Des Moines Art Center

Social Saturday: Free To Be
2026-07-11 11:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center’s July Social Saturday event: Free To Be! Enjoy crafts in the Art School studios, a scavenger hunt, a screening of the “Powwow People,” a guided tour of the Art Center’s grounds led by Wander Women Midwest, storytime, treats in the Café, and so much more.
This month, we’re also celebrating Art Center members and thanking them for supporting free admission to the museum every day! Stop by the membership table in the lobby for Bravo Community Appreciation, and members receive 20% off in the Museum Shop during July Social Saturday.
Schedule of Events:
11:15 – 11:30 am | Storytime
Levitt Auditorium
12 – 1:30 pm | Film Screening of “Powwow People”
Levitt Auditorium
This film offers an intimate portrait of a powwow from within the community it celebrates. More information here.
1 – 2 pm | Outdoor Guided Tour, led by Wander Women Midwest
Meet outside the main entrance. More information here.
Drop-in Activities (11 am – 2 pm):
Museum Galleries

Find the Social Saturday interactive Art Cart in the galleries.
Complete a scavenger hunt in the galleries and return your findings to the front desk for a small prize.

Macomber Lobby

Ready. Set. Vote! As part of America’s 250th birthday celebration, register to vote right here at the Art Center.
Membership table, learn more about membership, sign up, and check out the Bravo Community Appreciation event. Member’s, grab your free gift at the member table!
Enjoy the Art Center’s Paint-n-Play station.

Art School Studios

Explore creativity and your inner artist! Free drawing available in the studio space, as well as a unique Social Saturday: Free To Be activity.

Art Center Café

Stop by for a sit-down lunch, a delicious pastry, and a full coffee and tea menu. Enjoy live music in the Bookey Family Courtyard from 1 – 3:30 pm. Art Center members receive a 10% discount I the café every day.

Museum Shop

Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs. Art Center members receive a special 20% discount in the Museum Shop for this Social Saturday only!

See our special exhibitions!

“Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” (Anna K. Meredith Gallery)
“Elle Pérez: La Despedida” (A. H. Blank Gallery)
“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.

Support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Film Screening: "Powwow People"
2026-07-11 12:00 - 13:30 | Levitt Auditorium, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
“Powwow People” (2025) is a documentary that draws viewers into the vibrant world of contemporary Native American powwow culture — a cornerstone of community life in which participants express identity, belonging, and heritage through song and dance. The film is shaped by the poetic sensibility of visual artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, born 1984), offering an intimate portrait of a powwow – conceived, hosted, and documented – from within the community it celebrates.
This film screening is in collaboration with the Des Moines Art Center exhibition, “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging,” on view in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery from June 13 – September 20, 2026.
Free; no registration required. Film run time: 1 hour, 28 minutes.
Image: still from the documentary “Powwow People” by Sky Hopinka.
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.

Greenwood Park Art Hike with Wander Women Midwest
2026-07-11 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center and Wander Women Midwest for a guided art and nature hike through Greenwood Park as part of Social Saturday: Free To Be. Led by the Art Center’s Senior Museum Learning and Engagement Manager Mia Buch and Wander Women Founder Jenn Riggs, this group walk will explore familiar ground in a new way—through shared observation, conversation, and connection.
Inspired by the Art Center’s summer exhibition, “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging,” we’ll move together through the park, pausing at the museum’s outdoor sculptures like Andy Goldsworthy’s “Three Cairns” (2002) and Bruce Nauman’s “Animal Pyramid” (1990). The group will also stop at spots along the trail to notice what’s changing, what’s constant, and how we relate to the landscape around us. Expect a mix of light movement, storytelling, and moments to slow down and look a little closer.
All ages and genders welcome. Includes up to one hour of walking on unpaved terrain. Free; no registration required.

