Denver Art Museum Free Day - Crowds? (Boulder: garage, parking)

[Arrby]

I have family coming in next weekend and they are interested in the Denver Art Museum. The days which we have available are Saturday and Sunday. I note that Saturday - First Saturday - the museum admission is free. This is, of course, a significant savings for our group. However, if the place is going to be jam packed it would not be worth it. I would appreciate advice from anyone with experience.

I assume the crowds are heavier anyway with the King Tut Exhibit, but is that bringing larger crowds to the other parts of the museum as well? I think we are going to give the Tut exhibit a pass due to time constraints.

Thanks,

[Brian_M]

My wife and I Tried to do one of the "free zoo" days. The crowds were SO ridiculous that we just gave up ~ there's no way you'd be able to see much of anything while exerting a ton of effort to keep calm from the mobs of people doing idiotic things.

We now go out of our way to Avoid the "free days", they are anything BUT free as you trade sanity for entrance fee. The entrance fee is less costly for us.

[Katarina Witt]

We did a family outing on a free day, and it wasn't too bad. It was a day in August when it got up to 105 degrees (2-3 years ago), so there were a lot of people wanting to get out of the heat, too. I guess the answer is, "it depends". Certainly I would go as early as possible.

[LisaBoulder]

My husband and I volunteer at the Denver Art Museum and as the others have posted, the free days do bring in more crowds but I think that you and your guests would still be able to see what you want and enjoy the museum. If you're going to pass on Tut, I'd enter the museum at the entrance in the North (original) building. You'll avoid most of the Tut crowds that way. If you decide to go on Sunday instead, the Hamilton building opens at 10:00AM, but the North building doesn't open until noon.

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

Arrby - I'm assuming your family are residents? Just a note - free days are only free to Colorado residents. I would also assume that even though the museum is free, the Tut exhibit would not. I know you said you were going to pass anyway, but if you were thinking about it, then you might as well go Sunday because if you have to pay for that, it includes admission to the rest of the museum.

We avoid the free days as well. I think we've made the mistake once. It's just crazy.

[Arrby]

Thank you all. This has been most helpful.

[LisaBoulder]

Originally Posted by jkcoop

Arrby - I'm assuming your family are residents? Just a note - free days are only free to Colorado residents. I would also assume that even though the museum is free, the Tut exhibit would not. I know you said you were going to pass anyway, but if you were thinking about it, then you might as well go Sunday because if you have to pay for that, it includes admission to the rest of the museum.

We avoid the free days as well. I think we've made the mistake once. It's just crazy.

Free days are no longer restricted to CO residents. The museum received a corporate grant so they are extended to everyone

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

Originally Posted by LisaBoulder

Free days are no longer restricted to CO residents. The museum received a corporate grant so they are extended to everyone

Ahh.. that's nice. I did not know that.

[tfox]

Not terribly crowded at the Denver Art Musuem on free days. More so than on other days, yes, but it's still worth going. They do provide discounted (but not free) parking in their parking garage on the free day as well.