesha broke his tusk. Can you spot the details in the story that are also hidden in the artwork?

Beginning October 22, explore Her Paris: Women Artists in the Age of Impressionism with an imaginary stroll through the City of Light. Pick up a game—available in English and Spanish—and check off all the different ways you might enjoy a day in Paris. Would you like to hear music? Look for instruments. What about learning how to paint at an art school? Find a paintbrush! (Children 5 and under receive free admission to this exhibition, and tickets for youth age 6-18 are just $5. Adults require an additional ticket.)

New Immersive Installation

Don't miss Past the Tangled Present, which opens October 15. This interactive and immersive installation by Denver artist Jaime Molina was born of imagination and the joy of discovery. Step into a different world where the paintings on the wall flow into 3-D objects that Molina created for the space.

Create-n-Takes

A new Create-n-Take, called Home on the Range, rolls out on October 21. This in-gallery artmaking project features the wintry scene in Theodore Waddell’s Motherwell’s Angus and his unique painting techniques. Explore the concept of abstraction by layering and mixing colors to create your own landscape that reminds you of home.

Fall Break

Fall Break, October 26-29, is the perfect time to try out all of these new family offerings. Take advantage of two extra weekdays to explore the new 3-D Studio, try out a Family Backpack before they go on hiatus, and take a walk on the wild side in the new Stampede exhibition.