Clyfford Still Museum

In 1979, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art hosted a mammoth Clyfford Still survey. Little did museum-goers realize that it would be their last opportunity to see Still's work for more than 30 years. When he died in 1980, Still stipulated that his work be kept from the public eye until an American city created a museum dedicated solely to his art. His wife, Patricia, selected Denver in 2005; by November 2011, the two-story, 28,500-square-foot museum finally opened its doors.

Inside, nine galleries showcase rotating pieces from nearly 94% of Still's entire output, which includes approximately 825 paintings and 1,575 works on paper. Taken together, these pieces trace Still's evolution from representational painting to abstract expressionism, a shift he made earlier than contemporaries such as Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock. Besides Still's artwork, the museum houses the artist's personal belongings, ranging from sketchbooks to recordings of the many prank calls he pulled on Pablo Picasso. In addition to preserving Still's legacy, the museum plays host to events such as liquor tastings, artist lectures, and film screenings.