Plan Your Visit
We can’t wait to welcome you to the Des Moines Art Center!
Admission is always free.
Learn, enjoy, discover, and create with us! The Des Moines Art Center is a museum, art school, and sculpture park in the capital city of Iowa.
Founded in 1948, the Des Moines Art Center stewards an exceptional collection of art, stimulates profound conversations about art, ideas, and society, and inspires the creativity of new generations of artists. Located in beautiful Greenwood Park, the museum consists of three architectural landmarks designed by Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier. The Art Center organizes a range of special exhibitions each year and displays art from the permanent collection throughout the galleries. Dozens more treasures are on view in the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, one of the state’s most significant cultural attractions.
The Art Center hosts hundreds of special programs, lectures, tours, and workshops year-round, in addition to the studio classes and camps taught in the art school. Visit the Event Calendar for information on current and upcoming activities.
The Art Center is open today from 10am to 5pm.
Monday Closed Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 7pm Friday 10am - 7pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 5pm
The museum is closed for several federal holidays (including galleries, classes, programs, camps, and offices).
New Year’s Day, January 1; Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, third Monday in January; Memorial Day, last Monday in May; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, first Monday in September; Thanksgiving, fourth Thursday in November; Christmas, December 25.
Directions & Parking
The Art Center is located at 4700 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa.
Free parking is available on site.
The Art Center is located less than one mile north on 45th Street from the Bill Riley bike trail. To plan your trip via public transportation, visit the DART trip planner.
Review our museum guidelines to help ensure you have the best visit possible.
Visit our accessibility page for more information about services and accommodations offered at the Art Center.
More Ways to Enhance Your Visit
The Museum Shop
Explore our extensive collection of unique gifts for art lovers, jewelry, housewares, books, Art Center apparel, and so much more.
The Art Center Café
Enjoy a lunch, delicious coffee, or decadent pastry during your visit! The Art Center Café, presented by la mie, offers a variety of menu items to enjoy inside or out in the beautiful Bookey Family Courtyard.
Guides and Tours
Get the most out of your visit with audio and free docent-led tours. Find museum activity guides under our Learning Resources page.