Entry No. 41 — the Grand Junction file — filed under: art museum
Powers Art Center
A red sandstone cube rising out of an active cattle ranch two miles south of Carbondale, the Powers Art Center is arguably the most improbable serious art museum in the American West. Tokyo architect Hiroshi Nanamori designed the 15,000-square-foot structure using Zen Buddhist spatial principles and local sandstone; at the entrance, a reflecting pool frames 13,000-foot Mount Sopris through a concrete lattice screen. Inside, the ground floor rotates work by Warhol, Rauschenberg, Lichtenstein, and Oldenburg drawn from the Powers family collection. Upstairs, the entire upper gallery is devoted to a single artist: Jasper Johns. More than 300 of his works on paper rotate in sets of 100, making this the only museum on earth with a permanent collection solely dedicated to him. Admission is always free.
The story
Drive down Highway 82 between Glenwood Springs and Aspen, and you would expect to pass farm stands, feed stores, or luxury housing developments. Instead, a red sandstone cube rises straight out of the sagebrush and active cow pastures two miles south of Carbondale. Designed by Tokyo architect Hiroshi Nanamori, the 15,000-square-foot building relies on Zen Buddhist spatial principles and local stone to blend high-concept architecture into a working 420-acre cattle ranch protected by a conservation easement. At the entrance, a concrete lattice screen frames a still reflecting pool that mirrors 13,000-foot Mount Sopris.
Step through the doors and the setting feels even stranger. The ground floor rotates a heavy-hitting lineup of mid-century Pop Art drawn from the Powers family collection—think original works by Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, and Claes Oldenburg—set against floor-to-ceiling glass where cattle occasionally stroll past the perimeter.
Head up to the second level, and the focus tightens radically. The entire upper floor is dedicated exclusively to Jasper Johns. Holding more than 300 of his works on paper—which rotate in sets of 100—it stands as the only museum on earth with a permanent collection solely dedicated to Johns. There is no gift shop and no admission desk charging fifteen dollars; entry is permanently free, leaving you alone with world-class art history in the middle of a Roaring Fork Valley pasture.
What it's like
Keep your eyes peeled for the understated sign off Highway 82, because it is remarkably easy to miss at highway speeds. Park in the free lot and leave all snacks and water bottles in your vehicle, as no food or drink is permitted inside the galleries. Inside, Nanamori's concrete-and-sandstone sanctuary keeps noise to an echo, creating a stark contrast between the austere paper prints on the walls and the live ranching going on right outside the windows. Plan for about an hour to wander both floors, and double-check their operating schedule before making the two-hour drive up from Grand Junction—they are closed Sunday and Monday and shut down mid-afternoon on Saturdays.
The move: Drive out Highway 82 until the minimal sign appears in the scrubland, then spend an hour moving through Rauschenberg on the ground floor and Johns upstairs. Grab lunch in Carbondale's compact downtown afterward — a fifteen-minute walk from the plaza strips along 3rd Street.
📍 Before you go Open Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.–3 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday. Admission is always free; no reservations needed for individuals or couples (groups of 6+ must book ahead, max capacity 30). Free on-site parking. Allow about an hour. No food or drink inside. The museum sits on a working ranch — the surrounding 420-acre property is protected by conservation easement and remains active farmland, so expect cattle on adjacent pastures. Confirm seasonal closures before making the drive from Grand Junction (~2 hours each way).
- 📍 Carbondale, CO
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 13110 Highway 82, Carbondale, CO 81623
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- True Nature Healing Arts Peace Garden — Balance the museum's sharp Zen architecture with a stroll through a hand-cut sandstone labyrinth and peace garden just minutes away in downtown Carbondale.
- Basalt Charcoal Kilns — Trade high-end Japanese architectural design for 1884 beehive-shaped stone kilns built during the silver mining boom in nearby Basalt.
- Yampah Spa & Vapor Caves — Follow up an hour of quiet paper prints with a underground sweat session in natural geothermal rock chambers in Glenwood Springs.
- Redstone Coke Oven Historic District — Contrast Hiroshi Nanamori’s refined sandstone cube with the row of weathered 1899 stone coke ovens lining Highway 133 in Redstone.
Good to know
Is admission really free, and do I need reservations?
Admission is always free. Individuals and couples do not need reservations, though groups of six or more must book in advance (with a maximum group capacity of 30).
Why are there cows surrounding a fine art museum?
The museum sits on a 420-acre working cattle ranch protected under a conservation easement, meaning active farmland and livestock directly border the building.
Can I bring water or food inside?
No. Food and drinks are strictly prohibited inside the museum building.
How long should I spend at the museum?
Allow about one hour to view the ground-floor Pop Art rotation and the upstairs Jasper Johns gallery.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · southwestcontemporary.com · colorado.com
last checked: 2026-06-11