Clyfford Still Museum

We live in a world where «curate» is one of the top buzz words used, likely on a daily basis, in marketing and PR. Clyfford Still Museum was curated before it was hip.
A unique collection of modern art and personal effects from one of the most prolific minds of the 20^th century. $ 10 admission for adults gets you access to multiple large scale works from the artist as well as a library of information about Clyfford Still’s life and career.
The space itself is unique and a piece of art in itself, with a cement ceiling and cutout skylights on the roof. Who knew that a structure made of stone could feel so light and inviting?
A fun way to spend an afternoon in Downtown Denver.

What a gorgeous building. If you like mid-​century, brutalist, mod, whatever you want to label it — ART — this is the perfect museum. They have a ton of his work, so they rotate the art seasonally. They have a great history section about him on the first floor. I left feeling like I understood. This was a great experience. If you are on a tight budget, they have free days several times a year. Just Google it.

From the perforated concrete natural light ceilings, to the incredible ever-​changing collection of Clyfford Still’s amazing body of work– this is world class museum honoring a world class trailblazer in abstract expressionism!
Enter the museum and enjoy the video that sets the stage for your visit– a brief history on Clyfford Still, on the museum, and the museum architecture. Follow the paths and go through Still’s evolution in a semi-​chronological order. Roll with it– the lay out makes sense in an abstract way.
Enjoy the large large works displayed in large airy rooms. The cool perforated roof automatically adjusts to let in the perfect amount of light. How state of the art…
This museum will take you a couple hours and is worth a visit!

I’ve been here numerous times, because the art work is that amazing.

The Clyfford Still Museum is a Denver gem. I feel so honored that this museum exists in my city.
The art is cycled regularly in exhibitions, which is crucial for a museum that focuses only on one artist. In my opinion, the exhibitions are curated to complete perfection. Every single time I have been has been extremely emotive.
The staff is kind and they don’t interfere with your experience. The architecture is pristine and so soothing. The outdoor garden is serene and so inspiring.
Every time I leave this museum I feel infinitely more inspired.

I can’t adequately describe how deeply Clyfford Still’s art affected me. My visit to the museum just a few days ago, was certainly one of the highlights in my «art-​viewing» life — there has been a lot in many places, in this country and abroad. The museum itself, the architecture, the patterned concrete is a perfect «shell» for those incredible paintings — I am so happy I came and I will be back. It’s worth the trip to Denver.
Brigitte Treumann, Chicago, Illinois.

Absolutely fabulous museum! My favorite small museum. To see his work develop over time and so well documented. I love the downstairs area where you can see the painting in storage and the conservation room. Thank you Denver for getting this museum, kudos!

The clyford still art museum is a small gallery next to the Denver art museum and prominently feautures most if not all of his work. As you walk in you are greeted by a friendly admissions hostess and given a brief summary, then you are allowed to paruse at your leisure. I found this museum to be sparse yet full at the same time. As you learn the history and timeline of the artists life, from his birth in a very rural part of North Dakota in 1909 to his death in Maryland in 1980, you can’t help to be drawn in to his life’s history, his daily struggles, his day to day voyage on the sea we call life. As you walk through the museum you start with the start of his artist career when he was a teen in the 1920s. During this time period, you can see the makings of a fine young art student taking root in the art community. As you pass along the different rooms you can see how the changes in his life affected his painting style. If you’re into art culture, then this is definitely a place to see.

The hubs and I have wanted to check this museum out for a while. It is tucked next to the Denver Art Museum and is a bit plain from the exterior. However, once you step inside you see the beauty of the simple architecture combined with the works of Clifford Stills. We went in last night for their free night.
We really like smaller museums that are a bit more intimate. I don’t like feeling overwhelmed by art. The art was thoughtfully displayed and beautiful. It was a really great experience.

If you like art at all and are in Denver, YOU MUST GO HERE.
It will change your view on what a museum should be.
THis place has changed my life of art.

A true gem. As I learned during the tour, you won’t find any place like this anywhere else in the country. All of Clifford Still’s work is housed in this amazing state of the art facility.

I have been here twice in the last year and I am impressed with this museum. I took my good friend here today and he is a huge art fan who visits museums all over the world. He loved it, especially the current exhibits about conserving the paintings. I think the artist was correct in wanting a museum confined to only his own works. Denver competed with 20 other cities for this, and I am delighted we were the one selected. It is very well done.

This is an outstanding art collection of Clyfford Still. When he died, his will stated he wanted a museum that would solely carry only his works, and Denver did not disappoint. I was so impressed with the museum and the staff. It was my first time there and also seeing so many paintings with the abstract expressionism approach. I loved it! It was all new to me and so wonderful. We did the tour, and Jennifer was just great answering all the questions we had. I could just sit on a bench and just stare at each and every painting. The size and scale of each is delightful in itself. The museum has all of his works including drawings and works on paper. They are restoring his work as well, and show you the process and its stages for that effort. I will definitely go back as I really enjoyed his work.

Just visited for the first time today, and I gotta say, the guided tour by Jennifer was FASCINATING! The energy and passion she conveyed in her presentation was practically contagious.
I especially liked the exhibitions on conservation work; I could have spent all day looking at how the paintings aged and what the conservators do to respectfully restore the artwork to the artist’s intent.
I’ll absolutely be back!