Summer Music Series: Saturdays in the Courtyard
2026-07-11 13:00 - 15:30 | The Art Center Café, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Spend Saturday afternoon at the Art Center with our Summer Music Series! Every Saturday afternoon in June and July enjoy music in the beautiful Bookey Family Courtyard, with meals, treats, wine, and other beverages available for purchase from the Art Center Café. There will be different, local musicians performing in the courtyard each week. For this Saturday, enjoy Jesse Pace, Steve Tyler, and friends with the sounds of guitar and saxophone, playing melodic improvised music.
Upcoming Dates:
July 18 and 25
While you’re here, be sure to take in the magnificent art on view, including the “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” exhibition in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery.
*No outside food or drinks are allowed in the café or courtyard.
Photo: Rick Lozier

Art Workshop: Henna and Mandalas
2026-07-12 13:00 - 16:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us on this exploration of traditional mandala and henna patterns while learning about the history of art in India. From medieval times to the present day, students will be exposed to examples of traditional mandala and henna patterns, rangoli, lettering, and paintings.
REGISTER
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.

Topographies over Time: A Hike Series with Wander Women Midwest
2026-07-15 18:00 - 20:00 | Jester Park, 12130 Northwest 128th Street, Granger, IA, 50109, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center and Wander Women Midwest for a three-part guided hiking series that invites you to experience the same landscape across changing seasons. Centered on connection, reflection, and time outdoors, each hike offers space to notice how the environment—and your relationship to it—shifts over time. Inspired by exhibition, “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging,” the series considers how movement through place shapes memory and meaning, with a simple, optional creative reflection following each walk.
For each hike, we’ll gather as a group at Jester Park in Polk County to wander the park’s trails and discuss the different art pieces featured in the park’s prairie, before wandering individually for an independent phenology practice meant to encourage reflection and observation. The practice of phenology, returning to a place at different times of year to notice the changes in the landscape, is a grounding exercise meant to connect yourself to the landscape and hone skills of observation. You’ll find a special-to-you location and have time for whichever form of reflection you prefer, like drawing, journaling, photography or sensory intake.
REGISTER
Upcoming Date:
Hike 3: Sept. 9, 2026
$12 registration per session, attendance at all sessions not required; need-based scholarships available. All genders are welcome.

Art Workshop: Calligraphy—Abstract and Experimental Lettering
2026-07-15 18:00 - 21:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join fellow students for this one-day workshop of bringing abstraction to calligraphy. Students will use various tools, including balsa wood and automatic pens, to make expressive calligraphic marks and letters on paper. Students will learn to incorporate watercolor and vellum to add depth and layers.
REGISTER
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.

Summer Music Series: Saturdays in the Courtyard
2026-07-18 13:00 - 15:30 | The Art Center Café, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Spend Saturday afternoon at the Art Center with our Summer Music Series! Every Saturday afternoon in June and July enjoy music in the beautiful Bookey Family Courtyard, with meals, treats, wine, and other beverages available for purchase from the Art Center Café. There will be different, local musicians performing in the courtyard each week. For this Saturday, enjoy country artist and singer/ songwriter Paul Ivy.
Upcoming Dates:
July 25
While you’re here, be sure to take in the magnificent art on view, including the “Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952” exhibition in the John Brady Print Gallery.
*No outside food or drinks are allowed in the café or courtyard.
Photo: Rick Lozier

Art Workshop: World of Wine
2026-07-19 12:30 - 15:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Work on your own or team up with someone to create your own bottle design wrap and decoration for a carrying device in this workshop. While you are working on your design, you will have the chance to sample wines and learn about their history from around the world.
REGISTER
*Participants must be 21 or over to participate.
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.

Print Club: Drypoint Workshop
2026-07-19 13:00 - 16:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join fellow Print Club members to learn about drypoint, an intaglio printmaking technique. Participants will create their own drypoint print with printmaker Mary Jones. Light refreshments will be provided.
Mary Jones, originally from Pennsylvania, spent most of her life in Chicago. She earned an MFA in printmaking from Indiana University Bloomington and a BFA in Art History from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. She has worked as an illustrator, designer, and in higher education as a Professor of Art & Design at Grand View University in Des Moines for 15 years. Her work is held in major collections, and she was named a 2018 – 19 Iowa Arts Council Fellow. As a Print Club member, Mary is excited to facilitate this workshop for fellow Print Club members.
Free; registration required. Space is limited. Please use the button below to send your RSVP to Karly Rehman, Manager of Membership and Development.
rsvp
Peggy Bacon (American, 1895 – 1987)
“A Few Ideas,” 1927
Drypoint on paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from the Sharon Simmons Art Acquisitions Fund, 2025.10

“Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” Gallery Talk with Associate Curator Beth Gollnick
2026-07-19 13:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join Associate Curator Beth Gollnick for a gallery talk about the exhibition “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” on view in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery from June 13 – September 20, 2026. Topography (drawn from the Ancient Greek words topos, meaning place, and graphia, meaning writing) is the creation of a visual map that describes the natural or human-made features of a place.
Humans have long used the process of mapmaking to make sense of the world around us. Mapping can create order out of vast amounts of information, help us to extrapolate broader patterns, or reveal how unseen systems influence our perceptions. In this exhibition, mapping serves as a metaphor for the ways artists draw meaning from their surroundings: how they transform our understanding of both the physical world and the societal forces that shape the places we inhabit.
Free; no registration required.
Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, born 1984)
“Mnemonics of Shape and Reason,” 2021 (still)
HD video, stereo, color, 4.2 min
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from the Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Moving-Image and Time-Based Art Fund, 2025.1
© Sky Hopinka. Image appears courtesy of the Artist and The Green Gallery, Milwaukee

“Elle Pérez: La Despedida” Gallery Talk with Associate Curator Ashton Cooper
2026-07-23 17:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join Associate Curator Ashton Cooper for a gallery talk about the exhibition “Elle Pérez: La Despedida” on view in the A. H. Blank Gallery from June 25 – November 29, 2026. Bronx-based photographer Elle Pérez constructs lush and tactile photographs born from careful attention to the objects, settings, and individuals in their everyday life. The artist’s 2025 series “La Despedida (the world is always ending, the world is always again beginning)” encompasses photographs taken in the gardens of two very different sites: Pérez’s grandfather’s backyard in Puerto Real, Puerto Rico, and Impressionist painter Claude Monet’s home in Giverny, France.
Free; no registration required.
Elle Pérez (born 1989)
“untitled (light window)” (detail), 2025
Archival pigment print
Image courtesy of the artist and 47 Canal, New York
Photo: Joerg Lohse

"The American Experience: Semiquincentennial" Guided Tour
2026-07-25 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 (La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, 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

Summer Music Series: Saturdays in the Courtyard
2026-07-25 13:00 - 15:30 | The Art Center Café, 4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Spend Saturday afternoon at the Art Center with our Summer Music Series! Enjoy music in the beautiful Bookey Family Courtyard, with meals, treats, wine, and other beverages available for purchase from the Art Center Café. For this Saturday, enjoy Michael Beasley, a multidisciplinary artist based in Des Moines. With more than 25 years of experience, they are groovin’ on the dance floor to 60s sunshine, with a dash of folk and a sprinkle of disco.
While you’re here, be sure to take in the magnificent art on view, including the “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” exhibition in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery.
*No outside food or drinks are allowed in the café or courtyard.

Museum Highlights Tour
2026-08-01 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

Social Saturday: Silent Disco
2026-08-08 11:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center’s August Social Saturday event: Silent Disco! Enjoy crafts in the Art School studios, a scavenger hunt, a special Silent Disco to dance your heart out, a guided tour, storytime, treats in the Art Center Café, and so much more.
Schedule of Events:
11:15 – 11:30 am | Storytime
Levitt Auditorium
12 – 2 pm | Silent Disco, hosted by Iowa Silent Disco
1 – 2 pm | Guided Tour (all ages)
Meet in the Macomber Lobby
Drop-in Activities (11 am – 2 pm):
Museum Galleries

Gallery Playlist: Disco through the galleries with a custom playlist available inspired by the Art Center’s collection as you explore artwork on view.
Find the Social Saturday interactive Art Cart in the galleries.
Complete a scavenger hunt in the galleries and return your findings to the front desk for a small prize.

Macomber Lobby

Enjoy the Art Center’s Paint-n-Play station.

