Updated by on July 8, 2023. 

Hello, Summer 2023! It's Taylor Swift season! Are you ready for it?

Couldn't get tickets to Taylor Swift's upcoming concert in Denver? No worries. Hit "play" on the playlist above, and start diving into this Summer guide to all the exciting things at the Museum. Though we're not bringing Miss Taylor here, we do have a way to make your day bejeweled! 

There's something for everyone – From a Pink Floyd show to out-of-this-world exhibitions, a playground for kids, 360-degree panoramic rooftop views of the city, animal displays, dioramas, shiny minerals and much more. Whatever your interests are, you'll find it here.

Here are 12 fun things to do at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science: 

Gems and Minerals

To honor our Swifties, what better way to explore our Museum by starting off with our amazing, Gems and Minerals exhibition? After all, our girl likes diamonds, right? 

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science has the most beautiful collection of gems, minerals, diamonds, gold, rock formations and one-of-a-kind treasures. Bring your shiniest jewels and attire, and let's go full-on Taylor Swift mode.

You'll be dazzled by the largest known pocket of aquamarine ever discovered, from Colorado's own Mount Antero, and a giant Brazilian topaz once owned by artist Salvador Dali. The hall is packed with hundreds of specimens from around the world. Hands-on activities and videos help young explorers learn about mineral characteristics and how minerals form.

Once you enter the Coors Gems and Minerals Hall, follow the mine shaft into a Mexican silver mine, where a cavern glistens with milky white gypsum crystals and stalactites. Then enter Colorado's own Sweet Home Mine to discover a six-foot wall of beautiful red rhodochrosite crystals – the perfect backdrops for your IG photos.

You can still make the whole place shimmer! (I know, we can't get tired of TS references either.)

Colorado was founded on mining, so you'll see more local finds, like Tom's Baby, an eight-pound nugget of crystallized gold unearthed in Breckenridge in 1887.

The Gems and Minerals exhibition is included with the general admission ticket. Get tickets, here.

BUGS

Will you save the Japanese honeybee hive from an invading hornet? Join forces and press on multiple buttons to raise the temperature in the beehive and get rid of the intruder.  Can you spot the orchid mantis before she spears you for her lunch in the secret garden? Light up your flashlight against a group of flowers and find the camouflaged mantis. Can you fly as fast as the wind? Make your own paper insect and see if the wind tunnel makes it fly up high! 

Bugs make up 90% of all animal species on Earth, yet few of us know how essential and powerful these creatures really are. Discover how their adaptations are inspiring solutions to some of our most complex problems and imagine what’s possible in the future in “Bugs.” 

Get your tickets, here.

Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon!

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd's legendary album, "The Dark Side Of The Moon," in a mind-bending Planetarium experience like no other. Step into a mesmerizing world of music and visuals as you journey through the solar system and beyond. With state-of-the-art technology, NSC Creative and Pink Floyd's collaborator Aubrey Powell have crafted a visually stunning production that brings each song to life, blending futuristic aesthetics with nods to the band's iconic imagery.    

Shows begin on June 9, so be sure to grab your tickets for this one of a kind experience!

Get your tickets, here.

New Films inside the updated infinity theater

Infinity Theater is here! Our giant screen theater is open with brand-new upgrades, including a new lobby entrance, an impressive laser projector and sound system, new audio and visual accessibility features, enhanced programming, 2D and 3D capabilities and much more.

Come experience the giant screen like never before!

Related: 8 Fun Facts About the New Infinity Theater at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science 

Antarctica in 3D

Take a journey to "Antarctica" with the filmmakers behind “Planet Earth II” and narration by renowned actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Plunge beneath the ice to witness a mesmerizing undersea ballet of starfish and jellyfish. Swim alongside seals, soar through ice-covered peaks and marvel at the greatest assembly of fin and humpback whales ever captured on film. Beyond its cinematic beauty, "Antarctica" inspires and challenges us to cherish and protect our planet's frozen frontier. 

Secrets of the Sea

Dive into the fascinating world of the ocean in "Secrets of the Sea." This film takes you on an underwater journey with an incredible variety of enchanting marine creatures, from pygmy seahorses and dazzling opalescent squid to majestic manta rays, tiger sharks and even a clever coconut octopus. This extraordinary film showcases the indispensable role of marine biodiversity in maintaining the well-being of our oceans. Filmed in 16 stunning locations, including Tahiti, Mexico, the Philippines and California. 

