It was my first time visiting and I wasnt disappointed. Ive seen artist here I havent ran into yet so it was definitely interesting for me! Definitely a must stop if you enjoy art and are in Des Moines!

I highly recommend visiting. It is a beautiful building and they have some really inspiring art. I also had my wedding reception here and the staff are so easy to work with and friendly. I think I had a million questions and they always answered them to meet our needs. The only suggestion I have is for them to get microphones on the art tour because nobody in our group could hear anything.

A nice collection for a small museum. There are a few outstanding pieces by outstanding artists like Goya and Hopper. The architecture is worth seeing ask the museum is a combination of three wings by three different architects: Richard Meier, I.M. Pei, and Eileel Saarinen.

One of the finest collections in the Midwest with a very unique 3-wing design.

Beautiful buildings, impressive and diverse collection, and such helpful staff!

Great permanent collection. Stunning works displayed in every new collection/show. Appropriate and accessible to all ages.

A cool little place with some interesting pieces. Definitely recommend it if youre in the area. Easy to get to, easy to park, and free admission. Staff was friendly and helpful. They have chairs for them to sit on, but they have to get up when someone enters the gallery that they are guarding. That felt sort of awkward, especially in the open rooms where they could see you from thier seat. I wanted to rush through so they could sit back down.

Best art museum in Iowa

The Justin Favella exhibit is a light-hearted homage to summer and the Art Centers art.

I have had the pleasure to expeience the Des Moines Art Center since I was a child 60+ years ago. It is a lovely original building, with a new large expansion added a few years ago that was designed by the famous architect Pei.Inside is a fantastic array of art of all ages, from the permanent collection featuring a huge Goya portrait, Constantin Brancusi, Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Eva Hesse, Jeff Koons, and Jean-Michel Basquiat. The rest of the collection has everything from paintings from the Renaissance to master paintings of the 18th, 19th and early 20th century, both European and American. They also have a very impressive collection of sculpture, including fine examples by Rodin, Calder, De Kooning, Giacometti, Lachaise, Rodin and so many others.This museum is in a smaller city (Des Moines) but it has some of the very best examples of work by famous artists in the country and perhaps the world. It also has a cafe, library, gift shop and other amenities. Its a place where one could spend many hours looking and reading and even eating. It is a very surprising, magical place.

Two disappointments today: 1 Masks still required. 2 Cafe only open Thursday, noon to 7. Really?

Great Place! Totally worth a going to for a nice place to relax and enjoy the Art, and beautiful grounds!

Very enjoyable place to visit. Great atmosphere

Nice works of art. But really....a mask mandate?? My wife literally was yelled at by security for removing her mask in an otherwise empty room to take a decent picture with a Monet portrait. Really....you are threatening to kick us out of a free art gallery for a 3 second mask less picture in an empty art gallery room??? Will never go back and recommend people avoid this rude place

Always enjoy the Des Moines Art Center and amidst a global pandemic was no exception. We felt safe with their hygienic and distancing precautions, complete with a clever visual using a Singer painting. Disappointed that the restaurant was closed but understand and appreciate their discretion.

What a fun day

There are three main buildings and surrounding grounds. The buildings themselves appear to be engineered or built as artwork itself. You have to walk through them to consider the appreciation. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to assist. The artworks within the facility are remarkably fascinating, you should really see it for yourself. I recommend you to go visit.

The Des Moines Art Center is a great place to spend an afternoon—and its free! Even if you’ve already seen the permanent collection, they frequently switch out their featured display, so there’s something new to see. They also have impressive architecture, a place to eat and a beautiful little rose garden nearby. Definitely recommend if you’re looking to kill an hour or two—or if you want a new photo for the gram!

The architecture inside the building was very interesting some rooms have great outside views. My little one loved the echo of her voice! The art was great a nice variety and the show up right now is interesting. We went in a stroller so it takes a bit more navigation than just being able to walk straight in stairs everywhere. We didnt get to go upstairs or downstairs mainly because I couldnt find an elevator and work was being done. However the employees were super kind and friendly.

Great value. Love the beautiful restaurant by the water. Really interesting pieces when we were there.

The building itself is a nice piece of Art. Collection is Ok. Atmosphere is not very welcoming.

Great place to go for cheap (it is free) and view some cool art!

With everything we now know, we shouldnt have to schedule a particular time to visit. Most people in Des Moines are vaccinated. Lets get back to normal here 👍

My 3 yo daughter and I love visiting the art center.

First time visit. Not a trained art critic so Ill just say: Pretty cool. Different mediums to look at. Very open. Clean. Quiet. Attentive helpful friendly staff. Neat stuff. Would recommend.

