Museum of Illusions Shines Amidst Downtown Denver’s Construction Chaos

The hustle and bustle common to city life is everywhere in Downtown Denver these days — a jackhammer from construction, a honk from the multitude of buses or bells from bicycles are but a few. Walk closer to 16th Street Mall, and the construction noise gets worse.

Since the spring of 2022, the popular Denver pedestrian mall has been under construction, replacing the friendly sounds of chatter and footsteps with the jarring noises of banging and clanging found on the construction site. With that, the local businesses continue to struggle as they try to find new ways to keep the customers coming in. Since the start of construction, six businesses have closed, and more are worried about the months to come as construction is expected to drag on until the summer of 2025.

On the other hand, some businesses have opened on the mall amidst the construction chaos. One of those shining through the adversity is the Museum of Illusions.

Since the grand opening of the Museum of Illusions in September of 2023, the business has seen nothing but success. It has drawn in tens of thousands of eager visitors since opening and has consistently sold-out weekends, despite the eye-sore of the development of the mall.

Featuring Denver-themed exhibits, such as an inverted RTD car for interactive photo opportunities, the museum’s commitment to local relevance resonates deeply with the community. So much so that Russell Wilson and wife Ciara even rented the space out for a private date on opening day. The strategic selection of the 16th Street Mall by the Museum of Illusions, a renowned global brand hailing from Croatia, underscores its deliberate effort to invigorate the area’s commercial landscape.

Continuing into 2024, the museum has ambitious plans to expand its impact by opening its doors to host conferences, team-building sessions and educational excursions, further cementing its role as a dynamic hub for both leisure and professional endeavors.

Leading the museum’s success is General Manager, Adrienne Lowry, and her innovative team, 80% of whom are female. Given that both business and the museum industry are male-dominated fields, Lowry thinks her perspective as a woman gives her the unique ability to think outside of the box when it comes to strategizing for the museum.

With conversations continuing about the revitalization of the 16th Street Mall, the Museum of Illusions’s success is a great example of this area’s promise.

Adrienne Lowry stands as a visionary leader at the Museum of Illusions Denver, where she harnesses her passion for creativity and her boundless curiosity to craft immersive experiences that captivate the imagination. But Adrienne’s journey is not just about creating illusions; it’s about crafting moments of transformation and empowerment for guests at The Museum of Illusions. Through her work, she seeks to ignite the spark of curiosity within each of us, inviting us to explore new realms of possibility and reimagine the world around us.