Reviews of Des Moines Art Center (Tourist Attraction)

Robin Simbro

Beautiful wedding

Jennifer Benson

Unfriendly to families. Every time I've 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 can't chalk it up to one or two unfriendly employees because it is a consistent pattern I've 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 don't have children, it's 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.

Trevor Neil

Best dumpster diving in the Des Moines metro area!

Ryan B.

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.

Tim Hurley

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.

Matt Smith

Nice collection of art, mostly modern, including Van Gogh's only drawing & pieces by Durer, Cezanne, Warhol, Picasso.

Mike Montgomery

I have never been there hopefully soon. I live in Osceola and I have just started doing spray paint art about a yr and a half ago and would love to have my paintings in something like this someday I do have a fb account which I post all my paintings just look for the twin towers and contact me if u would like

Rick Sheaffer

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 don't think you need to be a hard core art lover to enjoy the museum.

Aaron W.

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

Catherine K. Tran

One of my favorite places in Des Moines. It's 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.

Leslie Peterson

Small, but very nice to spend an hour at

Neil Franzen

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.

Jingyi Huang

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

Guillermo Chutrau

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.

bader mossa

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

Kyle Radon

Incredible collection for a city of this size. Architecture of the building is also incredible.

Jacob Barker

Awesome for the Des Moines area. The artwork is amazing, and on a nice summer day, you can go outside and enjoy the architecture too.

Berrett Rice

Great regional art center!

Mary Dowd

I honestly haven't been here in quite awhile, but I felt I had to write a review when I started thinking about how I'd seen the American Gothic painting that was passing through at the time (maybe 2010?). I recently told someone I knew that I'd 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 I'd taken it for granted! It really is a very cool place to hang out for a couple hours and I like it that you don't feel rushed to move on to another painting or sculpture because the crowds are reasonable.

J Misel

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.

Eric Cole

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

Teodora Aksamovic

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.

Lisa Flyte

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.

Sam Gastineau

Interesting art.

Andy Goff

Art!

Addy Free

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

Dexter Jacobs

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

Kevin Minnis

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

jo br

Great fun

Giti Linn

The Des monies art center is a great place to see and experience,the building itself is a fantastic work of art! ❤️It is for all ages to enjoy.you could easily spend two hours there ❣️

Nagarjuna Babu

Classic.

Tamsen Butler

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.

Marian Hall

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;

Mary Foster

My family will travel out of our way to see a well regarded art museum. For example, there isn't 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.

Elena Rosado

Great experience.

Cynthia Simos

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!

D B

You learn a lot of history here! Great activities to do

Chris Butler

Ok if you like modern art

Will Koehrsen

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 it's worth at least taking a walk around.

Bonnie Gusland

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!

Patrick Leonard

Architectural showplace with great art to match.

Rene Dornon

Enjoyable Bucket List Relaxing. Educational, Whimsical Stroll Must Experience FOR YOURSELF Iowa’s Best Kept Secret Come see

Hailey Toliver

This place was the BEST place we had ever been. For it being free, you couldn't 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 you're in des moines. We will be making the 5 hour trip to go back one day!

T. Rick

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!

Mustafa Aydin

Nice center, Nice coffee, expensive shop.. ?? lake...

Jade Fang

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

Melissa Reyerson

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.

Debra Hartman

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.

Amanda Bettis

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 didn't get to go upstairs or downstairs mainly because I couldn't find an elevator and work was being done. However the employees were super kind and friendly.

Mark Rossmiller

Would much rather see interactive displays than dead art.

Ben W

I love the rose garden and the art is amazing and so are the staff

vanessa gavin

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 I've been to and I've been to quite a few! I hope to return soon.

Andrew Jensen

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. Didn't seem to mind my impromptu 'performance art' where I just started screaming at random. Some people came to check to make sure I wasn't 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.

Mister Beaz

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.

Rahul Deb

Small but great collection (nice pieces by Hopper, grant wood, bacon, Basquiat, Gerhard Richter etc. ). Is a great museum for a small Midwestern city.

Bryce Hendrickson

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.

