Beautiful outdoor park that you spend a good 30+ minutes walking around to admire the art. It was a…read moregreat place to walk through between locations on a hot Saturday.

Whenever I travel I make it a habit to visit sculpture parks and public art installations…read morethroughout the area I'm in. Overall I really enjoy our local parks here in the Des Moines metro including the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park. I think it ranks right up there with parks in some of the major metropolitan areas throughout the United States. That being said... I have to take issue with one piece... Gymnast III. Can we stop pretending that it doesn't look like what it really looks like? Lol It's described as it "captures the basic strength of a bending and stretching athlete..." I was on a school trip with my young daughter when the guide steered our kids away from a nearby nude female bust that used to stand near the Gymnast III statue. We passed by that statue...and headed right over to this one. I whispered to one of the other chaperones... "Really? Away from that one to this one...?" She quietly asked me what I meant. I told her "Just wait... As we walk around it... Let me know when you see it." A few seconds later she grabbed my arm tightly... "Oh my God!" she said in a hushed voice. But with enough emphasis I knew she was seeing it too... We both had a good laugh as the tour guide went on with her explanation of the piece to the children in the group. Both hoping none of the kids would see "it"... I didn't need those questions that day. I'm all about art. And I'm a big fan of the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park. It's a bright spot in the middle of downtown! But I can't help but feel like this piece is part of a HUGE inside joke... I wonder if the sculptor (William Tucker) said... I'm going to create this huge bronze phallic piece! I'm not going to call it what it is though. I'm going to call it Gymnast III and attach a PC interpretation explaining it... And sell it for A LOT of money! Then after the money is in the account...I'm going to sit back and laugh my butt off... Because I know what it really is!" And maybe it's not. Could just be my imagination or my inner 13 year old... BUT from the side it sure looks like one... Tucker also described some of his works as a "prolonged anatomy lesson." Again...really? I think he knew what it looked like too. Lol A popular spot for tourists and photographers. A showpiece many festivals are centered around. Opened in 2009 the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park sits on 4.4 acres. It contains around 30 installations. The parking around it is metered. You will find the Gymnast III statue on the North side of the park. About halfway down right along Grand Ave. Circle around it... Look at it from every angle. Take it all in... And then you tell me what you think...!

This place is extremely beautiful. The biggest downside to here is the hours on their website are…read morenot accurate. I came here to visit the inside and the arrive to a locked door. On the door was a note saying they are only open 1 day a week. I was able to peak in the window and see all the beautiful architecture. I was also able to explore the outside grounds too. However it can be slightly frustrating if your website says it will be open but you're not actually open. Overall this place is not huge and is a walkable distance to several other things. So I recommend walk past it to see if it's open. If it's closed, visit somewhere else.

This place is absolutely stunning inside. So clean, well kept. It was our first time & we attended…read moreCandlelight The Beatles. The staff were so pleasant, & helpful. I got a small sprite for $1. They had cocktails available. The bathroom immaculate. I would definitely recommend checking this beautiful building out given the chance! The symphony played for an hour & did an amazing job. I heard there is a beautiful garden outside however we rushed to our cars because of the cold temps.

A really nice cultural experience in the heart of Des Moines. The series of buildings includes the…read moreonly I M Pei design (same architect of the glass pyramid in the heart of the Paris Louvre). Iowa the Des Moines Art Center is a nice way to spend a few hours. Complementary admission and free parking is an added bonus and a fantastic value. And impressive selection of old world and modern art, including some more well-known artists such as Picasso, Goya, Cezanne, Miro, Lichtenstein, and an impressive selection of newer artists that definitely leave a lasting impression. I recommend that you stop, and even if only to see a few of the artists and a little bit of the architecture. Great gift shop too!

Spent an afternoon with artists Picasso, Hopper, Warhol, Matisse, Miro, Chagall, Klee, Monet, and…read moreothers...at the fabulous Des Moines Art Center! I did not expect to see some of the world's greatest artists in Des Moines. Instead, it was an elite venue at an incredible price point. Located in Ingersoll Park, 20 minutes from Ankeny and 10 minutes from the State Capitol, the Art Center is a must-see, beautiful venue with spectacular works, considerable spaces, and gorgeous grounds. Amazingly, it is free. Loved the Samantha Box "Caribbean Dreams" exhibit, a fantastic collection of photography and art. I also loved works by Stella ("Interlagos"), Kiefer ("untitled"), Francis ("Summer #2"), and Schnabel. We also liked the postcard exhibit. The building has an awesome vibe and incredible visuals throughout its spectacular architecture. There is a great gift shop and discounted items near the entrance. Sensational guidance and kindness from the museum's docents, notably Loretta, Issac, and Gabby.

WOW! The Law Library looks straight out of a fairytale. I swear it looks like the inspiration for…read moreBelle's library in Beauty and the Beast. The gorgeous murals and senate chambers were also impressive. We stopped here on a whim during a recent road trip and were pleasantly surprised by its grandeur and beauty. They offered a free tour, but we opted for a self guided tour instead so we could go on our own pace. We came on a Friday afternoon and someone who worked there told us it's the best day to visit since the place is so busy Mon-Thurs when legislators are in session, that it's often difficult to find a parking spot. But on this quiet Friday morning, we parked in the front row and had no line in front of us as we went through the security metal detector.

