When I was researching what to do in Denver, one of the most recommended things to see was “RiNo”, also known as Denver’s River North Art District. Essentially, it’s a section of downtown Denver that is filled with murals and sculptures from local artists.
Denver’s River North Art District Location
The River North Art District is centered around Larimer and Walnut St. The most impressive artwork spans the area from 25th to 29th street. In addition to the main streets, there are multiple hidden alleyways which are home to some of the most vibrant and colourful murals in RiNo.
Our Visit to the River North Art District
We walked over to the art district from our hotel (the Hilton Denver City Center) in the morning. Because we had just over one full day in Denver, we only spent 25 minutes wandering around the area, but I would have stayed longer.
At first glance, it didn’t look terribly exciting. There were a few murals scattered here and there, but nothing like I had read about online. Thankfully, we continued to explore. If you’re like us and are wondering where all the good stuff is, I recommend walking down some of the alleyways. They are where I discovered the best artwork.
RiNo Artwork
I won’t include photos of everything we saw, because a) that would be a lot of pictures and b) it would ruin the fun of discovering different murals. However, here are some of my favourites:
As well as hundreds of murals depicting stories and spreading messages, there were a handful of sculptures scattered throughout the streets.
Additional Resources for Visiting
While we were walking around, I spotted lots of QR codes that you could scan in order to access a map of where the murals are located. It would’ve been extremely useful in helping us to plan a walking route. You can click on a specific marker, and it takes you to more information about the mural, including the artist, name, and when it was created. I highly recommend taking advantage of this site if you are planning to visit RiNo.
Final Thoughts
Denver’s River North Art District is a vibrant neighbourhood with lots of cool artwork to explore. I wish I could have spent longer wandering through the alleyways and photographing different murals. The next time I return to Denver, I will be sure to dedicate a few hours to spend here.