Entry No. 37 — the Denver file — filed under: history
Old Elitch Carousel Dome (with floor labyrinth)
On the corner where Berkeley meets Tennyson sits a 12-sided, bell-roofed pavilion built in 1926 that most people walk past assuming it's a shuttered event hall. It held the original Elitch Gardens carousel until 1995 -- and now that the horses are gone, an 11-circuit labyrinth is laid right into the floor where they used to spin. There's a small plaque inside but almost no signage out front, so you have to already know to look. Walk it on a quiet weekday and you've got the whole strange little rotunda to yourself.
The story
If you ask anyone in Denver about Elitch Gardens, they'll point you downtown toward the steel coasters along the Platte River. But they're missing the original site. From 1890 to 1995, the park occupied this exact corner of Berkeley, and in 1926, builders raised a 12-sided, bell-roofed rotunda at 38th and Tennyson to house the park's prized carousel. For nearly seventy years, wooden horses spun beneath its rafters while carnival music carried down the block.
When the amusement park packed up for downtown in 1995, the horses were unbolted and moved, leaving behind a hollowed-out wooden shell. Instead of tearing the 1926 pavilion down, an 11-circuit walking labyrinth was inlaid directly into the floor where the carousel mechanism used to spin. There is no marquee or ticket booth out front telling you what's inside—just a small plaque inside the rotunda and a façade that looks like a quiet, closed hall from the curb. You have to know it's there before you walk up.
What it's like
Park on a nearby side street and approach the southwest corner of W 38th Ave and Tennyson St on foot in broad daylight. From the sidewalk, the dome looks like a shuttered neighborhood hall, but step inside on a quiet weekday and you'll likely have the entire 12-sided rotunda to yourself. The street noise fades out, replaced by the quiet echo of your steps as you pace the 11 wooden circuits. Just keep a backup plan ready: private rentals occasionally lock the doors, and a seasonal Christmas-tree lot takes over the floor through the winter holidays.
The move: Walk the floor labyrinth slowly together in the empty 1926 dome, then drift two blocks up Tennyson for coffee or a drink and trade what you each thought about on the way in.
📍 Before you go The dome anchors the southwest corner of W 38th Ave and Tennyson St (around 3775 Tennyson) in Berkeley, sitting right at the foot of the Tennyson Street shops — so park on a side street and approach on foot; there's no marked entrance, and it reads as a closed event hall from the curb. Go in daylight and ideally on a weekday, when you're most likely to have the rotunda to yourselves. Heads-up: it gets blocked off through the holidays for a seasonal Christmas-tree lot, and private rentals can close it without notice, so have a backup. Treat it as the quiet, contemplative space it is. Berkeley Lake Park is a short stroll if you want to keep wandering.
- 📍 Berkeley / Tennyson Street
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: SW corner of W 38th Ave & Tennyson St, Denver, CO 80212 (the old Elitch carousel pavilion; labyrinth is set into the floor inside the dome)
Hours: Generally accessible during daylight hours; the pavilion is also rentable for private events, so the interior/labyrinth may occasionally be closed off. Verify before a special trip.
Pair it with
- Historic Elitch Theatre — Walk a block away to inspect the original 1890 playhouse that shared these grounds with the carousel for over a century.
- Alley Brews — Head half a mile up Tennyson to slip down the alley behind 43rd and grab a drink after pacing the quiet rotunda.
- The Terrorium Shop — Continue north into Berkeley to check out custom terrariums built around ethically foraged animal bones.
- Highland Park / Scottish Village Historic District — Head a mile south into Highlands to wander a curved, Scottish-named neighborhood grid that breaks Denver's standard street layout.
Good to know
Is there an admission fee to enter the dome and walk the labyrinth?
No, it is free to visit and open to the public during daylight hours, provided there isn't a private event taking place.
Where did the original carousel horses go?
The carousel was relocated downtown in 1995 when Elitch Gardens moved from its original 38th and Tennyson location to its current site along the Platte River.
How do I know if the interior labyrinth is accessible?
The pavilion is generally accessible in daylight, but because it is rentable for private events and used for seasonal holiday setups like Christmas tree lots, access can be blocked without advance notice.
Where is the best place to park?
There is no marked entrance or dedicated parking lot at the dome, so park on a residential side street near 38th and Tennyson and walk up.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Facebook
last checked: 2026-06-07