One of the most popular entertainment/education venues in Colorado may soon be undergoing an unprecedented multimillion-dollar renovation.
Located at 2001 N. Colorado Boulevard, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science is yearly visited by more than 1.1 million people who come to view its vast collection of anthropological and natural history materials.
Opened in 1908 the facility, in a more than 700,000-square-foot building, has been listed by the publication Art Newspaper as one of the top ten most visited museums in the country.
Now officials with the museum have announced that it has received a $20 million gift which will be used to redesign the structure’s theater and lobby.
Additional work will go into upgrading the museum’s plaza on the east side of the building.
The gift was made by the Sturm Family Foundation, a Denver non-profit that provides funding for any number of educational, civic, and scientific endeavors.
In a press release, George Sparks, chief executive officer of the museum, remarked that what is known as the East Wing Project will go “far beyond bricks and mortar.”
“We are creating a new connected landscape of indoor and outdoor spaces that aligns with our community’s desires, while empowering the Museum to carry out new programs, sustain our operations through business opportunities, and drive our mission forward,” continued Sparks.
Work on the museum has already been underway in what is described as phase one of the upgrading effort. Phase two will center on a new eastern entrance, and what is described as “state-of-the-art” indoor and outdoor spaces.
Work on that second phase is expected to launch sometime later this year, with a projected unveiling the following year.
By Garry Boulard
