Visit a museum holding almost everything one artist ever made
95% of a life's work, by his will
A purpose-built museum devoted to a single abstract expressionist painter, holding roughly ninety-five per cent of everything he ever made — about 3,125 works — along with his complete personal archive.
Why it's unique
It exists because of a will. Clyfford Still withdrew from the art world and stipulated that his entire estate go to whichever American city would build a permanent museum for it alone, and would show nothing else. Denver was selected in 2004 and the building opened in 2011.
The result is unlike any other museum: no loans, no touring exhibitions, no other artists, and effectively an entire career held in one place. For any other major twentieth-century painter, seeing the work means travelling to a dozen institutions.
Before you go
Because it is one artist and the whole holding is here, the hang changes regularly — the same room is different paintings six months apart.
It sits next door to the Denver Art Museum and the two are easily combined, but do this one first while you still have attention for it.