Love the place! Theres always good activities and exhibitions!

Finally checked out the Arts Center & absolutely loved it!

Very good museum. Well put together.

Beautiful time of year!

Amazing collections and beautiful space.

One of my favorite places in Des Moines. Its free, and they have educational and family friendly programs. Friendly staff running them. My three year old and I went to their Blankets and Books program, and I thought it was very well done and thought through.

It was great and setup very nicely for social distancing. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable!

Great museum. Great spaces. Nice people.

Visiting from New Orleans I was introduced to the Art Center by a relative who lives here in DMI (Des Moines IA). I was greeted at the door by ver nice people. I was so taken by the art I almost touch it but youre not supposed to. Do not touch I felt like a kid when the attendee warned me. I really had a great time walking around on each floor its a maze within its self. Really cool for any occasion. #BUTTAFLIBEST1AWARD 🦋🏆

Ricks mom wanted to visit the Art Center in Des Monies.

The building is a beautiful combination of styles from 3 great architects, set on a hill and in a park. The collection is focused on 20th century and contemporary works but presented in a way that is approachable. Free admission.

Great permanent collection, fascinating exhibits, and excellent educational programs.

Always great at the Art Center. Especially on a warm December day in the Rose Garden!

Visited from out of town and was quite impressed by the varied collections - something interesting in every corner. Free admission makes for a fantastic afternoon.

The Des Moines Art Center is an absolute GEM! There are so many cool works of art here, from a variety of locally/internationally known artists. I enjoyed my time here and I will definitely be back to enjoy even more of the art! Felt super safe with the safety precautions during the pandemic (required masks, physical distancing, hand sanitizer stations, etc). Would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting DSM!

Will you believe this my son said he went to the fart center I was wondering what kinda place is that? So I went to looked up fart center and nothing showed up then he told me it was actually the art center anyway long story short its not the fart center but the art center now that I know this I now have no plans on going here

We went for the Black Stories exhibit and it was very good, well worth the time. We also appreciate the covid safety measures.

Unfortunately we felt very unwelcome here. The staff felt very cold and overbearing, so we were not able to enjoy the museum. Not family friendly.

Its always a pleasant experience to go to the Des Moines Art Center. The staff is very willing to answer any questions.

Great place to unwind and really just retreat from the outside. The area is always quiet and easy to immerse oneself into the artwork. Staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and the area is kept clean. This place is a hidden gem.

Very nice museum, worth the trip!

I grew up in Des Moines and had never visited the Art Center until recently. I have visited at least four times in the past year. To my surprise, there has always been something new to see. I have gone on a group tour and explored on my own. I enjoyed both experiences. I dont think you need to be a hard core art lover to enjoy the museum.

Very bad service and very rude

Amazing permanent collection and interesting limited engagements.

Very nice and loved the neighborhood around! Well done Des Moines 👍

It’s a good place!

Okay one of the staff members was nosy and quite rude to me and my best friend. but other than that fine.

Such an underrated place.Showcases popular artists like Pablo Picasso, John Singer Sargent, Edward Hopper, Georgia OKeeffe, Grant Wood.Admission has been free recently. The gift shop is one of my favorite places for gifts in Iowa. Please come here if you havent already.Everyone here is nice and social.

Amazing place. Free entry and free tour (thanks Paul for a great walk around and thoughtful commentary). Have to return to spend more time appreciating the variety and magnitude.

Get there when theyve got an interesting collection, they need a better mix of pieces and sculptures. Good learning resource if youre taking a class, wish they had more places to sit & sketch. Standing & drawing takes a lot of stamina & gets hard on the back.

My family will travel out of our way to see a well regarded art museum. For example, there isnt a lot to see in Bilbao, but the Guggenheim is certainly worth looking at, both for its architecture and its collection. The Des Moines museum is smaller but ticks those boxes as well. In addition, it also places local and lesser known artists within the context of the art historical canon, and its examples of more prominent artists are often of the highest quality. For its scale, it ranks right up there with the Guggenheim and the Tate Modern.

We had our high school reunion there. Everything was fabulous; our classmates loved it, the staff was great and the food done by the caterer who also runs the restaurant there was awesome. The classmates are still raving about it!

Visited for the first time today. (I live out of town). Fantastic visit. Great lunch. Museum staff provided enlightening explanations about sculptures, paintings and the history of the museum. Very informative and enjoyable.

One of the most friendly intimate significant art museums I have visited. Kid-friendly, the grandkids loved it. An impressive collection included major masters and new emerging talent. A Picasso, Henry Moore in downtown Des Moines. Highly recommended.

