AS THE FROST of winter thaws under the springtime sun, now is the perfect opportunity to hit the road and get a little culture. Whether you’re looking for contemporary visual art, historical explorations, live performance or something in between, let this road trip itinerary be your guide to the major destinations and hidden gems dotting the landscape between Colorado and Arkansas.
Denver Art Museum
Denver, Colorado
This cultural anchor in the Mile High City is a must-visit for your spring road trip itinerary. Following the 2021 opening of Meow Wolf’s Convergence Station and the debut of David Byrne’s high-concept and neuroscientific Theater of the Mind, Denver has become something of an immersive art hotspot in recent years. Billing itself as one of the largest art museums between California and Chicago, the 350,000 square-foot campus sprawls across three structures housing a dozen collections made up of 70,000 works from Africa to the ancient Americas.
Museum of Outdoor Arts Denver, Colorado
The Museum of Outdoor Arts offers a departure from the usual psychedelic, mind-bending fare at its new Marjorie Park headquarters with interactive art experiences among forty works from the museum.
Clyfford Still Museum
Denver, Colorado
The work of abstract expressionist artist Clyfford Still is housed in a building specifically designed to display his art, with many canvases spanning ten feet or more. According to Still, his work is interconnected, and the best way to enjoy it is to see it all in one place. The Clyfford Still museum includes more than 93 percent of the artist’s work and his archives, making it one of the comprehensive single-artist collections in the world.
Green Mountain Falls Skyspace
Green Mountain Falls, Colorado
Only thirty minutes from Colorado Springs and nestled in the rugged ponderosa pines of the Rocky Mountains overlooking the pristine Gazebo Lake, James Turrell’s Green Mountain Falls Skyspace is a breathtaking marriage of light, architecture and the natural world. The pristine space becomes a dynamic light show during sunrise and sunset, as the sky’s shifting colors dazzle inside the only of the artist’s mesmerizing light box installations to be built into the side of a mountain.
Cadillac Ranch Amarillo, Texas
In 1974, an artist collective known as Ant Farm buried ten Cadillacs in the ground in the name of art. In 1997, the installation moved to a cow pasture just off I-40. It’s a piece of Route 66 lore and a fun place to stretch your legs. Grab a can of spray paint on your way through the gates, and let your creativity take over.
The Texas Theater Dallas, Texas
History hits the big screen at this beloved indie cinema where Lee Harvey Oswald was nabbed by Dallas Police following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Today the multidisciplinary art space is host to everything from avant-garde punk shows to filmmaker Q&As, alongside regular screenings of cult classics and contemporary arthouse fare.
Nasher Sculpture Center Dallas, Texas
Featuring rotating exhibitions from the legendary Raymond and Patsy Nasher Collection, this home for modern and contemporary sculpture in the Dallas Arts District has been a downtown destination since 2003. Boasting works by Pablo Picasso, Barbara Hepworth, Alexander Calder, and more, the Nasher Sculpture Center also hosts temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and community events, making it an essential piece of the city.
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Dallas, Texas
Science, art, and education come together to inspire visitors of all backgrounds with its one-of-a-kind fusion of education and fun. Highlights include towering dinosaur skeletons, a hands-on makers lab, and a state-of-the-art 3D theater.
The Blanton Museum of Art
Austin, Texas
Art history is expressed in full fidelity at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin. With a collection surpassing twenty-one thousand works and a rotating slate of traveling exhibitions, the city’s flagship museum has something for everyone. The crown jewel is Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin, a 2,715-square-foot stone building—the only such structure designed by the celebrated American artist—featuring colored glass windows, black-and-white marble panels and a redwood totem sculpture.
The Chinati Foundation Marfa, Texas
Founded in 1986 by artist Donald Judd, the Chinati Foundation is home to an array of immersive large-scale works by the renowned minimalist alongside celebrated peers Dan Flavin, Robert Irwin, and more. Occupying a former military base in the Chihuahuan Desert of southwest Texas, the museum offers an immersive and contemplative experience unlike any other.
The Rothko Chapel Houston, Texas
Since its completion in 1971, the Rothko Chapel has been a hallowed space for contemplation, reflection, and prayer. Designed by architect Philip Johnson and artist Barnett Newman, the non-denominational chapel in Houston’s Montrose neighborhood features fourteen large-scale paintings by abstract painter Mark Rothko.
Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Dedicated to the life and work of its celebrated namesake, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe is a living monument to the renowned American modernist known for her singular vision of the textures and tapestries of the American Southwest.
Museum of International Folk Art Santa Fe, New Mexico
A sprawling collection of some 150,000 artifacts from more than 150 nations, the museum is a haven for hand-crafted pottery, traditional dress, and wearable art. Founded in 1953 by Florence Dibell Bartlett, who believed folk art could be one avenue for a closer understanding between men.
