Plan Your Visit
We can’t wait to welcome you! Please find all the information you need below to plan your visit, including our hours, location, exhibitions, and more.
Admission is always free.
Learn, enjoy, socialize, and create with us! The Des Moines Art Center is a museum, art school, and sculpture park in the capital city of Iowa that is open to all.
Established in 1948, the Des Moines Art Center exists to engage and stimulate the communities of Greater Des Moines and beyond. We are home to an exceptional collection of art made between 1500 and the present day. We offer free exhibitions, programs, tours, and lectures at our main campus in Greenwood Park, consisting of three unique buildings designed by world renowned architects Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier. We also oversee the iconic John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Western Gateway Park, which opened in 2009, and provide dozens of art classes for kids, teens, and adults in our amazing studios.
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
Holiday Hours
Museum Closed (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.
More Ways to Enhance Your Visit
See More Art
Explore during your visit, then dive even deeper into the art online! View permanent collections and virtual tour past exhibitions.
The Museum Shop
Explore our extensive collection of books, jewelry, housewares, Art Center apparel, and so much more.
Guides and Tours
Get the most out of your visit with audio and docent-led tours. Find museum activity guides under Education and Resources.