Des Moines Art Center

Museum Shop's Mimosa Morning
2026-06-06 10:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago) | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Museum Shop for a morning of mimosas and shopping at this special customer appreciation event! Bring a friend and enjoy complimentary mimosas and pastries. Members receive 20% off regularly priced merchandise at Mimosa Morning! Meet the Museum Shop team while browsing new merchandise.
Stay at the Art Center for lunch at the Art Center Café and a free guided tour at 1 pm highlighting the Art Center’s permanent collection to experience the museum galleries in a fresh and engaging way.
Interested in saving 20% in the Museum Shop during special sales events? Become a Member today! Art Center members also receive a year-round 20% discount to all studio classes, camps, and workshops, a 10% discount in the Art Center Café, a 10% discount in the Museum Shop every day (+ additional Double Discount events throughout the year), and invitations to behind-the-scenes membership experiences and events.
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Museum Highlights Tour
2026-06-06 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-06-20 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

Screening: “The Last American Gay Bar”
2026-06-13 11:00 | Levitt Auditorium, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Presented in collaboration with Capital City Pride, during the Des Moines Art Center’s Social Saturday: Pride and Seek event, and during Des Moines’ annual PrideFest celebration, we’re showing a full screening of “The Last American Gay Bar,” directed by Kristian Day. The show is a six-episode documentary series following the story of Iowa’s legendary Blazing Saddle, the oldest gay bar in Des Moines opened in 1983, and the community that built it. Episodes will run consecutively. *Although the episodes are not rated, content is intended for adult audiences.
SCREENING INFORMATION:
Episode 1: 1960s: Stonewall and Vietnam (20 minutes)
Three men come of age and head to war in Vietnam.
Episode 2: 1970s: Scooping the Loop (22 minutes)
Anita Bryant is praying for our sins while gay men are hitting the streets.
Episode 3: Violence in the Streets (21 minutes)
Are gays raging war with each other in the city of Des Moines?
Episode 4: The War on AIDS (21 minutes)
Long after Vietnam, the gay community faces an invisible enemy.
Episode 5: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (22 minutes)
The fight for equal rights arrives but not without a cost.
Episode 6: Here and Now (21 minutes)
Trans visibility is at an all-time high, but the world is falling apart.
This screening is presented in partnership with Capital City Pride (CCP) and forwards the education pillar of pride. CCP fosters a culture where curiosity, learning, and innovation are celebrated. Through educational programs and events, CCP invites the community to explore, understand, and appreciate the richness of diverse LGBTQ+ experiences.
Free; no registration required.
Image: “The Last American Gay Bar” series cover.
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.

Social Saturday: Pride and Seek
2026-06-13 11:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join the Des Moines Art Center’s June Social Saturday event: Pride and Seek! During Des Moines’ annual Capital City Pride PrideFest, stop by the Art Center for a couple hours of fun, art making, and educational engagement. Enjoy crafts in the Art School studios, a scavenger hunt, a free screening of the “Last American Gay Bar,” a free guided tour, drag king storytime, treats in the Art Center Café, and so much more!
Schedule of Events:
11 am | Screening of the Last American Gay Bar
Levitt Auditorium
In collaboration with Capital City Pride, enjoy a full screening of the six-episode docuseries. More information here.
11:15 – 11:30 am | Storytime, featuring a local Des Moines Drag King!
Art School Courtyard
12 – 12:15 pm | Tiny Art Hide and Seek
Front Lawn of the Art Center
Seek out one-of-a-kind mini artworks hidden outside the Des Moines Art Center! Art provided by the Des Moines Public Library’s Tiny Art Show. (Hide-and-Seek is weather dependent, while supplies last)
1 – 2 pm | Guided Tour (all ages)
Meet in the Macomber Lobby
LGBTQIA+ Artists in the Art Center Collection, guided by Art Center Associate Curator Ashton Cooper
Drop-in Activities (11 am – 2 pm):
Museum Galleries
Find the Social Saturday interactive Art Cart in the galleries.
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 participate in creating a temporary community mural art project.
Scavenger Hunt
Search the museum galleries for artwork by LGBTQIA+ artists – complete the hunt and turn it in at the front desk for a prize!
Art Center Café
Stop by for a sit-down lunch, a delicious la mie pastry; a full hot/cold espresso menu is available. Enjoy music in the courtyard after 1 pm by a special guest invited by the Art Center Café. Art Center members receive a 10% discount in the café every day.
Museum Shop
Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs, plus check out the $10 and under table just outside of the Shop. Art Center members get 10% off every day in the Museum Shop.
See our special exhibitions before they close!
“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)
“Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” (Anna K. Meredith Gallery – first day open!)
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.

Summer Music Series: Saturdays in the Courtyard
2026-06-13 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, beginning June 13 enjoy music in the beautiful Bookey Family Courtyard, with meals, treats, wine, and other beverages available for purchase from the Art Center Café. The series opens with guitarist Terry Luther and bassist Erich Gaukel as they perform an assortment of blues and jazz tempo songs, followed by a different live performance each week.
Upcoming Dates:
June 20 and 27; July 11, 18, and 25. The Des Moines Art Center will be closed Saturday, July 4.
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.

Art Workshop: Gilded Letters
2026-06-14 13:00 - 16:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join fellow students for this one-day workshop where you will learn the history of gilded letters and choose a piece to construct and design. Imitate traditional pieces from the Middle Ages and/or design contemporary pieces like calligrafitti. After construction of a large, primary letter, traditional calligraphy and abstractions and illustrations can be added to the work to create a final piece.
Registration for this class is now closed. View more class opportunities here!
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.

