Denver Museum of Nature & Science

About

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science sits on the east side of City Park, a few miles east of downtown Denver, next to the Denver Zoo. The halls cover a lot of ground, from dinosaurs to space to the wildlife of Colorado.

Prehistoric Journey on Level 3 walks through the history of life on Earth with fossils and life-size prehistoric scenes, and you can touch real fossils and casts along the way. The Wildlife Dioramas and Edge of the Wild show Colorado's large mammals in natural settings, with skulls, fur and hooves to handle. The Egyptian Mummies hall, a gems and minerals hall, Expedition Health, and the Discovery Zone for children under 8 fill out the rest. The Gates Planetarium and the Sturm Infinity Theater run shows for an extra ticket, and temporary exhibitions rotate through two galleries on Level 3. On a clear day the Sky Terrace on Level 4 looks out over the city toward the mountains.

The Museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 363 days a year, closed Dec. 25 and Aug. 26, and the main entrance stays open until 9 p.m. on most Friday evenings. It posts ticket prices on its website. Closures happen, so check the banner on the website first; in fall 2026 the Museum listed a full closure on Oct. 2 and a planetarium closure from Sept. 21 to Oct. 2.

Parking is free in the main lot on the north side, facing the City Park ball fields, and in a 550-space underground garage. RTD buses 20 and 40 stop nearby on Colorado and Montview boulevards. Lockers are free. City Park, its lakes and the Denver Zoo are right outside, so it is easy to pair the Museum with an afternoon in the park.

Accessibility

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is wheelchair accessible. The main entrance has barrier-free doors with push-button entry, and elevators are located throughout the building.

Accessible parking is in three places: the free main lot on the north side, the underground garage (enter at the northwest corner of the lot), and the east side of the Museum just outside the Giant Screen Theater. If you come by bus on Colorado Boulevard, staff direct you along accessible pathways to the School (South) Entrance.

Wheelchairs are free to borrow from the Information Desk on the first floor, first come, first served, and cannot be reserved. The Museum has no motorized carts. All-gender restrooms are on every level, and most have changing tables. A Caregivers' Room, with an armchair, sink and outlet, is inside the all-gender restroom in Gems and Minerals on Level 1.

The Infinity Theater has space for four wheelchairs, with an accessible entrance on Level 3 near Prehistoric Journey; wait by the sign for an usher. The Gates Planetarium holds two wheelchairs, entered through its main doors. You can buy Accessible Seating tickets for both online.

For visitors who are deaf or hard of hearing, closed captioning devices are free for most Infinity Theater shows if you ask an usher at least 20 minutes before showtime. The theater also has a hearing loop for telecoil hearing aids and cochlear implants. ASL interpreters are free for live programs and lectures with a week's notice at (303) 370-6000. Elevator controls are marked in braille, and braille maps can be checked out at the Information Desk.

Wiggle cushions and noise-reducing headphones are free to borrow at the Information Desk. Sensory Friendly films in the Infinity Theater run with brighter lights and lower sound, and quiet spaces are set aside for those shows. Service animals are allowed throughout. Emotional support animals are not.

Checked by Accessible America, September 2026. Report a change

More accessible places in Colorado

• History Colorado Center (Denver)
• Denver Art Museum (Denver)
• Denver Botanic Gardens (Denver)
• Denver city attractions (Denver)
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs)
• Great Sand Dunes National Park (Great Sand Dunes NP)

Photo credits

• The front of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science with a wide paved walkway to the entrance.: Sarbjit Bahga, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
• A large horned dinosaur skull and skeleton on display in the Denver museum's fossil hall.: Bigmacthealmanac, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)
• A bison diorama behind a glass window in a Denver Museum of Nature and Science wildlife hall.: Avrand6, CC BY-SA 4.0 (source)