Architecture of MCA Denver: The Fries Building
June 16 & August 4, 2026
DAF Member tickets go on sale on May 26 at 4PM MST. Pending availability, non-member tickets go on sale June 2 at 4PM MST. DAF Membership will be verified upon ticket purchase. Click here to become a DAF member.
About the tour: This summer explore the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver’s glass-clad Fries Building in downtown Denver, designed by architect Sir David Adjaye OBE of Adjaye Associates (UK). Experience how the building, Adjaye’s first U.S. museum commission, was designed to minimize boundaries between the exterior spaces of the city and the interior of the museum. Throughout the tour in June, view works from MCA Denver’s newest exhibitions Bethany Collins: The Deluge, Ana María Hernando: Seguir cantando (Keep Singing), and Sammy Seung-min Lee: Becoming Motherland. In August, the exhibition Colorado Currents brings together recent artworks by twenty-eight artists with ties to Colorado, in the spirit of exploring how Colorado is experienced today.
About the building: The Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (MCA Denver) was founded in 1996 with a mission to celebrate the art of our time in the heart of Denver. MCA Denver originally took occupancy in Sakura Square in downtown Denver until 2003, when a gift of land helped realize the organization’s goal of building a permanent home for contemporary art. In 2007, MCA Denver opened its 27,000-square foot, environmentally sustainable facility in downtown Denver designed by architect Sir David Adjaye OBE of Adjaye Associates (UK). Thanks to a visionary gift to the museum in 2019, the iconic building at 1485 Delgany Street was named the Fries Building.
About the tour guide: Ian Morrison, the Tour Coordinator and Manager on Duty at the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, works to maintain, grow, and enhance the visitor experience at the MCA Denver through guided and self guided tours. They also manage the front desk and gallery attendants at the MCA most days of the week, welcoming and informing guests about the current exhibitions on display as the face of the museum. Originally from Evansville, Indiana, they graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with two B.A. degrees in history and world languages and cultures. Ian has been working at MCA Denver for nearly three years and currently attends the University of Colorado Denver for an M.A. in cultural history.
Accessibility: Elevator access is available as the tour moves between floors. Opportunities for seated rest on the 90-minute tour may be limited.
Refund policy: The Denver Architecture Foundation is a nonprofit educational organization. Ticket sales support the Foundation in continuing to provide quality events to the public. We are unable to provide refunds or credits for any reason less than 48 hours prior to the event.
Please note that DAF tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. DAF staff will contact all attendees directly should a tour be cancelled for any reason.
Photo Credit: Museum of Contemporary Art