
The city’s hidden gems go way beyond what regular travel guides tell you. Denver brews more beer than any other in America, with 150 brewpubs, breweries, and taprooms spread across its neighborhoods. Looking for something different to do in Denver today? The RiNo Art District’s vibrant street murals offer a feast for your eyes. You could also try unusual activities like soaking in hops-infused herbal baths at the Oakwell Beer Spa.
Let me take you through Denver’s off-the-beaten-path museums, surprising art installations, unique food spots, and immersive attractions. The Molly Brown House Museum tells the amazing story of a Titanic survivor. The mind-bending Meow Wolf Convergence Station spans 90,000 square feet and showcases works from over 300 artists. These spots help you see a side of Denver that most tourists miss completely.
Hidden History: Museums and Tours Locals Love
Denver charter bus tours can take you to popular spots like the Denver Art Museum, but the city holds many unexpected treasures beyond these mainstream attractions. The downtown area stands out as one of America’s most walkable city centers and features the Blue Bear, a striking 40-foot sculpture that has become visitors’ favorite photo spot.
Denver’s most fascinating stories lie beyond the tourist hotspots, hidden in small museums and walking tours that locals love. These lesser-known historical spots give you a close-up look at the city’s colorful past without fighting through crowds.
Molly Brown House Museum
The perfectly preserved Victorian home of Margaret “Molly” Brown stands as a testament to the famous “Unsinkable” Titanic survivor. Her story goes way beyond her maritime fame. This 1889 house museum shows her amazing life as an activist, philanthropist, and someone who fought hard for labor rights and women’s suffrage.
The museum added some rare Titanic artifacts to their exhibit “See Justice Done: The Legacy of the Titanic Survivors’ Committee,” which runs through September 2025. You can learn about Brown’s advocacy work and then head to the nearby “Titanic: An Immersive Voyage” exhibition that has a special area about her remarkable story.
Visitors can come Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm, with late hours until 7pm on Thursdays. You can pick between guided tours ($22 for adults) or self-guided options ($17), and there are discounts for seniors, military, students, and Colorado residents. The first floor and basement exhibits are available by lift, making the historic home easy to explore.
Denver Mint Tour
You can watch billions of coins being made at one of just two U.S. Mints that welcome visitors. Last year alone, the Denver Mint made over 8.6 billion coins for circulation. The beautiful Renaissance-style building from 1904 blends historic equipment with modern minting operations.
Getting tickets takes some planning. They’re given out first-come, first-served at 7am Monday through Thursday (except federal holidays). Each tour runs about 75 minutes, with six tours daily and room for 50 people per group. Summer spots fill up really fast.
Essential tour information:
- Get there early, tickets run out quickly
- Free admission
- Security screening required
- No bags, purses, or backpacks allowed
- Phones and cameras must stay off
Each visitor gets to see historical displays, watch coin production, and take home a penny and an unstamped copper blank. The gift shop on Cherokee Street has commemorative coins and unique souvenirs waiting after your tour.
Fairmount Cemetery Walking Tour
A unique Denver experience awaits at the city’s second-oldest cemetery, established in 1890. Fairmount’s 280 acres are more than just a cemetery – it’s Denver’s biggest arboretum, a wildlife sanctuary, and home to one of North America’s largest collections of heritage roses.
The Fairmount Heritage Foundation brings local history to life through themed walking tours. Popular tours include “Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History” about important female figures, “Tales That Tombstones Tell” about Victorian symbolism on gravestones, and special rose garden tours in early June.
Each tour covers 1.5-2 miles at a relaxed pace and runs 45 minutes to 2 hours. Some tours even feature actors who bring historical figures to life! The grounds are the final resting place of Colorado’s most influential people, including nine former Denver mayors, 19 governors, and 11 U.S. Senators.
The symbolism tour lets you crack the code of fascinating Victorian-era fraternal organization symbols carved into many headstones.
Art in Unexpected Places
Denver’s artistic soul reaches beyond traditional gallery walls. Creative expression flows through the streets, surprises you around corners, and turns everyday spaces into stunning visual experiences that locals and visitors love.
RiNo Mural Walk
The River North Art District (RiNo) stands as Denver’s open-air gallery just north of downtown. This old industrial area now showcases stunning murals that turn building exteriors into massive canvases.
A walk through RiNo feels like stepping into a living art show. Art flows through warehouses and alleyways. The district’s street art shows off its mix of artists, studios, and creative businesses that make RiNo a hub of creativity.
Denver Graffiti Tour helps you learn about these colorful works with three different two-hour walking experiences:
- Original Tour starting at 2314 N Broadway Ave
- Happy Hour Tour beginning at 27th & Walnut Streets
- North RiNo Tour launching from 3800 Walnut Street
These guided walks go beyond perfect photo spots. You’ll learn about the artists, their messages, and the neighborhood’s culture. Tours happen every weekend year-round with more options in summer. You can also take self-guided smartphone tours at your own pace, starting at Denver Central Market and ending near the eye-catching Larimer Boy and Girl three-dimensional mural.
Dikeou Contemporary Art Museum
One of Denver’s hidden artistic treasures sits in plain sight. The Dikeou Collection fills 10,000 square feet of office suites in the Art-Deco style Colorado Building at 1615 California Street. Siblings Devon and Pany Dikeou have built this amazing space since 1998.
The museum hosts poetry readings and jazz series while showing works from 45 international artists. Yet many Denver art lovers don’t know about this gem. Visitors can enjoy free admission Wednesday through Friday from 11am to 5pm.
The magic lies in its unexpected location. You’ll walk past a T-Mobile store and across from Chipotle to see thought-provoking installations. Denver art consultant John Grant says, “Devon has quietly put together one of the hidden gems in Denver’s contemporary art landscape”.
A second spot, The Dikeou Collection Pop Up on East Colfax, shows more works including an outdoor alley mural. Both locations feature projects from zingmagazine, which Devon created to give artists a platform for their ideas.
Blue Bear at the Convention Center
Most convention centers look like boring corporate spaces. The Colorado Convention Center breaks this rule with its playful guardian. “I See What You Mean,” a 40-foot-high bright blue bear sculpture, looks curiously into the building’s glass facade.
Local artist Lawrence Argent created this 10,000-pound bear in 2005, and it quickly became a Denver icon. The bear’s bright blue color came from a lucky mistake, a printing error during design that Argent decided to keep.
A newspaper photo of a bear peering into someone’s window inspired the artist. Argent wanted something different from typical Colorado images, saying “There’s iconic Colorado imagery, the Rockies, the Flatirons and all that, that I think is a little bit overused”.
This Denver symbol actually came from California. Workers built the bear in six major sections and brought it to Denver for assembly.
Conclusion
Denver packs way more punch than what you’ll find in standard travel guides. The city buzzes with unexpected treasures beyond its downtown attractions. Local gems like the Molly Brown House Museum and the mind-bending worlds of Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station showcase Denver’s diverse character.
Street art brings the city’s creative spirit to life. RiNo’s eye-catching murals and the unique Dikeou Collection, hidden in an office building, prove this point beautifully. Food lovers can dive into amazing culinary adventures through progressive dinners in Olde Town Arvada or taste perfect soup dumplings at Chopstickers.
Denver stands out by blending city excitement with natural beauty perfectly. Cherry Creek Trail connects urban convenience with peaceful wildlife spots. The iconic Red Rocks transforms from a concert venue into a peaceful yoga sanctuary each morning.
Popular attractions deserve their fame, but these hidden spots create a deeper connection with the Mile High City. Your next Denver trip should venture past the usual tourist stops. The best memories often come from stepping off the beaten path and experiencing the city like a local would.