Des Moines Art Center

Youth Art Workshop: DIY Paper Flowers (Ages 5-8)
2026-04-26 12:30 - 14:30 (America/Chicago) | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Use construction paper, tissue paper, dowels and pipe cleaners to make incredible, colorful spring bouquets!
register for ages 5 – 6
register for ages 7 – 8
Des Moines Art Center members receive a 20% discount on all classes, camps, and workshops! Become a member today.
Scholarships for classes and materials are offered on our application page.
Photo: Charles Borowicz

Art Center Café, Dinner with Friends: Food for Thought with Angela Poldberg
2026-04-30 17:00 | The Art Center Café, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
We are excited to continue the Art Center Café, presented by la mie’s signature culinary experience: Joe and Christina Logsdon’s Dinner With Friends series! Be our guest as Joe and Christina gather around the table with friends for a lighthearted evening of laughter, conversation, and live music in the cozy setting of the café. Each dinner features a unique menu developed in collaboration with our special guest host.
For the second installment of our spring dinner series, we’re welcoming sustainable fashion enthusiast and local business owner of MARNĒ, Angela Poldberg. The menu is inspired by a pioneer of the slow food movement, Alice Waters, and influenced heavily by her vegetarian* California cuisine. Live music for the evening provided by John Krantz. Enjoy a night of intriguing conversation, plus good food that’s good for you!
$125/person; all-inclusive.
Other Upcoming Dates:
May 14: Ben Easter
May 21: Liz Lidgett
Reservations are required. Tickets include a four-course meal, beverages, and gratuity. First seating begins at 5 pm and seating ends at 6:15 pm. Call 515.271.0313 or email cafe@desmoinesartcenter.org to reserve your seat and arrival time. Please share any dietary restrictions when making your reservation. Limited capacity. Tables seat 6; smaller parties will be seated together for a festive evening of community and and togetherness. *Menu will contain eggs and dairy.
Photo: Rick Lozier

“Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952” Gallery Talk with Associate Curator Ashton Cooper
2026-04-30 17:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join Art Center Associate Curator Ashton Cooper for a gallery talk about the exhibition “Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952” on view in the John Brady Print Gallery from April 25 – August 30. The exhibition presents works on paper made by a vibrant social network of artist-printmakers who moved between New York City, Woodstock, Paris, and beyond in the first decades of the 20th century.
Free; no registration required.
John Carroll (American, 1892 – 1959)
“Artists Around a Table,” 1928
Lithograph on paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of Carl Weeks, 1954.109

Museum Highlights Tour
2026-05-02 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Discover the vast variety of the Des Moines Art Center’s permanent collection during our Museum Highlights Tour. This tour offers a unique journey through our galleries, featuring a selection of timeless paintings, sculptures, and more. Join our knowledgeable guides to uncover the stories, techniques, and inspirations behind the art on view, and experience the highlights of the Art Center in a fresh and engaging way. This guided tour is perfect for art enthusiasts of all ages!
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Photo: Erik Brockmeyer

Art for Brunch!
2026-05-03 11:00 - 12:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
We invite you to join us at Art for Brunch! Come hang out with us at this monthly meetup for adults of all ages and enjoy thoughtful conversation as we unpack a different work of art each month. A docent will guide the dialogue with questions and prompts, but each discussion will be as unique and varied as those who attend. We’ll go where the conversation leads us. No art background needed. Just bring your curiosity and a willingness to look a little longer.
While brunch is not provided as part of this free program, we encourage you to make it a date and pair this event with a visit to the Art Center Café for coffee drinks, teas, and irresistible la mie pastries before or after.
Art for Brunch! is held on the first Sunday of each month. Free; registration required.
REGISTER

Creative Aging: Gallery Series (Ages 55+)
2026-05-05 12:00, 2026-05-19 12:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Creative Aging is a program designed for adults age 55+ to gather at the Art Center and learn about art while making community connections and fostering cognitive health. During this gallery series, an Art Center docent will lead the group in collaborative discussion, focusing on one work of art. Following the gallery talk, guests are invited to an informal social time with coffee and tea.
Creative Aging is a free, monthly program at the Art Center. There are multiple registration times available; each program will last approximately 90 minutes. Registration is required; gallery seating is available.
REGISTER FOR 12 PM
REGISTER FOR 2 PM

