Art lovers, creatives, and those looking to expand their interests in Des Moines can take advantage of the city’s many cultural and historic structures.
From world-renowned artists to local talents, residents and visitors have the opportunity to experience beautiful, thought-provoking work in the museums and art galleries of Des Moines.
A modern and contemporary art museum, the Des Moines Art Center seeks to influence transformational experiences through exhibitions, collections, and educational programming.
In addition to exhibiting the work of national artists, the Art Center features:
Plus, admission is free!
Moberg Gallery represents contemporary artists from around the world who work in multiple media and forms. If you’re interested in witnessing the work of a diverse group of modern artists, this is the place for you!
Each exhibit is curated based on a theme that is affirmed or upended by the selected artists. After seeing an exhibit, you can learn more about the series and artists by visiting the website’s documentation page.
A short list of Moberg’s additional offers includes:
If you’re an art collector, the works on display can be purchased online.
Kavanaugh Gallery showcases the personal collection of Dan and the late Carole Kavanaugh, which might be why this gallery has a more intimate feel than others.
After a lifetime of collecting art for the pure joy of it, Dan and Carole opened their gallery in the historic Valley Junction shopping district in West Des Moines. The gallery features fine art from around the state, country, and world, including original paintings, an extensive selection of sculptures, limited edition prints, antique and reproduction prints and posters, and much more.
If you’re an artist, the gallery offers affordable, collaborative framing services.
Artist-owned Artisan Gallery 218 is the only Des Moines art gallery on this list dedicated to promoting the work of Iowa artists. Featuring the work of more than 40 Iowa artists, this fine art gallery has become one of the most-talked-about galleries in the area for its range of styles that cater to diverse tastes.
Spend the day admiring the beautiful artwork, take a class, attend or book an event, or decorate your home with artwork created by fellow Iowans.
A creative space located in downtown Des Moines, Mainframe Studios provides studio space for working artists, classes taught by artists, and gallery spaces for artists to showcase their work.
Mainframe Studios emerged from a need to fill a void in Des Moines’ lack of dedicated working space for professional artists. In fact, many artists were working from their homes before this space opened! Keeping to their roots, when the studio space is rented out for events, Mainframe Studios encourages them to feature various artists.
For those who like to mix their environmental ethics with their art appreciation, Polk County Heritage Gallery has a mission of maintaining a 100% sustainable, volunteer-run gallery with a multi-use exhibition space for artistic and historical exhibits.
Ready to visit some of the most compelling galleries and museums in Des Moines? Whether you’re traveling locally or from out of town, you have various transportation options to choose from:
The only thing that makes visiting an art gallery in Des Moines better is experiencing and discussing the artwork with like-minded people. When living in a community, it’s easy to do what you love, find joy, and live a healthy lifestyle that goes beyond diet and exercise.
If you’re interested in learning more about the opportunities awaiting you in Des Moines, read our free “The Complete Guide to Healthy Living in the Des Moines Metro Area.”