City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (515) 277-4405

Address: 4700 Grand Ave.

Insider Pick:

Description: An outstanding collection is found at Des Moines’s free art museum, located in a building whose design was created by three world-renowned architects that sits along a winding stretch of road on the edge of a residential neighborhood. The focus is on contemporary art, with Matisse, Jasper Johns, and Edward Hopper just a few of the many artists whose work is on display. Paintings, sculptures, and other works are arranged in a series of galleries that are laid out in a way that provides for a nice stroll around the museums, with some pieces located on the main floor and others on smaller upper and lower levels. Temporary exhibits have showcased the work of emerging artists, and the museum has also highlighted works by some of the artists featured in the city’s Pappajohn Sculpture Garden downtown. The museum also shows free films year-round and has numerous education programs, as well as “art backpacks” available for free at the entrance, with lots of activities for kids to do throughout the museum. Audio guides are also available, giving further insight into some of the works on display. The large white museum is really three buildings combined into one structure: a 1948 design by Eliel Saarinen, a 1968 addition by I. M. Pei, and a 1985 addition by Richard Meier. The styles of all three architects are readily apparent: Saarinen’s understated work in regional limestone and Pei’s low structure of limestone-based concrete have some similarities, but Meier’s really stands out: The building’s most recent architect used porcelain-coated steel tiles to create sweeping curves that can be a little jarring at first but also have quite a bit of flair. There’s a restaurant and gift shop in the museum. Closed Monday.