Social Saturday: Toons and Tunes
2026-05-09 11:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center’s May Social Saturday event: Toons and Tunes! Who loves Saturday morning cartoons? Watch short animations created by local artists! Musical majesty? Listen to unique and fun tunes by the Des Moines Gamer Symphony! Enjoy crafts in the Art School studios, musical storytime, a free guided tour, treats in the Café, and so much more!
Schedule of Events:
11:15 am | Musical Storytime
Levitt Auditorium
11:45 am – 12:15 pm | Des Moines Gamer Symphony Small Ensembles
Levitt Auditorium
Come hear the Des Moines Gamer Symphony brass and woodwind ensembles perform music from video games you know and love! From Mario to Zelda to Halo, we will cover generations of games in just 30-minutes to celebrate this rising genre.
12:30 – 1:30 pm | Live Music in Galleries
Find various solo artists performing throughout the museum gallery spaces.
1 – 2 pm | Guided Tour (all ages)
Meet in the Macomber Lobby
1:30 pm | Community Animation Showcase
Levitt Auditorium
Inspired by the exhibition, “Honey, You’re a Wonderful Model: Maria Lassnig’s Animated Films” this showcase presents creativity in motion. The film screening will feature a mix of short, animated works made by local artists. Animation submissions are open to all Iowa creators, due April 10, 2026.
Registrations recommended.
Drop-in Activities (11 am – 2 pm):
Museum Galleries
Find the Social Saturday interactive Art Cart in the galleries.
Macomber Lobby
Browse the Museum Shop and find the perfect gift for Mom just in time for Mother’s Day! Art Center members get 10% off every day in the Museum Shop.
Art School Studios
Explore creativity and your inner artist! Free drawing available in the studio space, as well as mini mosaic making.
Art Center Café
Stop by for a sit-down lunch or a delicious la mie pastry; a full hot/cold espresso menu is available. Art Center members receive a 10% in the café every day.
See our special exhibitions before they close!
“Honey, You’re a Wonderful Model: Maria Lassnig’s Animated Films” (Anna K. Meredith Gallery)
“Iowa Artists 2026: Henry Payer: Aagakinąk Haciwi: We Live Opposite Each Other” (A.H. Blank Gallery and Krause Atrium)
“Christine Rebet: Sound of Time” (Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Gallery)
“Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952” (John Brady Print Gallery)
Social Saturdays occur at the Des Moines Art Center on the second Saturday of the month. This event is free to attend, and no registration is required. Social Saturdays will be documented with photography.
For programs in Levitt Auditorium:
We strive to provide live captioning for all events offered in Levitt Auditorium. Due to interpreter shortages throughout Iowa, American Sign Language interpretation is only available upon request. ASL and other accommodation requests can be made by emailing jfeatherstone@desmoinesartcenter.org.
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.

Community Animation Showcase
2026-05-09 13:30 | Levitt Auditorium, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Inspired by the exhibition, “Honey, You’re a Wonderful Model: Maria Lassnig’s Animated Films” this Community Animation Showcase presents creativity in motion during our May 9 Social Saturday. The film screening will feature a mix of short, animated works made by local artists.
Animation submissions are open to all Iowa creators, due April 10, 2026. Email Mia Buch, Senior Museum Learning and Engagement Manager, at mbuch@desmoinesartcenter.org with questions or for more information on how to participate. Learn about how to enter HERE.
Entry into the showcase and attendance to the film screening are free. Registration is required.
We strive to provide live captioning for all events offered in Levitt Auditorium. Due to interpreter shortages throughout Iowa, American Sign Language interpretation is only available upon request. ASL and other accommodation requests can be made by emailing jfeatherstone@desmoinesartcenter.org.

Get Ready For Safe Space Prom
2026-05-09 16:30, 2026-05-09 17:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Before the dance begins, join us for a special Get Ready for Safe Space Prom session designed to help you feel confident, celebrated, and ready for the night!
Participants can enjoy a welcoming space with free makeup artists, hair styling, and a creative station to make your own corsage or boutonnière-style piece to wear to prom. This is a fun opportunity to get ready with friends, express your style, and start the evening feeling your best. Spots for the Get Ready sessions are limited, so be sure to sign up in advance!
Registration for Safe Space Prom requires a separate sign up. Please find details for that here.
While participating in one of the Get Ready for Safe Space Prom sessions, there will be a no leave/return policy for guests, other than the arrival to Safe Space Prom at 7 pm. Participants are permitted to remain in the Art Center studio space while they wait for the prom to begin.
Photo: Jovisuals

