Why Museums Are Important
My niece recently shared an article with me from Literary Hub entitled, Missing Museums: Why Art is a Necessity for Public Health by Veronica Esposito. The author mentions that studies have “linked the practice of visiting an art museum to a surprisingly diverse range of health benefits, some of which are: reduced stress, improved memory, relief from chronic pain, improvement in the outcomes of psychotherapy, a longer lifespan, increased vitality, a substantial and rapid decline in the stress hormone cortisol, decreased mortality from cancer, cognitive enhancement in individuals with dementia, and improved immune system function.”
Since January, I have been going to a museum a week. I can attest to feeling much better about life after my visits. Planning the visit gives me something to look forward to. I ask a friend to join me, and I relish in conversation while looking at the exhibits. Esposito expresses, “At a moment when so much of our social fabric has been casually torn apart by public health authorities, art is a vital activity of connecting to another human mind.” I wholeheartedly agree.
My recent book, Essential Denver: Discovery and Exploration Guide has a chapter on museums. You will find more details of each museum in my book. Here I provide just the address and website of Denver museums to make your reservations and purchase your tickets. I encourage you to pick one and make a plan with a friend or family member to enjoy an outing together.
American Museum of Western Art
1727 Tremont Pl., Denver, CO 80202
https://anschutzcollection.org
Black American West Museum
3091 California St., Denver, CO 80205
Center for Women’s History at Byers–Evans House
1310 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80204
https://www.historycolorado.org/center-colorado-womens-history-byers-evans-house
Children’s Museum of Denver
2121 Children’s Museum Dr., Denver, CO 80211
https://www.mychildsmuseum.org
Clyfford Still Museum
1250 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80204
https://clyffordstillmuseum.org
Denver Art Museum
100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Denver, CO 80204
Denver Firefighters Museum
1326 Tremont Pl., Denver, CO 80204
https://denverfirefightersmuseum.org
Denver Museum of Nature and Science
2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80205
Forney Museum of Transportation
4303 Brighton Blvd., Denver, CO 80216
Four Mile Historic Park
715 S. Forest St., Denver, CO 80246
History Colorado Center
1200 N. Broadway, Denver, CO 80203
https://www.historycolorado.org/history-colorado-center
Kirkland Museum of Fine and Decorative Art
1201 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80204
https://www.kirklandmuseum.org/
Mizel Museum
400 S. Kearney St., Denver, CO 80224
Molly Brown House Museum
1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver CO 80203
Museo de las Americas–Latin American Art Museum
861 Santa Fe Dr., Denver, CO 80204
Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
1485 Delgany St., Denver, CO 80202
https://mcadenver.org
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver, CO 80230
And finally, this center is not a museum, but it is worth adding to your visit list to see the beautiful exhibits.
The Galleries at the Freyer-Newman Center at Botanic Gardens
1007 York Street, Denver, CO 80206
https://www.botanicgardens.org/york-street/freyer-newman-center
Be sure to see the checklist in the back of the book Essential Denver and mark the box for each visit. Enjoy the benefits of art and history while supporting each organization. And have fun!