My visits to state capitols are few and far between, but after visiting the Iowa State Capitol, I…read morewant to make a point of visiting more whenever I travel to other states. My son started attending law school in Des Moines and so I was trying to see what the city has to offer. Visiting the capitol building was one of the things that kept popping up on things to do. We decided to check it out on a Saturday and luckily they do guided tours which I highly recommend. Completed in 1886, they have done a remarkable job preserving this place and showcasing it's beauty. It sits on top of a hill and offers great views of the city from every side. One of the first things you notice from the outside is the gold dome. The ornate outside facade carries inside where it is just as beautiful. You'll notice intricate wood decor as well as marble, gold and other beautiful materials. You can visit the historic supreme court chambers and see all the offices of state officials. The law library is by far my favorite part of the building. I felt like I was in some movie like Harry Potter or something. You have to see it in person to really comprehend the beauty. The wood and gold along with the spiraling staircases and law books stacked to the high ceiling was cool to see. If you aren't afraid of heights, you can take a long winding staircase at the top of the dome. We were one of the last tours so we didn't really get to really take our time and soak in all this place has to offer. I will most definitely come back next time I am in town visiting the kiddo. It was absolutely something I did not expect to see deep in the Midwest.

This nice piece of public art is located in Cowles Commons. It measures 28 feet deep, 94 feet wide,…read moreand 28 feet high. It was commissioned by the Des Moines Public Arts and is the work of artist Jim Calwell. The piece costed about $100,000 and is made of stainless steel, more than 8,000 full color LEDs, treated plexiglass. More specifically, the piece consists of 9 uprights and 18 stainless steel ellipses with embedded LEDs creating a form that functions as a static sculpture during the day and an illuminated, interactive piece by night. The piece's LED lights are programed to display prerecorded images each night at dusk to 2:00 AM. I saw the piece during the day. The best time to catch it is at night. It is a very nice piece and looks amazing (at night). This is a must see public art installation. I really like it. There is metered street parking and a commercial garage within a reasonable walking distance from this piece. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There is a ton of public art in the area to see and a nice plaza area across the street.

Nice, intimate space. Good lighting, focused on the pieces. I enjoyed the variety of art…read moreavailable. Appreciated the game provided to highlight the artist's home state, allowed me and my friend to spend more time talking about different artists and the pieces. During events, it would be nice to have small high top ables for drinks, snacks and papers. Liz and her assistant were attentive and engaging while we browsed.

what a fun little art gallery. lots of great art from great artists. it's a small venue, but plenty…read moreof beauty to look at. my mom and I went and throughly enjoyed it. many different mediums were used.

What a fun bit of Des Moines history that I've never heard of before! We had just finished up at…read morethe Art Center and my Mom mentioned the Salisbury House. I had no idea! We got to see it all gussied up for the holidays since we stopped in the week after Christmas. All of the different designers did a fabulous job of decorating each room differently. Plus what an amazing house to begin with. A touch of Art Deco because of the time frame it was built plus Tudor and Gothic inspo from Europe. Just amazing! The history of the family was interesting as well. What an interesting venue to rent for a party!

I had no idea the Salisbury House was even a thing until a little over a month ago. Although not…read morethe "ideal" time of year to check it out, I was very pleasantly surprised. After making an unintentionally dramatic entrance, I was greeted by two smiling ladies and a beautiful painting. After an informative session and pamphlet push, got the blessing to proceed with the self-guided, bottom-floor-only tour. This place is really cool, and structurally somewhat reminiscent of the missions of California, minus the religious element. Lots of old heavy wood, stone, ornate masonry, narrow hallways, cornices, etc. As steadfast as I am with respect for the rules of historic property, I had a reaaaaaaaally hard time keeping my hands to myself. I could feel that itch to touch everything I passed, so I mostly just had to keep my hands firmly clasped behind my back. A crackling oil painting is a very hard thing to not touch, as is a massive piano, as is a giant...hmm...what are those rotating cylinders with the tics on them that you wind up and they play a plinky music-box type song? Whatever those are, Salisbury has a big one, and you can hear it yelling play me play me play me! I really really wanted to see inside the library, because the collection sounds truly impressive. Worth a visit for sure. I'll definitely be back to get the full tour so that I can see the rest!

Such a cool venue full of artists. Their First Friday events (the first Friday of each month) are…read moreso much fun and pretty cool.

very fun outing. lots of little art studios. food vendor and little bars to quench your thirst and…read moresolve your hunger problems. several floors of different types of art. parking was limited. free admission. check it out.