Carol Teebo

Amazing

Cliff Creger

This is the Richard Meier building (1985) at the Des Moines Art Center, looking northwest. The sculpture in the foreground is the "Animal Pyramid" (1990) by Bruce Nauman.

Emily McInerney

Great way to spend an afternoon. The galleries change often enough to make a return trip worth it.

Austin Jorgensen

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. It's worth visiting!

Anita Downes

Rick's mom wanted to visit the Art Center in Des Monies.

Jason J

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

Alex Dragic

Very nice museum, worth the trip!

Leilani Luker

I love the art here. It's a beautiful place to walk around with a lot of interesting things to see. I come here often for the pokestops. I've had lots of great conversations with staff members about the art. Everyone was kind and insightful. I always have a wonderful time here and always learn something new.

Jacob Meyer

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 there's no excuse to not go even if it's just to get out of the house for a while.

Angie Mathiasen

Great art in the

Valey Menette'

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 you're 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 it's a maze within its self. Really cool for any occasion. #BUTTAFLIBEST1AWARD

Duane HUBBARD

Nice art museum, plenty of variety to fit everyone's tastes.

Victoria Brown

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.

S Chandani

Artistic. Inside the art center is a treasure trove. And the admission is priceless!

Mary Koder

There to take pictures.

Dennis Cezaro

excellent place

Ryan Menning

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

Matt Guess

Free and worth your time. Get a bottle of bubbles from the cafe and drink by the reflection pool.

David H

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 couldn't be friendlier and this should be on everyone's must see list when in Des Moines.

Beverly Szaton

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.

Robert DeZwaan

Amazing permanent collection and interesting limited engagements.

Joseph Preston

There were a few nice pieces but most of it is junk with two random words slapped on for a title. It was free tho.

M Wolfe

This is a lovely place

Gette Holland

Such an underrated place. Showcases popular artists like Pablo Picasso, John Singer Sargent, Edward Hopper, Georgia O'Keeffe, 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 haven't already. Everyone here is nice and social.

Duane Scharf

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

Kwamena Soe

Good place to look a painting huge elevators

Brenda Harper

Enjoyed the Drawing in space exhibits.

Carolina Casals

Love the place! There's always good activities and exhibitions!

Brianna Gonzalez

The Des Moines Art Center is a great place to spend an afternoon—and it's 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!

Colleen Johnson

Rachel is thee best!!

Jacklyn Maher

The art center itself is one of my favorite places in Des Moines, but the restaurant has gone downhill since I last visited. I got the Cajun pasta and there was more grease than anything else and the grease was somehow the most flavorful part of the entire meal, while there I got to hear the kitchen staff talking about what getting "sauced" ment and learned apparently it has come back around as the slang for getting drunk and all the other drama in their lives while the server was checking his phone. I have never before written a bad review on a restaurant and it kills me to do so but the entire experience was an affont to my taste buds and a horrible experience. When you have to shake pasta to get at least some of the grease to fall off in the hopes that you will get some sort of flavor and enjoyment from the meal, it might be time to adjust cooking methods.

Josh E.

A good place to admire some art. It doesn't compare to the art showcased in larger cities, but for Des Moines, a must-see.

Andrew Graves

The facility was real nice. Loved seeing the different varieties of artwork.

Megan Bannister

The Des Moines Art Center is easily one of my favorite places in Des Moines! Their impressive collection and unique temporary exhibitions make the Art Center a perfect place to visit over and over, whether you're a Des Moines native or just passing through.

Ted Phillips

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.

A K

Finally checked out the Arts Center & absolutely loved it!

Joel Bagley

There are a few good pieces in the collection, but I'm left wondering how worth it they were after the terrible taste the rest of the collection left in my mouth.

Jeremy Sievers

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 haven't been here, shame on you.

Michelle Kitching

Very nice collection, although a bit small. and very nice staff members.

Guerra Francisco

Warhol and Matisse

Matthew Rozendaal

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 won't have fun. Take your time and enjoy life.

Adam Obrecht

A very welcoming place to all who just want to look and enjoy.

Jud Barr

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.

pat fennelly

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.

Schezz

Great experience here! Definitely worth checking out.