Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art
A celebrated international decorative art collection from the 1870s to the present, with examples of every major design period from Arts & Crafts through Postmodern
A Colorado & regional art collection from 1845 to the present, A retrospective of Colorado’s distinguished painter, Vance Kirkland (1904–1981). Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art inspires people through the beauty of art and design presented in a unique and approachable way. The Museum carries on the curatorial vision established by Founding Director & Curator Hugh Grant (b. 1945), who was influenced by artist and educator Vance Kirkland (1904–1981). The Museum serves the general public and scholars through exhibitions, the loan of works and public programs.
Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art is a two-story museum in the heart of Denver’s arts and cultural district, the Golden Triangle. The building highlights the artistry and craft of the internationally renowned decorative art collection housed within. The museum is named for renowned Colorado artist Vance Kirkland, whose historic studio building is incorporated into the design.
Kirkland Museum’s collection comprises over 30,000 works, including the nation’s largest repository of Colorado art. The new museum has 65% more gallery space than the previous building. The elevations are calm and the layout straightforward, but a key element of the design is a rich and vibrant façade inspired by the lively mix of art and craft in the collection. Luminous terracotta bars in an array of yellow hues, punctuated with rectangular glass “baguettes” backed in gold, enliven the building’s public face. A series of vitrines on the exterior of the building showcase select museum objects, extending the galleries to neighboring sidewalks and streets. The building itself becomes a sparkling jewel box that expresses the vibrant examples of artistry and design housed within.