critics have said: “…the Kirkland became the state’s most important repository of Colorado art." “…the Kirkland has quickly become the largest repository of such Colorado work anywhere.” (3) Kirkland Retrospective: Kirkland (1904–1981) painted over 1,200 paintings, with works spanning 55 years, ranging from Realism to Surrealism to Abstract Expressionism to his later abstraction. A rotating selection of all five of Kirkland's painting periods is shown, including his idiosyncratic late dot paintings. Kirkland's paintings have been widely exhibited at 70 museums and 30 universities in 13 countries and 32 states. A one-hour television documentary, Vance Kirkland's Visual Language—with seven curators and directors from five American museums—was aired on PBS stations from 1994—1996. Displays The three collections make Kirkland Museum different from other museums. The unusual way they are displayed gives the visitor an alternative museum experience. (a) Most large city museums are displayed more sparsely than Kirkland Museum, and decorative art and fine art are usually shown in separate rooms. Kirkland Museum is arranged “salon style” much like a home where—similar to the Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia), the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston), the Neue Galerie (NYC), and a few others—fine and decorative art are exhibited together. (b) In addition to paintings and sculpture being displayed together with furniture, groupings or vignettes are often arranged to showcase a particular design period such as Art Deco. Furniture is frequently accessorized with period radios, phones, lamps and other items. Many museums display furniture on risers, but furniture was never meant to be on risers, so most furniture is placed on the floor at Kirkland Museum. (c) Another exhibition characteristic of Kirkland Museum is “comparative display” where more than one design style is shown, for example in the museum's Promenade Gallery. This allows college students to compare Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau, Glasgow Style and Wiener Werkstätte, for instance. References External links Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art official site National Trust for Historic Preservation: Historic Artists' Homes and Studios - The Kirkland Museum Museums in Denver Decorative arts museums in the United States Art museums and galleries in Colorado Artists' studios in the United States Modern art museums in the United States Art museums established in 2003 2003 establishments in Colorado