Last updated on December 18, 2023.

Civic Center Park is at the heart of Denver. It’s a large public park containing 25,000 ft² of flower beds. It also has monuments, a Greek amphitheater, a war memorial, and other statues.

Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado
Civic Center Park
War Memorial at Civic Center Park in Denver, Colorado
War Memorial

Government buildings and museums surround the park. On the east side is the Colorado State Capitol building with it’s glimmering golden dome. On the west side is City and County Building. The south side features two museums, the Colorado History Museum and the Denver Art Museum.

 

Colorado State Capitol

The Colorado State Capitol is the most prominent building on the park. It was built in 1894 and uses real gold leaf for the dome. The building houses the offices of the governor of Colorado as well as the state legislature.

Colorado State Capitol in Denver
Colorado State Capitol
Colorado State Capitol in Denver
Colorado State Capitol
Colorado State Capitol in Denver
The dome of the Colorado State Capitol

In front of the building is a monument dedicated to Colorado soldiers who fought in the Civil War.

Colorado State Capitol in Denver
Colorado State Capitol

The steps are also interesting. There are three different markers indicating Denver’s elevation. The 15th step is engraved “One Mile Above Sea Level”. However, in 1969 after a survey by Colorado State University students, the 18th step was later marked as one mile high.

Mile High Marker at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver
Mile High Marker

Finally, in 2003, more modern methods were used to resurvey the elevation. In that case the 13th step was determined to be exactly a mile high. It is thought to be the most accurate measurement and a marker is placed there.

Mile High Marker at the Colorado State Capitol in Denver
Mile High Marker

Free tours of the Colorado State Capitol are available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Visitor Information Desk on the first floor. The tours run hourly from 10am to 1pm Monday through Friday, except government holidays, and are limited to 20 people. They last about an hour and include a trip to the dome. The building was closed while we were there so we missed a chance at a tour.

 

City and County Building

The building opposite the capitol is the City and County Building. It was completed in 1932 and holds the offices of both the Denver city council and county as well as the courts.

City and County Building in Denver, Colorado
City and County Building
City and County Building in Denver, Colorado
City and County Building

 

Denver Mint

Behind the City and County Building is the Denver Mint. It was built in 1897 and struck its first coins in 1906. It’s the largest producer of coins in the world. There are free tours of the mint from Monday through Thursday (except government holidays) during the hours of 8am and 3:30pm (as of April 2023). They last about 45 minutes and are only for adults and children aged 7 or over. Tickets are available starting at 7am. I was there on a Sunday so I wasn’t able to visit.

 

Denver Art Museum

On the south side of the park is the Denver Art Museum. The museum has a collection of nearly 70,000 pieces and is well-known for its Native American art. It consists of two buildings. The North Building (main collection) and the Hamilton Building (contemporary art collection). The North Building was designed by Gio Ponti and built in 1971 while the dramatic Hamilton Building opened in 2006.

North Building of the Denver Art Museum
Denver Art Museum

The Denver Art Museum is open daily. Adult admission is US$15 for Colorado residents and US$19 for all others (as of April 2023). Kids 18 and under are admitted free of charge every day. The are several free admission days throughout the year.

 

History Colorado Center

Finally, the History Colorado Center is a couple blocks south of Civic Center Park on Broadway. It has exhibits on the various periods of Colorado history. It’s open daily and adult admission is US$14 (as of April 2023).

 

To be continued…

Note: My visit to Civic Center Park was definitely incomplete. I arrived during the Taste of Colorado festival on a Sunday afternoon and wasn’t able to visit any of the buildings or museums. I only got a chance to admire them from the outside amid the crowds of the festival. On my return trip to Denver, I will spend a day here to fully appreciate it.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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