I love coming to the Des Moines Art Center on a Saturday afternoon. This place continues to be free to the public and the art is housed in a beautiful building. They constantly have new art installations and a super fun gift shop. The rose garden and various sculptures sit right behind the Art Center and are also worth checking out.

There to take pictures.

This is a well curated small museum with a good eye. The collection is always satisfying, and the exhibitions are well curated. The Joan Mitchell show a few years ago changed my life!

A very enjoyable timekill while we were waiting for the next leg of our journey to commence.Entry is free and the people seem really laid back, not snooty like what I anticipated art lovers to be.Didnt seem to mind my impromptu performance art where I just started screaming at random. Some people came to check to make sure I wasnt dying but then I told them it was art and then they were cool about it. Was expecting to get thrown out. Very interesting story to tell for the future.

Since I was last there two wings were added. Such beautiful architecture!The exhibits were fabulous, the guards so friendly and helpful. One thing that really impressed me was the labels. The curators who wrote them were really insightful and helped me to understand the paintings.The restaurant was incredible! The best museum restaurant Ive been to and Ive been to quite a few!I hope to return soon.

An absolute jewel of Des Moines. I drop in every few months and check out their main gallery. Beside the changing main gallery, their collection is world class. It blows me away the quality of the work on display, we are pretty lucky to have such a good art museum in Des Moines. From their excellent student classes, gallery shop to their research areas and website, first class all the way. If you live in Des Moines and havent been here, shame on you.

Great place! The staff was very helpful and the architecture of the building was amazing. They had a lot of great, thought provoking pieces, but some of them were not good. I highly recommend going there while the have their rupture exhibit open.

This is a great spot in Des Moines. You never know what to expect. They get all types of exhibits in from paintings to sculpture. Some is off the wall and some is touching. A nice place to go see what others are dreaming up.

Wonderful art, wonderful staff.

Grew up in the school at the DMoines Art Center. Loved it then, the peace and beauty not only of the artwork but in the buildings themselves. Moved away but come back and always try to get to the Art Center: it has aged well and become even more impressive from the architecture to the visiting art to the permanent collection. Very few towns anywhere have anything to compare.

A small art exhibition center featuring mostly contemporary work. There is a permanent collection owned by the Art Center as well as changing exhibits. The exhibition spaces are well-designed with a modern aesthetic and plenty of natural lighting. The art might not appeal to everyone, but admission is free and its worth at least taking a walk around.

Nice collection, friendly staff. My gf and I love visiting when new exhibits show up. Its free to go to on Thursdays and it makes it that much better. Many trails nearby and their rose garden is quite serene and great for pictures.

I have always loved the Des Moines Art Center. I could get lost wandering in the museums for hours. I have been taking a lot of the teen classes lately and some adult ones since I am 17 and I love it! The teachers are absolutely fantastic and I always have so much fun! There really is something there for everyone;

What an absolutely delightful museum. Everything about this place is great. The architecture of the building is interesting, the grounds are relaxing and park like and the collections are engaging. The staff couldnt be friendlier and this should be on everyones must see list when in Des Moines.

Experiencing the Des Moines Art Center is as much spiritual as a great inspiration for any latent artistry you may have waiting to emerge. Always a go to for visiting family and friends. We - weather permitting - love to end our time sitting back in the breeze, next to the movement of the water and light in the courtyard. Worth your time.

Awesome building with great pieces. There are quite a few different styles of art. The security/guides are very friendly and definitely worth talking to. Admission is free so theres no excuse to not go even if its just to get out of the house for a while.

I must say that the museum is exceptional and wonderful. The atmosphere is incredibly calm and relaxed which allows you to appreciate all the pieces calmly and in your time. The attention of the staff in all the rooms was first class, the ladies I asked for recommendations and information went beyond a simple instruction, which is quite appreciated because it shows that the staff loves their workplace. The variety of pieces in the permanent exhibitions is amazing with pieces by international artists such as Picasso. It has a restaurant inside the museum which allows you to enjoy a snack during your visit. My recommendation is that you go on Thursdays as they close until late and it gives you the opportunity to observe the whole complex calmly. Best of all, all this wonder is free! So it is definitely a must-see gem when visiting Des Moines.Debo decir que el museo es excepcional y maravilloso. La atmósfera es increíblemente tranquila y relajada lo que te permite apreciar todas las piezas con calma y a tu tiempo. La atención del personal en todas las salas fue de primer nivel, las señoritas a las que les pregunté recomendaciones e información para poder observar mejor las exposiciones fueron más allá de una simple instrucción, lo que se aprecia bastante porque se nota que el personal ama su lugar de trabajo y se agradece una atención sincera y amable. La variedad de piezas en las exposiciones permanentes es increíble contando con piezas de artistas internacionales y del nombre de talla como Picasso. Tiene un restaurante dentro del museo lo que te permite disfrutar de algún aperitivo durante tu visita. mi recomendación es que acudas en los jueves ya que cierran hasta tarde y te da la oportunidad de observar todo el complejo con calma. Lo mejor de todo es que toda esta maravilla es ¡gratis! así que definitivamente es una joya imperdible al visitar Des Moines.