Safe Space Prom
2026-05-09 19:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
High schoolers are invited to attend the fourth annual Safe Space Prom! This event, co-hosted by the Des Moines Art Center and the Queer Youth Resource Center, is for LGBTQIA+ high schoolers to enjoy a classic prom experience while being their whole, beautiful selves in community with other LGBTQIA+ high school students.
This year, Safe Space Prom will offer two “Get Ready for Safe Space Prom” sessions before the dance! We will provide makeup artists, hair styling, and an opportunity to create a corsage. Find registration on our Event Calendar. Space is limited.
Safe Space Prom will feature a DJ and photo booth. The event will provide pizza, desserts, soda, and water to guests.
Safe Space Prom is for high schoolers age 14 – 18. This event is free; registration and a signed waiver are required.
We are committed to providing a safe environment for Safe Space Prom attendees. The event will include: a required bag check upon entry, an off-duty police officer on the premises, and Des Moines Art Center security staff, trained in first aid and CPR, present through the entirety of the event. If participating in one of the Get Ready for Safe Space Prom sessions, there will be a no leave/return policy for guests, other than the arrival to Safe Space Prom at 7 pm. Participants are permitted to remain in the Art Center studio space while they wait for the prom to begin.

Dance Performance: “Interwoven Worlds: A Dance Journey Between Three Cities in Iowa”
2026-05-13 14:00 | Levitt Auditorium, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
“Interwoven Worlds: A Dance Journey Between Three Cities in Iowa” is a dance program inspired by works from three Iowa art museums: “Manos (Hands)” by José Clemente Orozco at the Des Moines Art Center; “Woman Ironing (Isis)” by Vik Muniz at the Figge Art Museum; and “Which Way?” by Elizabeth Catlett at the Stanley Museum of Art. Audiences will experience three original dances, each paired with projected images of the artworks, weaving movement and visual art together in a performance that includes contextual commentary. The project will culminate in a screen-dance film, expanding the work beyond the stage and making it accessible online via the Des Moines Art Center’s website later this summer.
“Interwoven Worlds: A Dance Journey Between Three Cities in Iowa” is designed by Eloy Barragan, Associate Professor of Dance at the University of Iowa and generously supported by the Iowa Arts Council Fellowship Award (2025-2026).
Free; no registration required.
We strive to provide live captioning for all events offered in Levitt Auditorium. Due to interpreter shortages throughout Iowa, American Sign Language interpretation is only available upon request. ASL and other accommodation requests can be made by emailing jfeatherstone@desmoinesartcenter.org.
José Clemente Orozco (Mexican, 1883 – 1949)
“Manos (Hands)” (detail), 1930
Lithograph on paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of Carl Weeks, 1954.165

Art Center Café, Dinner with Friends: French Cuisine with Ben Easter
2026-05-14 17:00 | The Art Center Café, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
We are excited to continue the Art Center Café, presented by la mie’s signature culinary experience: Joe and Christina Logsdon’s Dinner With Friends series! Be our guest as Joe and Christina gather around the table with friends for a lighthearted evening of laughter, conversation, and live music in the cozy setting of the café. Each dinner features a unique menu developed in collaboration with our special guest host.
For the third installment of our spring dinner series, we’re welcoming Des Moines based professional photographer Ben Easter! A longtime friend of the Art Center, Ben’s evening will offer a menu from the south of France where his passion for photography began. Live music for the evening provided by The Peels.
$125/person; all-inclusive.
Other Upcoming Dates:
May 21: Liz Lidgett
Reservations are required. Tickets include a four-course meal, beverages, and gratuity. First seating begins at 5 pm and seating ends at 6:15 pm. Call 515.271.0313 or email cafe@desmoinesartcenter.org to reserve your seat and arrival time. Please share any dietary restrictions when making your reservation. Limited capacity. Tables seat 6; smaller parties will be seated together for a festive evening of community and and togetherness.
Photo: Rick Lozier

“Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952” Exhibition Tour
2026-05-16 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us for a free guided tour of the exhibition in the John Brady Print Gallery, “Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952.” This exhibition presents works on paper made by a vibrant social network of artist-printmakers who moved between New York City, Woodstock, Paris, and beyond in the first decades of the 20th century.
“Artists Around a Table” explores a group of artists, friends, and lovers who constructed figurative works of art inflected with humor and merrymaking. They depicted scenes from their own lives as well as those illustrating the various locales in which they lived and worked.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
John Carroll (American, 1892 – 1959)
“Artists Around a Table” (detail), 1928
Lithograph on paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of Carl Weeks, 1954.109

