3 must-see murals in Denver

The large-scale artwork found throughout parts of the city like LoDo, the River North and Santa Fe art districts, helps shape Denver's urban character.

• There are dozens of murals citywide, but here are three you should visit this weekend — or any time, really.

"Confluent People" by Emanuel Martinez

Located along the Little Raven Street underpass at Speer Boulevard, the work of Martinez, who has several murals in Denver, depicts people of different ethnicities wearing similar, aviator-style shades.

• Martinez told CPR News in 2016 that the work's name is a nod to nearby Confluence Park, an iconic setting in its own right. The artist said he hoped to capture the "spirit of coming together."

"Denver Legends" mural by Detour

Artist Detour finished this massive piece in November 2020 in the Five Points neighborhood, depicting four famous African American figures with Denver ties, including jazz musician Charles Burrell and John Mosley, a Tuskegee airman.

• This piece is located on a wall at Five Points Plaza, near E. 26th Avenue and N. Clarkson St., and includes the message: "Our Stories, Our Legacy, Our Lives Matter."

"Love This City" mural by Pat Milbery

This isn't just an Instagram hotspot. Perhaps the most prominent work of his "Love This City" campaign is near the intersection of Park Avenue West and Broadway. The colorful, geometric shapes, with DENVER in a muscular font, are part of a series Milbery started in 2016.

• "The different tones of color express the different stages of being in love and the feeling of when you love, your heart can project," Milbery said on his website about the series.