Very cool arts in a very cool building!

FREE admission! They have great temporary exhibits and key permanent pieces. Also offer classes in the building next to the art center. Nice trail to walk around the grounds as well.

Apart from the unique artwork, this art center building is full of great architecture, from the overall design to the giant skylights. There are also many friendly/interesting people that also work there. Its worth visiting!

I honestly havent been here in quite awhile, but I felt I had to write a review when I started thinking about how Id seen the American Gothic painting that was passing through at the time (maybe 2010?). I recently told someone I knew that Id seen it for free at the Des Moines Art Center, and she said that it was amazing that our museum had such an awesome collection for free to the public! I realized that Id taken it for granted! It really is a very cool place to hang out for a couple hours and I like it that you dont feel rushed to move on to another painting or sculpture because the crowds are reasonable.

Great place to stop by with friendly staff. Right next to a great park, too.

Enjoyable Bucket ListRelaxing. Educational, WhimsicalStrollMust Experience FOR YOURSELFIowa’s Best Kept SecretCome see 🍸

A good variety of modern and classic art. Their collection is surprisingly good for what youd expect in Des Moines, Iowa. And they always have great stuff coming through.

Unfriendly to families. Every time Ive been here with my children, I have been spoken down to. I carry my toddler to keep her from touching anything, but I was told I have to also carry my backpack purse in both arms directly in front of my body (not on my side or back). I feel like the guards hover and automatically assume we are going to damage the art. I cant chalk it up to one or two unfriendly employees because it is a consistent pattern Ive noticed over the 4 years I have been coming here. It seems to be part of the museum culture that is unwelcoming to children.If you dont have children, its a nice free place to spend an hour. The tape exhibit from 2017-2018 was a highlight. They have a lot of modern work that makes you scratch your head and wonder what qualifies it as art, but they have some nice classic pieces. The park surrounding the museum is beautiful.

This is a great place to visit. It is a smaller art museum, but has a very nice collection. The staff was helpful and engaging, shared interrsting and funny stories.

Excellent location for families. Free admission. Art from Picasso, Grant Wood, and multiple other great artists. The architecture that houses the art is just as impressive. Worth a stop to Des Moines Art Center if you are visiting Des Moines.

Great experience here! Definitely worth checking out.

Art is always a part of my travels. Sometimes it is the whole motivation. Whenever Im in Des Moines, Im sure to get to the art center. An important gem in our nations cultural heritage. The I.M. Pei wing is especially important to me.

Great experience. The whole museum is quiet and beautiful, feel peace inside it.

Amazing place, that not a lot of people, even the residents of Des Moines, think about. Incredible collection considering the size with works from many renown artists.

When I went to the Art Center I was in a play, me and a bunch of other people were in the play called The Jungle Book. It was awesome, we preformed in front of a lot of people. It was the best performance I ever did in my whole lifetime.THE END

This place was the BEST place we had ever been. For it being free, you couldnt beat it. They should charge for people to come in, because they have a lot to offer. They even have a gift shop and a restaurant that you can eat at by the water. I highly recommend going if youre in des moines. We will be making the 5 hour trip to go back one day!

A high quality collection hidden in the heartland!

For owning n sharing Ecstasy, 1928 by Agnes Pelton. saw this painting in SantaFe, NM at NM History Museo in October, 2019... big ups to de Louise Noun Collection o Art by Women thru Bequest!

It is a very fun place to go. Especially for little ones. The oos and ahhs as they see cool sculptures made me smile. I recommend that you come with an open mind. If you come because someone else told you to you wont have fun. Take your time and enjoy life.

What an amazing collection. It was like I have been transported to MOMA or something. Fantastic. Very friendly staff as well. I highly recommend.

Free admission to a worthy collection of various forms. Take a quick stroll through the buildings, or spend hours studying and observing. Staff is friendly.

Perfect mid-winter escape, no entrance fee and personable staff.

World-class art in a small Midwestern city. Good stuff!

The Art Center is a real GEM of this city!