Creative Aging: Gallery Series (Ages 55+)
2026-06-16 12:00, 2026-07-07 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

Sculpture + Flow Yoga in the Courtyard
2026-06-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Connect art with mind and body at Sculpture + Flow – a serene, slow-paced yoga class in the tranquil Bookey Family Courtyard. Surrounded by the striking architecture of Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier, this unique experience invites you to move and breathe alongside the gentle shimmer of the Maytag Reflecting Pool and the iconic “Man and Pegasus” (1949) by Carl Milles.
Certified yoga instructor, Lily Allen-Duenas will guide art enthusiasts and yogis through an all-levels flow inspired by the harmony of art, water, and space. The class will close with a guided meditation beneath softly lit trees, offering a moment of calm connection and inner reflection amongst the works of art.
*Guests must bring their own yoga mats.
register

Summer Music Series: Saturdays in the Courtyard
2026-06-20 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 Shakedown Street, guitarists Daniel Mastrofski and JB Williams will perform music from The Grateful Dead.
Upcoming Dates:
June 27; July 11, 18, and 25. The Des Moines Art Center will be closed Saturday, July 4.
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: Melinda Mastrofski

Des Moines Art Center + The Avenues Collaboration: Stamp It!
2026-06-25 10:30 - 12:30 | Chamberlain Park, 2134 Woodland Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50314, United States
The Des Moines Art Center is partnering with The Avenues of Ingersoll & Grand for their “Art on The Avenues” celebration. Children and families are invited to Chamberlain Park to create their own nature-inspired artworks using blank postcards, stamps, ink, and natural materials gathered from the world around us. Experiment with texture, pattern, and mark-making to create one-of-a-kind prints, taking influence from the park itself.
Inspired by the Des Moines Art Center’s summer exhibition “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging,” this pop-up artmaking experience invites participants to create art using the textures and patterns of the natural world.
Free; no registration required.

Exhibition Opening Celebration: “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” and “Elle Pérez: La Despedida”
2026-06-25 17:00 - 19:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Join us for the opening celebrations of “Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging” in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery and “Elle Pérez: La Despedida” in the A. H. Blank Gallery!
Bring family and friends to view the artwork, and kick off the evening with complimentary lite bites from The Tangerine Food Company. Beer and wine available for purchase (credit only), plus the bar features a specialty matcha cocktail. Remarks from Kelly Baum, John and Mary Pappajohn Director and CEO, will take place at 6 pm.
This event is free; registration is not required. This event will be documented with photography.
Sky Hopinka (Ho-Chunk Nation/Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, born 1984)
“Mnemonics of Shape and Reason” (detail), 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

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.

"The American Experience: Semiquincentennial" Guided Tour
2026-06-27 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
2026-06-27 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 the John Krantz Trio, with Randy Ward and Jim Eklof. These three jazz veterans will treat you to a compilation of jazz standards.
Upcoming Dates:
July 11, 18, and 25. The Des Moines Art Center will be closed Saturday, July 4.
While you’re here, be sure to take in the magnificent art on view, including the “Christine Rebet: Sound of Time” exhibition in the Pamela Bass-Bookey and Harry Bookey Gallery.
*No outside food or drinks are allowed in the café or courtyard.
Photo: Rick Lozier

Art Workshop: Greeting Cards, Thinking of You
2026-06-28 13:30 - 16:30 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Get creative in this one-day workshop with the opportunity to make a unique design for your loved ones through greeting cards with ink, watercolor, and collage. Have fun, be inspired, and show off your creations with fellow class participants.
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.

Art for Brunch!
2026-07-05 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: Studio Series (Ages 55+)
2026-07-06 16:15 - 18:00 | 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. These sessions will offer a social atmosphere and a variety of exploratory projects to try out materials and techniques with the support of an experienced teaching artist.
In this session, students will create abstract drawings with guidance from the instructor on stepping away from narrative art to gain a better understanding of abstraction. Students will have the option to create with different drawing and mixed media materials if they choose. Supplies are provided.
Materials, tools, and guidance will be provided. Cost of the class is $30 ($24 for Art Center members).
REGISTER

Art Workshop: Multi-Media Nature Painting
2026-07-08 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 making 2D design project with nature made and traditional made materials. Students will work with pre-foraged items like crushed up rocks and pressed flowers for pigment and incorporate collage with traditional materials like paints and charcoal. Art pieces will be sealed and ready to take home by the end of the 3-hour class.
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.

Winefest: Art of Wine Dinner
2026-07-09 18:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Embark on a sensory journey at the Art of Wine Dinner presented by Winefest, where art, wine, and exquisite cuisine intertwine. Guests will begin by touring four of the works in the Des Moines Art Center’s galleries, with a docent providing insight into each piece. These works inspired one-of-a-kind dishes which will then be served in the Art Center Café, thoughtfully prepared and served with the perfect wine pairing.
This event requires registration, ages 21+. Get your tickets through Winefest Des Moines.

Social Saturday: Free To Be
2026-07-11 11:00 - 14:00 | 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 Café and 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 la mie pastry; a full hot/cold espresso menu is available. Enjoy music in the courtyard after 1 pm by a special guest invited by the Art Center Café. Art Center members receive a special 20% discount in the café for this Social Saturday only!
Museum Shop
Browse the Museum Shop to find gifts and souvenirs. Art Center members get a special 20% discount in the Museum Shop for this Social Saturday only!
See our special exhibitions before they close!
“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.

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 Spectrums
2026-07-12 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

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.

“Elle Pérez: La Despedida” Exhibition Tour
2026-07-18 13:00 - 14:00 | Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312, United States
Visitors are invited to learn more about the exhibition “Elle Pérez: La Despedida” during this free guided tour. The show, on view in the A. H. Blank Gallery, highlights Bronx-based photographer Elle Pérez’s practice as they construct 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.
Public guided tours are offered every Saturday from 1 – 2 pm. 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
