Freyer - Newman Center

While I've been in Denver since the late 1990's, this was my first time visiting this building of the Denver Botanic Gardens. I went to the Sep 10, 2021 showing of an Eagle Encounter and "The Eagle Huntress" Film Screening. It was a wonderful evening and I explored the museums that were near the Schlessman Family Atrium and took some pictures.

The Freyer-Newman Center showcases the most interesting and culturally relevant art exhibits. We’ve enjoyed many shows here. Today we caught Justin Favela, Ansel Adams and an intriguing exhibition called Indigo. It so nice to duck into the building after touring the gardens for lunch, too.

This beautifully-designed, relatively recent addition to the Botanic Gardens complex finally adds many much-needed upgrades to the science and art features of the facility. The main components are a much larger space for the Helen Fowler Library, the gorgeous Sturm Family Auditorium, three large art galleries, classrooms, research laboratories, collections storage, the School of Botanical Art & Illustration, and--last but not least--the Copper Door coffee shop. The design is extremely attractive and includes a soaring lobby with a huge visual display of stunning natural vistas. The space is also functional with room for large receptions, presentations, teaching, research, storage, and art. The new galleries have been very well curated. I have enjoyed one fascinating art exhibit after another. The display space is sweeping and functional for both large-scale sculptural and wall-hung pieces. The auditorium fills a long-standing need. It is beautiful, very well-equipped, and offers great sight lines and excellent acoustics. The many features of this center complete and enhance a multitude of missing pieces for the Botanic Gardens' programs. It is a wonderful addition to the complex. The building has its own main entrance, but there is also a nice internal bridge that connects to the Gates Court of the Boettcher Memorial Center.

An unexpected treat while visiting the botanical gardens. The Ansel Adams exhibit was great.