Des Moines Art Center

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Jacob Crawford

what a lovely art center with quality contemporary, modern, impressionistic, & abstract artwork. the admission is free, but don’t forget to checkout the shop… amazing gifts of all kinds! and the staff… so friendly, energetic, & bring the experience to the next level!

Megan

Highly recommend visiting this art museum! It is so quiet, clean, and spacious. There are many different exhibits with unique art pieces. We spent a few hours here, but you can easily spend longer depending on how much time you take. There are different sections with floors or elevators to access. The staff are friendly and helpful. I also love and recommend checking out the gift shop inside, which includes so many fun, unique, and interesting items for anyone’s taste and style. I bought this fair trade chocolate bar and a greeting card. Overall, a great experience and I would return. Admission is free.

Maren Sinclair

The Des Moines Art Center is truly a gem. Every corner of the museum feels like an aesthetic experience, from the stunning architecture by Eliel Saarinen, I.M. Pei, and Richard Meier, to the outdoor sculptures, rose garden, and reflecting pool that surrounds the building. Admission is free, which makes it even more remarkable. We especially enjoyed the current exhibition by Firelei Báez, an incredible Dominican Republic–born artist whose work is vibrant, thought-provoking, and beautifully displayed in the main gallery. The restaurant is a highlight with delicious food, warm service, and a gorgeous view that makes it a perfect stop during a visit. The art shop is equally impressive, offering thoughtful, high-quality gifts and creative finds you won’t see in typical museum shops. The staff throughout the center are welcoming and knowledgeable, and the workshops, lectures, and film programs make this a lively hub for art and culture in the community. We highly recommend the Des Moines Art Center. whether you’re coming for the rotating exhibitions, the architecture, the restaurant, or simply the peaceful grounds, it’s an unforgettable experience.

Elizabeth

I wish I could’ve enjoyed it more but it felt difficult to do so. I went for the Day of the Dead celebration and the art on show was lovely! It was a nice celebration of culture and history. I had a nice convo with a few of the employees in the gallery, it was lovely to hear their thoughts on the art! What brings down my review is some of the other guard staff, two in particular. They seemed to get hostile towards some of the other guests and other people that worked there, it was shocking to say the least. One of the guards that had long gray curly hair made me extremely on edge and uncomfortable with how she was looking at me. I tried to avoid her when I heard how she talked to other people, I thought the gallery staff were supposed to be kind? My other complaint was this intimidating guy that had a shaved head, I think his name was Rod. I don’t understand why these ppl think it’s okay to power tip at a free family event??? It was unprofessional and disappointing to see a lovely museum filled with people that behaved like that. I want to come back but it’s definitely going to be awhile. Why be rude when it’s easier to be kind? In summary, this place has fun art and activities but two staff made it difficult to relax and enjoy the space.