SITE Santa Fe Santa Fe, New Mexico
Always free and open to everyone, SITE SANTA FE is located in the Railyard district. The arts center is a non-collecting institution featuring year-round exhibitions by local and international artists organized by guest curators. SITE also includes educational and public programming. On view this spring is Harmony Hammond: FRINGE.
The Railyard
Santa Fe, New Mexico
You can choose your own adventure at the Railyard, a fifty-acre former railyard along Guadalupe Street and Cerrillos Road. There’s something for everyone in this complex from the Santa Fe Farmers Market and many restaurants and coffee shops, to art galleries, museums, live-in artist studios, and even a movie theatre.
The Harwood Museum of Art Taos, New Mexico
Nestled in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the Harwood Museum of Art exhibits work drawn from the rich tradition of the region. The museum’s Agnes Martin Gallery is a major highlight, showcasing seven of her paintings. This permanent exhibition is a contemplative experience much like the Matisse Chapel in France or the Rothko Chapel in Houston.
Oklahoma Contemporary Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Showcasing contemporary work through free exhibitions, performances, and hands-on educational programs, this multidisciplinary arts hub connects the regional, national, and global art worlds in a stunning, purpose-built facility.
ARTSPACE at Untitled Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The gallery features a wide swath of exhibitions, performances, and community events in the heart of Oklahoma City’s historic Deep Deuce neighborhood. With a focus on experimental and interdisciplinary art, ARTSPACE’s ability to spark dialogue and collaboration across artistic disciplines makes it a central piece of the local culture scene.
The Paseo Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Take a stroll through the Spanish revival architecture of the Paseo just north of downtown Oklahoma City. On the National Register of Historic Places, the Paseo has been the hotspot for artists since the late 1920s. Now more than twenty galleries dot the stucco-lined streets of this vibrant neighborhood. The Paseo hosts a gallery walk every first Friday of the month, rain or shine.
Bob Dylan Center Tulsa, Oklahoma
Dedicated to the life and legacy of the legendary musician and iconoclast, this three-story shrine in the beating heart of the Tulsa Arts District houses an extensive collection of more than one hundred thousand items from Dylan’s archive, including handwritten manuscripts, rare recordings, visual art, and personal items.
The Gathering Place Tulsa, Oklahoma
This iconic green space in the heart of Tulsa now extends to the Arkansas River. Encompassing nearly 100 acres, the Gathering Place can entertain the whole family for the entire day. Playgrounds, a skate park, slides, paddle boats, and a discovery lab barely scratch the surface of the possibilities at this park.
The Philbrook Tulsa, Oklahoma
Historic home-turned world class art museum, the Philbrook balances popular and diverse exhibits such as a Samurai armor exhibit this spring alongside its permanent collection. Don’t miss the multi-colored dance floor first installed in 1927! Outside, look for the museum’s cat, Cleome, in the twenty-five acres of exquisite Tuscan-style gardens.
Spiro Archaeological Center
Spiro, Oklahoma
Excavated and brought to national attention by the Kansas City Star in 1935, this prehistoric site is the gateway to the once-thriving Indigenous culture of the Spiro people, who dominated the region between 850 and 1450 CE. The center highlights the remains of a large ceremonial mound complex that was once a major trade and culture artery.
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Bentonville, Arkansas
A can’t-miss cultural destination anchoring the small town of Bentonville, Arkansas. Perched within a stunning 134-acre campus, it features a series of outdoor installations, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachman-Wilson House and James Turrell installations blended seamlessly into the surrounding woods and natural springs.
The Momentary Bentonville, Arkansas
Since opening in February 2020, this Crystal Bridges satellite in downtown Bentonville has come into its own as a premier contemporary art and performance space. This 63,000-square-foot former industrial building showcases innovative and experimental works across various disciplines including visual art, live music, and more.
Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Kansas City, Missouri
History is on deck at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, self-described as the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America. Founded thirty-five years ago in Kansas City’s storied 18th & Vine Jazz District, the museum is located a stone’s throw from the Paseo YMCA where Andrew “Rube” Foster established the Negro National League in 1920.
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Kansas City, Missouri
Badminton, anyone? The large-scale Shuttlecocks by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen has welcomed visitors to the outdoor sculpture park at this contemporary art haven since 1994. Inside, you’ll find masterworks of European, Asian, American, and contemporary art, alongside ancient artifacts, photography, and more. The museum’s award-winning Bloch Building expansion is alone worth the trip—which, by the way, is free.
Crossroads Arts District
Kansas City, Missouri
Gallery crawls, live music, and culinary craft make the vibrant Crossroads Arts District a must-visit cultural destination for your springtime road trip, whether you’re looking to take in some art or just enjoy a night on the town with friends. In addition to cultural spaces like the Belger Arts Center, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Crossroads Comics and Art, you’ll also find a bevy of food and drink to round out your experience at this KC destination.