Wonderful and interesting museum. The building itself is just as much a work of art as the art itself. Very cool story too about how the collection made it to Denver and why the artist wanted it to all stay together. Interesting to see an artist’s work across different periods of his life.
Take a look on a lazy afternoon and you won’t be disappointed.

I’ve been wanting to check this place out for a while now and last weekend was finally the day to do it! After viewing the Modern Masters exhibit at the DAM, we headed over to the Clyfford Still Museum as it was covered in our DAM ticket prices. Score! Not that the normal $ 10 ticket fee would scare me off for a future visit…
Clyfford Still left around 3000 pieces for an American city to host his paintings. It took a while for any city to take up the offer, but Denver decided to go for it. And I’m so glad that our beautiful city did! While I didn’t care for Still’s earlier works, I really appreciated seeing how his craft evolved into the abstract pieces that most of us are familiar with.
The museum is relatively small, but packs a punch. I’m really excited that it houses so many paintings; i’d imagine you could visit every few months and see something new!
The Clyfford Still Museum is a nice escape from the crowds of the DAM. I’ll be back in no time.

When I turned 29, I had this harebrained idea to start a list of 30 things that I wanted to see, do, and experience before I turned 30. After hearing friends (both locals and out-​of-​towners) rave about the Clyfford Still Museum, I added, «Visit Clyfford Still» to my list of things to check off this year.
I recently found myself with a free Saturday afternoon, so the husband and I schlepped down to the museum and paid $ 10 for admission. We missed the scheduled tour that day, but we had no problem guiding ourselves through the collection, reading the placards, soaking up all of his artwork, and admiring the architecture of the museum itself.
The collection, which rotates a couple times throughout the year, showcases Still’s diverse range in styles and mediums from realistic sketches in pencil to vibrant abstract paintings. I was particularly fascinated by the artwork he produced while living in Pullman, WA, since I grew up just a few miles away.
We made our way through the one-​floor collection in less than hour and were two of just a handful of people visiting that afternoon. While I personally enjoyed taking my time in front of each piece in the quiet exhibit, everyone should really get out to visit this museum whether you live in Denver or you are just visiting.

There’s a lot to love about this amazing collection from American master abstract expressionist Clyfford Still. First, the collection is ordered from his early works to his later pieces. The earlier works were more representational and reflected his love for painting machinery and distant landscapes. As he matured, his work became more monumental and abstract, but you can see the original forms in his later canvases. The galleries themselves are spectacular, intimate cathedrals to his pieces. I’d say there are about 6 separate galleries upstairs which feature the modern, contemplative canvases. For the later pieces, each wall will feature one of the giants.
Second, the building itself is a design masterpiece in cast concrete. The undulating textures and rough surfaces mimic the work of Still himself. It’s a new building. Downstairs there are storage areas for many of his unshown pieces, and it’s kind of awe inspiring to know how many more there are and that you could come back in a few months and see different works. Theres a nice video interactive exhibit on the first floor as well which tells about his history. There are even letters he wrote to museums and art magazines which make his intellect plain.
Lastly, there are the very helpful people who work here behind the entrance at the desk. I learned during my visit that Still left his wife with the task of finding a suitable city to house his museum. She considered many, but ultimately worked with the surprising choice of Denver because technically the city where the museum was built would become the owner of this priceless collection. I highly recommend this place for anyone who likes modern abstracts. The pieces gave me chills.

I’ve been to art museums all over the world and Denver’s Clyfford Still Museum is among the best. If you are a fan of Still’s work or a fan of American Abstract Expressionism in general, you need to visit this place!
It is small and cozy yet has an amazing collection of his work, from watercolors, chalk and ink drawings to his most well-​known, totally immersive giant painted canvases! The first floor has some introductory type stuff: Still’s personal letters (be sure to read his handwritten one to Jackson Pollock), newspaper clippings, personal books and Still’s own artist’s box with paint. There’s a video that constantly plays in the lobby next to the very tiny gift area.
The upper floors have a great sample of his work on display. It’s well organized and displayed but disappointingly, not much information about the works. I’m hoping that this will change as the museum grows. If a tour is offered while you are there, take it. An audio tour would be a lovely addition but the least they could do is make an effort to put some write-​ups about each work next to each piece.
The architecture here is pretty great too. The interior has light wood floors and the walls are textured gray concrete, reflecting the texture that you can see in so many of Still’s paintings. The pieces were appropriately hung and displayed for optimal viewing. There are two outdoor terraces where you can sit and relax. And best of all, photography is allowed indoors (no flash, of course).
You should allow at least an hour to see everything and art lovers will want more time. Admission was $ 10, which is a great bargain considering the much less stellar Denver Art Museum next door charges $ 13 to get in.

This is a beautiful space and a museum I’d been wanting to check out for quite some time. Thanks to Frances, I was able to view the museum and learn much about this acclaimed artist and his works on our private, guided tour. I believe having the tour helped to put the artist’s works in context. Otherwise, just viewing abstract art, for me, might look like blobs of paint. :-)
Jennifer was our tour guide and she was so knowledgeable about Clyfford Still, it made the tour so interesting. She brought an energy and passion to art, that she held my attention and made it fun and accessible.
If you’ve never been before, the collection is upstairs, in a circle, so you can never get lost. I love that! There’s a (free) coat check and lockers (for a quarter) to place purses or other items for safekeeping, if needed. The staff was helpful and you’re even permitted to take pictures of artwork, should you like, with a non-​flash camera.
I’m now looking forward to visiting the museum again and checking out the collection, as it rotates.