Denver > Arts Overview

Denver boasts a thriving arts & culture scene. A varied assortment of museums, theatre shows, operas, concert halls and art galleries will keep you entertained throughout your visit. Denver has long had a love affair with the arts. As many theater performances and unique art exhibits are merely passing through town, the best way to find what’s appealing to you is to peruse the many brochures, magazines and newspapers located in town, particularly at visitor’s centers and upscale hotels.

Perhaps Denver’s greatest cultural contribution is its performing arts scene. With eight theaters offering a total of 10,800 seats, the Denver Performing Arts Complex holds the largest seating capacity in the world under one roof. Located downtown, the complex occupies four city blocks, all covered by an 80-foot arched, glass canopy. The center features Boettcher Concert Hall, the nation's first symphony hall in-the-round; The Denver Center Theater Company, which won a Tony Award in 1998 for best regional theatre acting company and the Temple Buell Theater, a new 2,800-seat Broadway theater that opened in 1991

Aside from the massive DPA complex are numerous small theatre groups, quaint galleries, large museums and historical buildings. The history of Denver as a wild west town, especially during the mining boom of the 1800s, is remembered and celebrated through the preservation and occupation of such buildings, many of which were constructed during that glorious time in Colorado’s rich past.