Review Visit: September 15th, 2015…read more This blog contains a random story about how we stumbled upon this place and the strange tour we received. On a whim and after convincing someone to go on a 4 hour car ride to get burgers at Zombie Burger, we stumbled in to Des Moines with no idea what else we were going to do. Little did we know that it would entail burgers, bagels, and an tour of a governor's mansion. But no, this wasn't any ol' tour. It was by the maintenance worker. Before we got our fill at Zombie Burger, we were driving around Des Moines and seeing if anything caught our eyes. At some point, I see a brown sign that pointed to Terrace Hill. I asked the people I were with if they wanted to check it out and they all agreed. So, we ended up following the brown signs and we ended up at a place that was not a hill, but a mansion. As we parked the car and got out, we noticed some groundskeepers working on some bricks. They gave us an odd look, which I didn't find too comforting, but we progressed forward. As we approached the front door, we ran in to some other people who happened to stumble upon the place. We exchanged stories and it turns out, they also had no idea what the place was but were intrigued. At this point, a guy approaches us and asks what we are doing. We said that we stumbled upon the place and had no idea what it was. The gentleman introduces himself as the head of maintenance and that the tour guide is not there. Whether by luck or friendliness, he decided to give us a tour himself. He warned us that we will be getting a personalized tour as he normally doesn't do that. With that in mind, he took us in and started showing us around. I can't remember the minute details of the place, but he told us a lot of behind-the-scenes stories that we wouldn't have gotten during a normal tour. Stuff about how they transported a very expensive lamp as though it were any normal lamp but found out later it was worth a hefty sum of money. Stories on how they keep up maintenance around the place and all the little fixes they've done over the years. This continued as he gave us a in-depth guide of the first two floors. The 3rd floor was inaccessible as this is where the Governor sleeps. As for the 2 floors we were shown, I have to say it was excellent. There was a beautiful stained glass window between the two floors that I fell in love with. After the tour of the mansion, we were guided out the back and got a quick overview of the grounds. The yard was beautifully kept and made me wish we could walk around more to get a full view of it. As we rounded the house, the impromptu tour guide told us a hilarious story about how they had a bunch of squirrels and other small animals on the property that were acting weird. He said they were extremely lethargic and had trouble keeping balance. It turns out that these small animals were getting drunk off of some fruits that fell off a few trees and started fermenting. That mental image will never leave my head. Ha! As he wrapped up that story, he noticed the Governor's police protection people had shown up and were parked in the driveway. Upon seeing this, he told us that the time has come for us to go as the Governor was about to show up and the Security Officers might tackle us to the ground/questioned as we weren't supposed to be there. With that in mind, all of us thanked the guy profusely and went on our way. It was the best tour I have ever gotten, bar none. And that is how my friends, some strangers, and myself almost ended up tackled/questioned by the Governor's security and also how we ended up getting the best tour ever.

After living in Des Moines for 3 years, I realized I should start taking some tours of the local…read morehistorical buildings in the area to gain a better understanding of the town I live in. This happened to be on of the landmarks we decided to tour! If you drive on the interstate in town often, you'll see a sign that says "Terrace Hill Historical Building, Exit here". I never thought too much about that, but after visiting it's cool to know what they building is and it's history. For those who really don't know what it is, Terrace Hill is the Governor's house. Yes, the Governor of Iowa actually lives here with his family! The Governor lives on the 3rd floor of the house, which is off-limits to the public, the rest of the house is open for a tour. Parking...parking is terrible here, either I didn't find it or there really isn't a private lot for visitors. You need to find street parking in the residential neighborhood surrounding the building, at least parking is free. After parking, you walk up towards the Carriage house of the building, not the actual house (there are signs to tell you not to enter and guide you to the Carriage house). This is where the meet with the tour guides to begin to the tour (check the website for tour times, they are set). The tour is $5 per person, it is a guided tour, self-tours are not authorized. The tour takes about an hour and the history of the house is explained, it is a great story and learning about everything in the house was very interesting! Although the house does not appear to be as big as it is from the outside, there is still much to learn about it's history. I definitely recommend coming here for a tour! You will be educated and marveled by the beauty of the architecture!

This nice piece of public art is located in Cowles Commons. It is directly across the street from…read morethe Des Monies Civic Center and was commissioned by the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines, with a matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and donations from local sources. It costed $125,000 (in 1979) and is the work of Swedish born artists Claes and Coosje Oldenburg who created this piece in 1979. Contrary to popular belief at the time, the city's iconic red neon Travelers' umbrella sign did not play a part in the artists' decision to build the giant umbrella. The umbrella's concept is based off of Robinson Crusoe, the title character and famous castaway character from the novel by Daniel Defoe. Crusoe makes an umbrella from sticks and plants that he finds on the island where he is stranded. The umbrella does not function, but he still carries it with him everywhere. The piece was fabricated by Lippincott, Inc. and is constructed of weathering steel and painted with a green polyurethane enamel to help it endure the extreme Midwest climate. The sculpture weighs 20,000 pounds, and is 53-foot-long It is a nice piece that you have to view from a distance to really see what it is and get the artists' vision. The piece is in very good shape especially considering its age. There is metered street parking and a commercial garage within a reasonable walking distance from this piece. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There is a ton of public art in the area to see and a nice plaza area across the street.