Mother Nature’s coloring book open at science museum in Colorado
The full-spectrum palette of Mother Nature’s paint box is on display in “Wild Color,” a temporary exhibit at Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
The show, created by Chicago’s Field Museum, was augmented by the Denver museum to draw attention to the Mile High City’s status as one of the planet’s rare areas for natural hybridization of several species. Local species naturally hybridized include cutthroat trout, Colorado’s state fish; columbine, the state flower; and northern flickers, a bird species.
“We live in a very unique place here in Denver. In this country as a whole, we have just a tiny band where we see these hybrids,” said Kelsi Cowan, a museum educator.
“Wild Color” also sheds light on one of Colorado’s more colorful natural land formations: the striped rock outcroppings known as the Paint Mines east of Colorado Springs.
The exhibit presents vividly colored preserved butterflies, flamboyant birds and lustrous beetles, together with flashy gems and iridescent seashells, phosphorescent minerals and richly hued plants that make “Wild Color” a feast for the eyes. The enchanting show, in part a scientific immersive riff on Meow Wolf, runs through April 4 in the 7,000-square-foot Anschutz Gallery.
“We are all part of nature, and color is intrinsic to our daily lives. This exhibition invites us to enjoy (color) and seeks to inspire our visitors, as well,” museum lead exhibit designer Noelia Medina said. “I love color research and, as a designer, inspiration from nature is always present in my work.”
The bilingual exhibit is billed as “an educational journey into the science of colors in nature, ensuring a highly visually and mentally rewarding experience for visitors.”
“It’s a collection-heavy exhibit,” Cowan said. “I love that it’s showcasing different specimens from all over the world. The Field couldn’t send all of their collection from their exhibit, but we’ve enhanced the exhibit with our DMNS collection.”
The museum also added a scavenger hunt for kids.
“Because this exhibit was made during COVID at the Field Museum, unfortunately they didn’t have as many hands-on aspects,” Cowan said. “We wanted littles be able to take something and go through the exhibit more thoughtfully.”
And to educate visitors about colors that make up white light, an ethereal interactive installation known as a CMYK wall shows the breakdown into cyan, magenta, yellow and black.
“Guests can grab pieces of plexiglass and hold them in front of the white light,” Cowan said.
For exhibit designer Stephen Root, this installation tops the show.
“My favorite part of the project was working on the CMYK wall,” Root said. “The objects we made for the activity show the magic of light through multicolored shadows. It totally bends the mind.”
The human mind is affected by color, a fact frequently capitalized upon by artists, designers and marketing experts.
“A short video that wraps up the exhibit talks about hidden messages,” Cowan said, “as well as the emotions colors can provoke for humans.”
“Wild Color,” through April 4, Denver Museum of Nature & Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver, $19.95-$24.95, $3 military discount, free for educators, 10% discount college students; 303-370-6000, dmns.org
A girl stands in front of the “Wild Color” exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on Nov. 20 in Denver.
“Wild Color” at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
“Wild Color” at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science