Since the beginning of DU, art and art history classes have been offered at the university. DU has also always, from its near-inception, been gifted with works of art from generous donors for the benefit of its students. However, not until 2005 did it have a place to keep them.

On the edge of Lakewood lies a large art gallery and storage center exclusively for DU students and staff. The newly renovated, 4000 square foot building, called the Hampden Art Study Center, is located at 10311 West Hampden Ave. and houses the University Art Collections.

The collection includes a plaster cast of the Venus de Milo from the 1800s, a painting by Albert Bierstadt and more. The space is temperature and humidity controlled and provides DU art and art history graduate students, under the leadership of the collections staff, the opportunity to learn about curating, storing and cataloguing works of art in a hands-on manner. The study center includes art storage, an art collections project space (a preparation and handling space), an art examination seminar room (a space used to examine artworks), a photo studio and a prints and drawings study.

Not only does the Hampden Art Study Center benefit art and art history students, but the entire DU community as well. It is open for individual research and class groups by appointment. The space is about 15 minutes away from DU, certainly a manageable drive for such a unique and hands-on experience.
In order to arrange a visit to the space, please contact Sabena Kull, Collections Manager, at Sabena.Kull@du.edu. To take an online look through the University’s extensive art colelctions, visit portfolio.du.edu/DUArtCollections.