Anschutz Family Sky Terrace

Hands down: The best panoramic view of Denver and City Park. Where do you think they take all those Denver pictures printed on postcards? Yup. It's here at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. 

Whether you're a sucker for great views, looking for a place to pop THE question, or simply looking to stare at the mystical Rocky Mountains, this 5,000 square foot terrace on the 4th floor of the Museum is a spectacular place to visit. 

As long as there aren't any private events in place, you can access the Anschutz Family Sky Terrace for free during business hours by walking to the West Atrium on the first floor, past Space Odyssey, and taking the elevator up to the terrace. As soon as you see it, you'll wonder why you had never visited or hosted your parties here. 

FYI, the Anschutz Family Sky Terrace is available to rent for special events. Click here to reserve your special date. 

Prehistoric Journey

Are you a dinosaur lover? Say no more! They don't call us "The Dinosaur Museum" colloquially for no reason. If you're looking to bring those Jurassic Park fantasies to life, head over to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. This is as real as it gets. We have real dinosaur specimens on-site, real paleontologists and educators to help answer all those Jurassic questions. 

Related: One for the books! An astonishing discovery by Denver Museum of Nature & Science Scientist

In "Prehistoric Journey," you'll travel through time, starting 3.5 billion years ago. Your journey begins beneath ancient seas. Life diversifies as you move through the millennia, surrounded by fearsome fish and waving sea lilies. Soon you're out of the water and the air is filled with huge dragonflies. Foot-long centipedes crawl around you. Then the dinosaurs appear!

Get your tickets, here.

Expedition Health

Always a visitor-favorite! Expedition Health® is about YOUR human body and how it is constantly changing and adapting in ways you can see, measure, and optimize through the choices you make.

In the exhibition gallery, you will experience highly personalized activities, become immersed in a theater experience that engages all of your senses, look at microscopic cells from your own body in a laboratory, participate in live demonstrations and programs, and meet "buddies" who will help you learn about your health.

This exhibition is included with your general admission ticket. Get your tickets, here.

Space Odyssey 

Want more Space? We got you. "Space Odyssey" is an interactive exhibition focusing on answering the "how" of things, catapulting you into a place where you can touch, see, hear, and yes, even smell what it’s like to be “out there.” You determine how to engage with the world beyond us in a wildly creative environment that encourages free-range space science and no-boundaries adventure.

Future astronauts and inquisitive humans now have a place to discover answers to out-of-this-world questions like, “How do we know how many stars are in our galaxy when we can’t see them all?” “How do you put the brakes on in space?” And, “How do we know what the far side of the Moon looks like if it never faces Earth?”

This exhibition is included with your general admission ticket. Get your tickets, here.

Friday Evening Hours

Can't make it to the Museum during the day? Come for an evening visit during Friday Evening Hours! This is a favorite among those looking for a quieter Museum experience, which is perfect for dates, solo dates or group gatherings. And, of course, we have a bar cart open for adults 21+. We look forward to kicking off the weekend with you. Cheers!

The Museum is open until 9 p.m. on most Fridays and admission prices remain the same. Admission is free for our members. 

After the Asteroid: Earth's Comeback Story

A newly discovered trove of remarkably preserved fossils, found at Corral Bluffs near Colorado Springs, has brought into sharp focus how Earth recovered after the devastating asteroid impact 66 million years ago that wiped out the dinosaurs. This discovery is a watershed scientific moment, and the Denver Museum of Nature & Science has created a brand-new bilingual exhibit to bring the discovery to life. 

• See photos of scientists, students, and volunteers in action at the Corral Bluffs site. 
• Talk with scientists, facilitators, and performers to hear anecdotes and dig deeper into the story.
• And much more!

Related: Learn more about the rise of mammals!

This exhibition is included with your general admission ticket. Get your tickets, here.

Discovery Zone

Need to let the kids loose to burn some energy? This is it. 

The "Discovery Zone" is a bustling playground with activities that help build a strong foundation of science skills in young children as they look, ask, discover, make and share. Kids will get their hands dirty, wet and dusty with the array of different learning activities at Discovery Zone—from fossil digging to seeing how water wheels operate and more.