Art School Studios

Explore creativity and your inner artist! Free drawing available in the studio space, as well as a unique Social Saturday: Silent Disco activity, mosaic disco ornament making.

Art Center Café

Stop by for a sit-down lunch, a delicious pastry, and a full coffee and tea menu. Art Center members receive a 10% discount in the café.

Museum Shop

Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs. Art Center members receive a 10% discount in the Museum Shop. Check out the clearance section and the $10 and under table!

See our special exhibitions!

“Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” (Anna K. Meredith Gallery)
“Elle Pérez: La Despedida” (A. H. Blank Gallery)
“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.

Support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

Art Spectrums
2026-08-09 13:00 - 15:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
The purpose of Art Spectrums is to enable children and teens with autism, along with their families, to enjoy the Des Moines Art Center and make memories with art. In this program, kids, ages 5 – 18, on the autism spectrum and their family members explore and make art together. Participants will visit and discuss a work of art in the museum for inspiration. Next, attendees make their own artwork in the studio, inspired by what they discovered in the Art Center galleries.
Art Spectrums is a free, monthly program, and registration is required.
REGISTER

“Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” Exhibition Tour
2026-08-15 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 “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” on view in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery through September 20, 2026. Topography (drawn from the Ancient Greek words topos, meaning place, and graphia, meaning writing) is the creation of a visual map that describes the natural or human-made features of a place.
Free; no registration required.
Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, born 1984)
“Mnemonics of Shape and Reason,” 2021 (still)
HD video, stereo, color, 4.2 min
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Purchased with funds from the Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Moving-Image and Time-Based Art Fund, 2025.1
© Sky Hopinka. Image appears courtesy of the Artist and The Green Gallery, Milwaukee

Museum Shop: Jewelry Sale
2026-08-18 - 2026-08-23 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
The Museum Shop is clearing the case! Stop by August 18 – 23 and shop the jewelry sale — all jewelry in the Shop is 15% off all week long. Plus, Art Center members can combine their 10% every day Shop discount with the 15% off, for a total of 25% off all jewelry!
Interested in saving big in the Museum? Become a Member today! Art Center members receive a year-round 10% discount in the Museum Shop and Double Discount sales throughout the year, plus a 20% discount to all studio classes and workshops. Members also enjoy invitations to behind-the-scenes experiences and events.
MUSEUM SHOP HOURS

Creative Aging: Gallery Series (Ages 55+)
2026-08-18 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

Museum Highlights Tour
2026-08-22 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-05 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.

Art for Every Body
2026-08-27 17:30 - 19:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Art for Every Body is a welcoming creative program designed for adults (ages 18+) of all abilities who are seeking connection, reflection, and community through art. This experience begins with a visit to the Des Moines Art Center’s galleries, where participants will explore artworks and participate in a guided conversation about a selected work. After the museum visit, participants will transition to an art making workshop that invites personal expression inspired by the gallery experience.
This program fosters curiosity, connection, and creativity, offering a space where every body can engage with art in ways that are meaningful and empowering. Whether you’re curious about art, seeking creative expression, or hoping to connect with others in a supportive environment, all are welcome. Participants are encouraged to bring support people or companions, and accommodations are available upon request at registration to ensure everyone can fully engage.
Free; registration required.
REGISTER
Contact the Community Access Program Manager at kburr@desmoinesartcenter.org in advance with specific needs so we can prepare appropriate accessibility supports.

“Artists Around a Table: Artmaking and Merrymaking, 1927-1952” Exhibition Tour
2026-08-29 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

Creative Aging: Gallery Series (Ages 55+)
2026-09-01 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

