Denver Art Museum, Denver

The Hamilton Building was first seen from the street between the CO State Capitol and the Denver County/City building through the arch at the north end of the Civic Park. Wow! Such a dynamic shape! The exhibits were arranged nicely, at eye level as much as possible, in an intriguing maze of pathways. The other building had more traditional space usages, but paths flowed throughout the displays. Personnel were very efficient and helpful. The members area was good for meeting people and even had a few displays. Join the membership to get best value for your money! Admissions are then free and special exhibits (like King Tut) are reduced in price. You also help support a valuable piece of our cultural heritage. Of course the King Tut and early egyptology display was good. My only criticism was the very winding path through it, and there were too many people in it the day before Thanksgiving. Therefore, I lost my companion. Perhaps a missing persons button with intercom near each elevator area could help too. If you could call in and leave message with staff where to meet again, it would end Major Distress! Plus the missing party could call in to hear your message. This could be automated with auto erasure after 10 hours.

The new Hamilton Wing by so-called superstar architect Dannny Libeskind, is as bad as everyone says it is. If possible, it is actually worse than that - dead end corridors, miserable, drab, lightless, lifeless interiors, its enough to make you want to commit suicide just for looking at it ... and watch out you don't poke your eye out on one of those pointy angles that are everywhere. I wonder how such ugliness got past the museum directors. But that's the world we live in. PR and celebrity, even where no talent exists (eg. Paris Hilton, Danny Libeskind), trump common sense every time. - Don't waste your time. there's nothing to enjoy in this awful new building.

The Denver Art Museum is a worthwhile way to spend a few hours. I will admit that I don't know all that much about art, so I cannot comment on how "good" the collection is as far as its level of fame, but there are many interesting exhibits. The new Hamilton wing has met with much criticism, bit I find it to be fascinating. Most museums are the same format with a bunch of square rooms with various themes. The angular Hamilton building makes everything seem more open and free flowing. Apparently some get mild vertigo from the building though.

The new Hamilton Wing designed by Daniel Libeskind is abysmal. All the contorted galleries are not suited to art or even to visual enjoyment. This is a building that would be better suited to video arcades or some kind of theme park, but it is very disappointing as a museum.

Not what I would expect from a 'downtown' art museum, but Denver is not very cultural. The oil paintings are good but many of the other exhibits are second rate and just boring. This Art Museum needs a total face lift. I've lived in Colorado 20+ years and for many of those years thought the building was a jail - what is up with all those little windows like jail cells. Yikes! Denver paid for a huge new football stadium but puts pennies towards the arts. Round up the cowboys and lets go see some football folks! Arts? Not today thank you. LAME!