The Pacific Asia Museum is home to one of the largest Asian antiquities collections in the Southwest. Just above the hustle and bustle of Colorado Boulevard, it's where Buddhism, Taoism and invading Mongol hordes peacefully coexist in art that's five millennia old.

This museum specializing in Asian and Pacific Islands art piques a strong desire to own a Ming vase. Constructed in the 1920s, it houses more than 14,000 art objects spanning more than 5,000 years, including an impressive collection of intricate ceramics. And if your eyes glaze from all of the, well, glaze, the Chinese Imperial Palace-style structure's traditional courtyard garden and koi pond is a peaceful getaway.