Review: Clyfford Still Museum

Start us off with an overview.
Located adjacent to the much larger Denver Art Museum, the Clyfford Still Museum is an intimate exploration of abstract art housed in an imposing, cantilevered concrete building. Built in 2011 specifically to display the work of American artist Clyfford Still, the museum is an under-the-radar, rarely crowded gem on the Denver art scene.

So tell us about the collection.
The 3,125-piece collection tracks the life and work of Still, a modern artist famous for his groundbreaking work as an Abstract Expressionist. The museum guides you chronologically through his body of work, beginning in the 1920s with his sketches and small landscape paintings, and culminating in monumental large-format canvas paintings from the 1950s that are flooded with color. Visitors learn a lot as they walk through the halls, but it doesn’t feel like a boring lecture; conversational museum placards avoid jargon and instead prompt you to look at specific lines or colors in a painting, opening them up to interpretation. It’s an insightful way to see how much an artist changes over time, and you leave with a much better understanding of both Still and of modern art.

What are your thoughts on the space? Is everything presented well?
The space itself is a master class on what a modern museum is all about: large, well-lit exhibition halls let the artwork shine; wide, textured concrete hallways never feel cramped; and benches let you spend time contemplating the artwork.

What's the vibe inside, and what kind of crowd does the museum draw?
Unlike the much busier museums nearby, the Clyfford Still Museum feels like an insider gem you stumbled on thanks to an artsy friends’ recommendation. Geeky abstract art aficionados slowly walk from room to room, painstakingly admiring Still’s work, but the museum’s layout is so friendly and its information so well presented that it never feels pretentious. Parents take note: While there is a “Making Space” for kids to tackle their own creations, it’s not a museum dedicated to family fun. Instead, this museum appeals to creative types on pilgrimage to see some serious art.

Gift shop: obligatory, inspiring—or skip it?
A small gift shop offers items focused on Clyfford Still's life, but it’s not a focal point. Instead, head to the other side of the building for a look at the museum archives, including huge pull-out shelves that hold paintings not currently on display.

If we get hungry, is there a café we can drop by for a break?
Head elsewhere for a snack, as there's no restaurant on site.

How much time should we allot for a visit?
Don’t worry about museum fatigue here; a full tour of the exhibits and archives takes around 60 minutes.