During your visit to the Des Moines Art Center, explore art drawn from the Museum’s permanent collection and special exhibitions. Outside, the 4.4 acre John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park features works of art by renowned artists. The Des Moines Art Center also offers dining at Baru at the Art Center and shopping in the Museum Shop.
Highlights of the Des Moines Art Center Collection
The Des Moines Art Center’s permanent collection numbers over 4,800 works of art, including more than 4,000 works on paper. Holdings include 20th and 21st century works of modern and contemporary art. Singular examples from other styles and cultures such as the Renaissance, Impressionism and post-Impressionism and 18th and 19th century Japanese woodblock prints are also included in the collection. Noteworthy works of art within the permanent collection include Maiastra by Constantin Brancusi , Georgia O’Keeffe ‘s Lake No. 1, Automat by Edward Hopper and Jeff Koons’ New Shelton Wet/Dry Triple Decker. Individual collections within the art museum’s permanent collection include: the Irma and Julian Brody Collection, John C. Huseby Print Collection, Louise Noun Collection of Art by Women, Paul and Anastasia Polydoran Collection and the Nathan Emory Coffin Collection.
Contemporary Art
The Des Moines Art Center’s contemporary works span from the 1960s to the present. Strengths within the Museum’s Contemporary Art collection include Minimalist and post-Minimalist art of the 1960s and 1970s with works by artists such as Sol LeWitt, Donald Judd, Robert Smithson, and Ellsworth Kelly. More recent acquisitions include key works by artists such as Mona Hatoum, Leslie Hewitt, Ragnar Kjartansson, Yoshitomo Nara, Anselm Reyle, and Dario Robleto.
Modern Art
An impressive range of works from the early 20th century that interpret the dynamic story of vanguard movements in the visual arts of Europe and the American continent are included in the Museum’s Modern Art collection. Modern art within the collection spans from the early modern period with works by American realist George Wesley Bellows, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper and John Singer Sargent to American modernists like Marsden Hartley, Georgia O’Keeffe and Arthur Dove.
John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park
Wander the 4.4 acre John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park, dotted with works of art by the world’s most celebrated artists. Highlights include Spider by Louise Bourgeois, Mark di Suvero’s T8, Back of a Snow Man by Gary Hume, Jaume Plensa’s Nomade and White Ghost by Yoshitomo Nara.
Dining at the Des Moines Art Center
Enjoy lunch at Baru at the Art Center, an elegant yet spare area designed to highlight the food within. From chicken coconut curry soup to quinoa salads and grilled salmon fillets, Baru at the Art Center’s menu features soups, salads and sandwiches as well as hot entrées.
The Museum Shop
Be sure to stop by the Museum Shop, located to the north of the Information Desk. Gifts and keepsakes including jewelry, cards, books, posters, magnets, home décor and items related to the Museum’s permanent collection, special exhibitions and the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park are available to purchase.
- The Des Moines Art Center is ADA compliant. Wheelchairs are available from the Des Moines Art Center’s Information Desk.
- Personal, non-flash photography is permitted in the Des Moines Art Center’s permanent art galleries.