One of my favorite things about a city is the symphony of architectural and design styles that go into making it a vibrant and dynamic place to spend time. And History Colorado’s latest exhibit, “Building Denver: Visions of the Capital City,” takes people behind the scenes of the histories and meaning behind the Mile High City’s built environment.

“We’ve been working on this exhibit for two years, and we want it to share the vision and stories of the architecture,” said Anna Mascorella, exhibit curator with History Colorado. “We’re looking for key moments that transform the city, including the many works of fantastic local architects and nationally-known architects.”

Building Denver is on display at the History Colorado Center, 1200 Broadway in Denver, through Aug. 31, 2022. Numerous events are being held during the next year-and-a-half as well as connected exhibits like Black in Denver, Five Points Plus: Neighborhood Memory Project and Brick and Soul. There will also be guided tours and treks for people who want a more boots-on-the-ground look at the city’s styles through Saturday, June 26.

According to provided information, the exhibit uses its 3,000 square feet to examine the city from 1860 to modern times and centers on how the capital has changed during those last more than 150 years. Divvied up into five sections (a new city, a beautiful city, a contested city, a great city and a resilient city), it makes use of 2-D artifacts like maps and photos, as well as items like architectural models and drafting tools and historic pieces like an original light post from I.M. Pei’s 16th Street Mall.

Building Denver isn’t only a look back — incorporated into the exhibit is a thoughtful consideration of what the future of the city looks like, especially with challenges like climate change, the push and pull between development and preservation and cutting down on social disparities.

“It was important that we featured a look at how architectural and design choices impact our daily lives,” Mascorella explained. “We want people to see themselves as active participants in the development of Denver. We know it’s not just architects and designers who build a city — residents and communities make an impact through advocacy and historic preservation.”

The fact that Denver is always changing might be something some people complain about, but the exhibit highlights that it’s really worthy of celebration.

“We really hope people see Denver in a new light and learn about the decisions that have defined the city,” Mascorella said. “It never has been a static city, and with things changing so fast in this current decade, now is a great opportunity to understand and see the city in a new way.”

To schedule a visit and more information about the exhibit and many related activities, visit www.historycolorado.org/building-denver.

DMNS’ latest showcases the Numbers in Nature

There are so many beautiful patterns in nature that it’s easy to take them for granted. But the Denver Museum of Nature & Science’s latest exhibition, “Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze,” provides visitors with an interactive way to explore these naturally occurring patterns and numbers.

According to provided information, the centerpiece of the exhibit is a mirror maze where one can fully immerse themselves in these ideas. The exhibit will also teach about fractal branching, spirals, the Golden ratio and more.

The exhibit will be on display at the museum, 2001 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, through Sept. 19. For information and tickets, call 303-370-6000 or visit www.dmns.org.

MOA prepares Marjorie Park for a summer of fun

The Museum of Outdoor Arts reopened the newly renovated Marjorie Park, 6331 S. Fiddlers Green Circle in Greenwood Village, on June 12 and will be continuing with special events for the rest of the season. The park, which is located on the north side of Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, sports a new labyrinth-like hardscape feature, designed after the seven petal vesica, according to provided information.

Some of the upcoming events hosted at the park include YogaRita on Tuesday, June 29, and “UnWine Wednesday,” a membership preview event sponsored by Simply Pizza featuring interactive art activities and live music by the String Bean Duo on Wednesday, June 23.

For more information, visit https://moaonline.org/marjorie-park/.

Clarke’s Concert of the Week — Eddie Turner at the Buffalo Rose

Guitarist Eddie Turner’s music certainly draws from the blues, but you’ll also find jazz, psychedelia and more incorporated into the sound. He just released his fourth studio album, “Change In Me,” part of which was recorded at Mad House Recorders in Leadville.

To celebrate the album’s release, Turner will be throwing a release party/concert at the Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Ave. in Golden, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 20.

For tickets and information, visit www.buffalorosegolden.com/shows.

Clarke Reader’s column on culture apears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.