Art Center Café, Dinner with Friends: Artful Delights with Liz Lidgett
2026-05-21 17:00 | The Art Center Café, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
We are excited to continue the Art Center Café, presented by la mie’s signature culinary experience: Joe and Christina Logsdon’s Dinner With Friends series! Be our guest as Joe and Christina gather around the table with friends for a lighthearted evening of laughter, conversation, and live music in the cozy setting of the café. Each dinner features a unique menu developed in collaboration with our special guest host.
For the final date of our spring dinner series, we’re welcoming host Liz Lidgett, owner of Liz Lidgett Gallery + Design in Des Moines and author of “Art for Everyone.” Inspired by a favorite in the Des Moines Art Center’s permanent collection, Edward Hopper’s 1927 painting “Automat,” this menu will feature upscale diner classics and new takes on old favorites. Live music for the evening provided by Max Welllman.
$125/person; all-inclusive.
Reservations are required. Tickets include a four-course meal, beverages, and gratuity. First seating begins at 5 pm and seating ends at 6:15 pm. Call 515.271.0313 or email cafe@desmoinesartcenter.org to reserve your seat and arrival time. Please share any dietary restrictions when making your reservation. Limited capacity. Tables seat 6; smaller parties will be seated together for a festive evening of community and and togetherness.
Photo: Rick Lozier

"The American Experience: Semiquincentennial" Guided Tour
2026-05-23 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Des Moines Art Center will be offering several public guided tours titled, “The American Experience: Semiquincentennial.” These tours will highlight works on view in the Art Center galleries that center around American artists, history, and culture.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Fritz Scholder (Native American, 1937 – 2005)
Bicentennial Indian, from “Kent Bicentennial Portfolio: Spirit of Independence”, 1974-75
Lithograph on paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of Lorillard, New York, 1975.40.12

“Iowa Artists 2026: Henry Payer: Aagakinąk Haciwi: We Live Opposite Each Other” Exhibition Tour
2026-05-30 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us for a guided tour of “Iowa Artists 2026: Henry Payer: Aagakinąk Haciwi: We Live Opposite Each Other” in the A.H. Blank Gallery and Krause Atrium. For the 2026 edition of Iowa Artists, the annual exhibition series celebrating artists from our home state, which has been ongoing since 1950, the Art Center welcomes Sioux City-born artist Henry Payer (born 1986).
A member of the Ho-Chunk people, whose ancestral territory spans areas in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa, Payer explores his history and identity as an Indigenous American. “Aagakinąk Haciwi: We Live Opposite Each Other” will feature Payer’s signature mixed media works with imagery from both Native traditions and Western popular culture.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Henry Payer (Ho-Chunk, born 1986)
“Wandering Winnebago No. 5” (detail)
Mixed media
Courtesy of the artist

“Honey, You’re a Wonderful Model: Maria Lassnig’s Animated Films” Exhibition Tour
2026-06-06 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Enjoy a free guided tour of the exhibition, “Honey, You’re a Wonderful Model: Maria Lassnig’s Animated Films.” An immersive installation of moving images, this show presents Austrian artist Maria Lassnig’s (1919-2014) hand-drawn animated films from the 1970s. Her animations are populated by a cast of zany characters, frequently including Lassnig herself, who engage in physical comedy and slapstick antics while addressing the complexities of relationships, sexuality, grief, artistic creation, and embodiment.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. Free; no registration required.
Maria Lassnig (Austrian, 1919-2014)
“Selfportrait,” 1971
© Maria Lassnig Foundation/Courtesy sixpackfilm

AViD Presents: Patrick Bringley at the Des Moines Art Festival - Moderated by Kelly Baum
2026-06-27 11:00 | Des Moines Public Library – Central Library, 1000 Grand Ave, Des Moines, Iowa, 50309, United States
Patrick Bringley is the New York Times bestselling author of “All the Beauty in the World,” a memoir about his decade as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This special Authors Visiting in Des Moines (AViD) event is being hosted in partnership with the Des Moines Public Library, Des Moines Arts Festival, and the Des Moines Art Center. The event will be moderated by Dr. Kelly Baum, John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO of the Des Moines Art Center. Baum was formerly a curator at The MET before coming to the Des Moines Art Center in 2023.
ABOUT AUTHORS VISITING IN DES MOINES
What to expect:
Doors will open at 10 am, and the author talk will begin at 11 am. This program will be hosted at Central Library, and seating is on a first come, first-serve basis. At the end of the program, there will be a question and answer period. A book signing will follow.
This event is free to attend thanks to the support of the DMPL Foundation and its donors.