Art for Brunch!
2026-09-06 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

Topographies over Time: A Hike Series with Wander Women Midwest
2026-09-09 18:00 - 20:00 | Jester Park, 12130 Northwest 128th Street, Granger, IA, 50109, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center and Wander Women Midwest for a three-part guided hiking series that invites you to experience the same landscape across changing seasons. Centered on connection, reflection, and time outdoors, each hike offers space to notice how the environment—and your relationship to it—shifts over time. Inspired by exhibition, “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging,” the series considers how movement through place shapes memory and meaning, with a simple, optional creative reflection following each walk.
For each hike, we’ll gather as a group at Jester Park in Polk County to wander the park’s trails and discuss the different art pieces featured in the park’s prairie, before wandering individually for an independent phenology practice meant to encourage reflection and observation. The practice of phenology, returning to a place at different times of year to notice the changes in the landscape, is a grounding exercise meant to connect yourself to the landscape and hone skills of observation. You’ll find a special-to-you location and have time for whichever form of reflection you prefer, like drawing, journaling, photography or sensory intake.
REGISTER
$12 registration per session, attendance at all sessions not required; need-based scholarships available. All genders are welcome.
September 9 is the third and final hike event in this series.

Museum Shop: Sip ‘n’ Shop
2026-09-10 16:00 - 18:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Museum Shop for an evening of wine and shopping at this special customer appreciation event! Bring a friend and enjoy complimentary wine and light snacks. Art Center members receive double discounts on regularly priced merchandise.
Interested in saving 20% in the Museum Shop during Double Discount sales? Become a Member today! Art Center members receive a year-round 10% discount in the Museum Shop, plus a 20% discount to all studio classes and workshops. Members also enjoy invitations to behind-the-scenes experiences and events.
MUSEUM SHOP

"Artists on Fire" Gallery Talk with Senior Curator Laura Burkhalter
2026-09-10 17:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center’s Senior Curator Laura Burkhalter for a gallery talk of the exhibition “Artists on Fire,” on view in the John Brady Print Gallery September 5, 2026 – January 10, 2027. This selection of prints, drawings, and photographs from the permanent collection explores the element of fire, both literal and conceptual. Images of flames, smoke, and steam sit alongside depictions of Greek gods and visions of hell.
Free; no registration required.
Todd Hido (American, born 1968)
#11176-7589, 2014
Archival pigment print on Hahnemuhle Photorag Baryta paper
Des Moines Art Center Permanent Collections; Gift of the Pilara Family Foundation, 2025.17

Social Saturday: Great Outdoors
2026-09-12 11:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center’s August Social Saturday event: Great Outdoors! Enjoy crafts in the Art School studios, a scavenger hunt, a guided tour, storytime, treats in the Art Center Café, and so much more.
Schedule of Events:
11 am – 1 pm | Curator Chat
Stop in during this time to hear from an Art Center staff member about the brand new acquisition, “They are witty and transform themselves in order to guide us nashoba holba / wayaha / coyote” (2025) by artist Jeffery Gibson.
Lower Richard Meier Gallery, Kyle and Sharon Krause Atrium
11:15 – 11:30 am | Storytime
Levitt Auditorium
1:30 pm | Conversation with Artist Elle Pérez and Associate Curator Ashton Cooper
Join artist Elle Pérez in conversation with Ashton Cooper; the two will discuss and dive into the body of photographs presented in the exhibition “Elle Pérez: La Despedida.” Registration required.
Levitt Auditorium
Drop-in Activities (11 am – 2 pm):
Museum Galleries

Find the Social Saturday interactive Art Cart in the galleries.
Complete a scavenger hunt in the galleries and return your findings to the front desk for a small prize.

Macomber Lobby

Enjoy the Art Center’s Paint-n-Play station.

Art School Studios

Explore creativity and your inner artist! Free drawing available in the studio space, as well as a unique Social Saturday: Great Outdoors activity.

Art Center Café

Stop by for a sit-down lunch, a delicious pastry, and a full coffee and tea menu. Art Center members receive a 10% discount in the café. Package up a picnic to-go and enjoy your meal on the grounds of the Art Center or in Greenwood Park.

Museum Shop

Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs. Art Center members receive a 10% discount in the Museum Shop.

See our special exhibitions!

“Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” (Anna K. Meredith Gallery)
“Elle Pérez: La Despedida” (A. H. Blank Gallery)
“Artists on Fire” (Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Gallery)
“Valentin Noujaïm: La Défense” (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.

Support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Iowa Arts Council, which exists within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
