Ogden Theatre

Denver

LoginSave

One of Denver’s best live-music venues, the Ogden Theatre has a checkered past. Built in 1917, it was derelict for many years and might have been bulldozed in the early 1990s, but it’s now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Bands such as Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and Lady Gaga have played here.

Harry Houdini performed at this theater in 1919 and it appeared in the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Jack Nicholson drove his Winnebago past the Ogden pulling into Denver in About Schmidt. If the house is packed, make for the upstairs level, where the catwalk extends on the wings and you’ll have a beautiful bird’s-eye view and plenty of room to move.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Denver's Red Rocks venue in the foreground, exploits the full moon as the main event.

    Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

    13.28 MILES

    When the setting sun brings out a rich, orange glow from the rock formations and the band on stage launches into just the right tune, Red Rocks…

  • Denver, CO, USA - January 12th, 2016: A night time photo taken of Union Station and the Crawford Hotel in downtown Denver Colorado at the corner of 17th Street and Wynkoop Street.

    Union Station

    1.59 MILES

    Gorgeously restored, historic Union Station is Denver's main transportation hub, used by RTD light-rail lines, commuter buses and Amtrak. But it's way…

  • Denver Art Museum, Civic Center Cultural Complex, Denver, Colorado, United States of America, North America

    Denver Art Museum

    0.75 MILES

    The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is home to one of the largest Native American art collections in the USA, and puts on special multimedia exhibits that vary…

  • Hispanic family biking in Confluence Park near downtown Denver, Colorado, USA

    Confluence Park

    2.03 MILES

    Where Cherry Creek and South Platte River meet is the nexus and plexus of Denver's sunshine-loving culture. Thousands of outdoorsy Denverites flock here…

  • The new Clyfford Still Museum is set to open November 18, 2011. The entry of the museum on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post (Photo By Cyrus McCrimmon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    Clyfford Still Museum

    0.82 MILES

    Dedicated exclusively to the work and legacy of 20th-century American abstract expressionist Clyfford Still, this fascinating museum's collection includes…

  • Green Mountain and the Flatirons as seen from Chautauqua Park in Boulder, Colorado.

    Chautauqua Park

    24.16 MILES

    This historic landmark park is the gateway to Boulder’s most magnificent slab of open space adjoining the iconic Flatirons; its wide, lush lawn attracts…

  • DENVER, CO - June 23: Joy Park is separated into many areas that include sand, water and even a fort building area Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at the Denver Children's Museum in Denver, Colorado. The one acre park opened behind the museum which includes a sand area, zip line and water play area for children and parents alike. (Photo By Brent Lewis/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

    Children’s Museum Denver Marisco Campus

    2.3 MILES

    This is one of the hottest tickets in town…well, at least for kids. Highlights include an enclosed three-story climbing structure (helmets provided), a…

  • Colorado School of Mines' Geology Museum

    Colorado School of Mines' Geology Museum

    13.31 MILES

    With a collection of 50,000 minerals, fossils and gemstones, the School of Mines' Geology Museum is worth a stop, even if rocks aren't really your thing…

View more attractions

Nearby Denver attractions

1. Molly Brown House Museum

0.35 MILES

This outstandingly preserved house, designed by the well-known architect William Lang, was built in 1889 and belonged to the most famous survivor of the…

2. Colorado State Capitol

0.51 MILES

Sitting commandingly atop Capitol Hill, this stately neoclassical government building houses the Governor's Office, Senate and House of Representatives…

3. Denver Public Library

0.7 MILES

Hardly a dusty bibliotheca, the Denver Public Library is an active and artsy place with whimsical postmodern architectural elements courtesy of renowned…

4. Yearling

0.72 MILES

This wonderful sculpture by Donald Lipski sits outside the Denver Public Library, where it was installed in 1998 after spending a year in New York City’s…

5. History Colorado Center

0.72 MILES

Discover Colorado's frontier roots and high-tech modern triumphs at this sharp, smart and charming museum. There are plenty of interactive exhibits,…

6. Bronco Buster & On the War Trail

0.73 MILES

In the early 1920s, Denver sculptor Alexander Phimister Proctor was commissioned to create two bronze sculptures for Civic Center Park: Bronco Buster and…

7. Civic Center Park

0.73 MILES

In the shadow of the State Capitol’s golden dome, this centrally located park hosts commuters waiting for their bus connections, politicos yammering into…

8. Denver Art Museum

0.75 MILES

The Denver Art Museum (DAM) is home to one of the largest Native American art collections in the USA, and puts on special multimedia exhibits that vary…