Denver’s annual Free Night at the Museums is both a gift and a challenge for cultural bargain hunters.
There are 17 museums on the list this year, all inviting visitors to enter at no cost. But the event only goes from 5 to 10 p.m., which means you’ve got to be agile to make the most of the opportunity.
Related: Mixing the past and present (and art and artifacts) to tell the story of Colorado
Of course, there are other cultural events to take advantage of during Denver’s Arts Week, which is actually a 10-day extravaganza kicking off Nov. 1.
The event’s website touts First Friday Art Walks, bringing special attention to the neighborhood-wide gallery openings. Art fans can do their strutting in a familiar setting, like Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe, or try something new — perhaps heading over to the Westwood Creative District in East Denver or trekking a little farther afield to the galleries in Olde Town Arvada.
The “week” also highlights events across disciplines set to take place in the near future, from theater to dance to comedy to opera, and even to a very promising tribute show to both Shania Twain and Taylor Swift happening on Nov. 1 at the Grizzly Rose nightclub.
There is also a long list of deals — discounts, two-for-ones, ticket lotteries — available on the website.
Still, the largest crowds likely will turn out for Free Night at the Museums, the biggest deal of them all. And decisions will have to be made on how to see as much as possible, but not so much that your head spins.
Since there are five hours of fun on the table during these Saturday events, here are five good ideas to consider when parsing out your valuable time.
At the Museo de las Americas, check out a kid-friendly favorite
An interpretation of the Bonampak Mural as created by David Ocelotl Garcia hangs over a replica of the Mayan Pyramid of the Magician at the Museo de las Americas. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)
It’s always a good idea to catch the fare at Denver’s Museo de las Americas, but it is even better when you can get into the small museum — located among the many galleries along Santa Fe Drive — without paying. Right now, the special exhibition is “Migrants: A Tale of Two Hearts,” which uses art to capture both the physical and spiritual experiences surrounding migration between Latin America and the United States. But make sure to check out the Museo’s most unusual attraction, the massive and historically accurate model of the ancient Temple at Uxmal that occupies a room toward the back. The model is a wonder, recreating in detail the pre-colonial landmark that stood strong in what is now called Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
861 Santa Fe Drive. Info: 303-571-4401 or museo.org.
At the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a live-animal adventure
DMNS keeps the hits coming with its newest exhibition, “Animals of the Rainforest.” What makes this one different is the appearance of actual, live animals that visitors can see up close, including snakes, reptiles and one extremely slow-moving sloth. The museum has two other special exhibits going now, including the creepy “Power of Poison” and “Discovering Teen Rex,” about a recent dinosaur find in Colorado. But “Rainforest” is the real star here. Who can resist a Saturday night spent with a boa constrictor or a python or an iguana? Be very careful, I say.
2001 Colorado Blvd. Info: 303-370-6000 or dmns.org.
At the History Colorado Center, looking back at a ball
DAM’s family-friendly exhibit “Hava a Seat” invites visitors to interact with furniture designed by some of the best designers from Mexico. The chairs in the foreground were created by the Mexico City firm Lanza Atelier. Ray Mark Rinaldi, Special to The Denver Post)
There are a couple of winners on the floors of the Colorado History Center, and the idea of seeing them without shelling out the $15 admission is appealing. The recently opened “De la Tierra” uses both art and artifacts to narrate a compelling history of the Upper Río Grande region. The night might also be a good excuse to revisit “Zoom In,” a clever show that uses 100 objects to trace Colorado’s history. But do not miss the fascinating, and hyper-local, “Owl Club of Denver: Legacies of Excellence,” which features nostalgic photos, borrowed from the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library, of Denver’s longest-running, Black debutante ball.
1200 Broadway. Info: 303-447-8679 or historycolorado.org.
At the Denver Art Museum, sitting pretty
DAM has a slew of shows worthy of your free time on Saturday, Nov. 2. There is the traveling exhibit “Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas,” showcasing work by the late, Washington, D.C., painter who did not find fame until her 60s. There’s also the neat textile show, “Weaving a Foundation,” featuring some of the museum’s best textiles. But the best kid-friendly option has to be “Have a Seat: Mexican Chair Design Today.” The exhibit, which closes on Jan. 12, takes its title seriously: visitors are encouraged to actually try out the wares of 22 top designers.
100 14th Ave. Info: 720-865-5000 or denverartmuseum.org.
At Denver Botanic Gardens, just the art, please
Alexandra Kehayoglou’s massive woven textile captures aerial views of South America’s Paraná River. (Daniel Tseng, Special to The Denver Post)
Most folks go to the DBG to see the fabulous flora, but on Saturday evening, Nov. 2, the focus is all on art and architecture. The trees and plants will be closed for business, but the Freyer–Newman Center for Science, Art & Education will keep its doors open to the public. That includes the center’s three art galleries, and each is packed with an excellent display. There’s “Geography of Hope,” featuring photos of Utah’s resurgent Glen Canyon by Elliot Ross, and there is artist Patrick Marold’s gleaming, and curious, installation, “Shadow and Light.” If young people are in your gallery-going party, they will love “River’s Voice,” which invites everyone to take their shoes off and get touchy with textile artist Alexandra Kehayoglou’s sumptuous rugs recreating landscapes of her native Argentina.
1007 York St. Info: 720-865-3500 or botanicgardens.org.
Ray Mark Rinaldi is a Denver-based freelancer specializing in fine arts.