Came here for school once. There isn't a lot to look at if you're not spending a good deal of time…read morehere with a group. It's not really a normal "museum" experience, but still neat that it is still standing.

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...!

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.

I love that we have a venue that provides opportunity to see some of the excellent work being…read morecreated by Iowa artists. Outside of galleries, such places are relatively scarce. If you enjoy such things, it is well worth planning a visit. Things to know: * The Gallery is largely volunteer-run. Kudos to the staff for giving up their time to make this happen * The gallery space is not large. If you are not there for a reception/opening, you can probably complete a visit in 30 minutes or less depending on how interesting the current work is * All parking in the area is paid. The easiest is metered street parking, but there are no coin-fed meters in this part of downtown so you will need to feed a parking kiosk (consider the ParkDSM app to make it easy), park in a city lot (one not quite a block away, or in the Polk County administrative offices lot (usually pretty full). * Nearest food and/or drink is within a one block walk * If you are traveling in to visit, it may be worth you effort to call the day before to verify gallery and./or exhibit hours. For a recent exhibit, I planned to visit on the last day of the show (per all social media, etc.), scheduled a business trip around it, took time off, etc. I arrived shortly after noon to find that the exhibit had been pulled down and the new one being installed. I have attempted other (less involved) stops over the years to find their doors closed at unexpected times. Again, consider checking in before visiting. Enjoy your visit!

This gallery gives local Iowans and other artists a place to show their work. This gallery is all…read morevolunteer-run and they are doing a damn good job with displaying art work and putting on receptions.

If you're looking for a relaxing break while exploring downtown Des Moines, I'd definitely…read morerecommend spending an hour or two at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden! The gardens are beautiful year-round, with a mix of tropical plants, seasonal flowers, and peaceful walking paths. The conservatory is my favorite part--it feels like stepping into another climate, and there are so many unique plants to see! Outside, you'll also find beautifully landscaped gardens overlooking the Des Moines River. Whether you're visiting as a couple, with family, or just looking for a quiet place to explore, it's an easy stop to add to your itinerary! If you're visiting Des Moines, I'd definitely put the botanical garden on your list!

Be sure to check the days they are open. Right now they are closed on Mondays. I knew that, but I…read morethought I could walk around outside even though they were closed, but no, it is gated. I will just have to come back another warm day! For what I could see, it's going to be a beautiful year although it looks like some renovation has started outside. This is always a fun place to visit for a plant lover.

I enjoyed stopping at Hogback Covered Bridge during a recent visit in Madison County. It's one of…read morethe bridges that is. It open to drive on, so it makes for a nice short walk to see the serene countryside. We took a gravel road there, I'm not sure that there is any other option.

Gayle and I recently took my Dad out on a road trip from Ames to Winterset. He'd been here before,…read morebut we took him along anyway as he enjoys the ride. Our first stop along the Covered Bridges Scenic Byway was the Hogback Covered Bridge. You can't drive though this bridge, but you can get a good look from convenient parking on either side. The architecturally distinct Hogback spans about 100 feet over North River, four miles northwest of Winterset. While most of the covered bridges were named for nearby landowners, Hogback was named for the hogback ridge at the west end of the valley. It was designed with a Town lattice truss system and was enjoyable to walk through both inside and out. The 2 Covered Bridges featured in the Bridges of Madison County movie were Roseman and Holliwell.

The Drake Municipal Observatory is a hidden gem located on the grounds of the Waveland Golf Course…read more(between the 27th and 18th holes) on the West edge of Des Moines proper and immediately north of I-235 at about 56th St. I've not been fortunate enough to be able to look through the 8.25 refracting telescope but I remain ever hopeful. You might think that an observatory in the center of the metro would be worthless (to be fair, the area was far less developed when the observatory was built in 1921), but might sky is more easily viewed than expected from this urban seeing. While you could better night skies stargazing at a park outside of town, the observatory provides the benefits of decent and convenient viewing, a neat location, and free classes as part of Drake University's obligation to the city. an astronomical observatory in Des Moines, Iowa. It is jointly operated by Drake University and the city of Des Moines, and is located within the Waveland Golf Course between the 17th green and the 18th tee (the highest point in Des Moines at the time of construction).[1] Things to know: * The observatory presents public programs on Friday nights throughout the spring through autumn months and, weather permitting, attendees can observe celestial objects with a variety of telescopes. * There is limited parking at the observatory. * Additional parking (or after hours) can be found east of the golf course on Observatory Road which is off of Polk Blvd. The observatory is a two block walk from the lot. * The observatory is in an active golf course. Be careful if you visit before dark. * As a bonus, deer frequent the golf course.

The Drake Municipal Observatory has a Friday night lecture at 8pm in the spring, summer and fall…read more Finding the observatory was a little challenging. It's at Waveland Golf Course but do not enter at the general entrance. The room for the lecture was full so we went to the top where the big giant telescope is. There's also a few other smaller telescopes that are set up for visitors. We saw Saturn, Mars, the moon and set of stars. It was pretty cool. The building has a lot of history. It's nice to have something like this to do with family and friends- or if you want to learn more abou

Let me first start by saying, everyone is so nice in Iowa. Having said that, Margie takes the cake…read moreon sweet. In fact, I think after meeting her my wife and I have to see the dentist because we might have cavities. When we walked in, we explained we just wanted to make a penny from the penny machine. Margie asked if we had a shiny enough penny for our collection. We told her no. Margie then dug through all the pennies in the drawer to find my wife and I's future penny. Margie found the chosen one and gave it to us. We made our penny. On top of which, the museum was going to close shortly, so Margie allowed us to just check out the museum. Iowa takes great pride in their state and people. My wife and I were in and out in 10 minutes, but we left with a life time of memories. Thank you very much again Margie.

I was able to stop in to this unique and very nice museum of local High School sports and…read moreactivities features. There are interactive exibits along with a lot of items to read and become immersed in. There is a nice meeting space for presentations, etc. The staff were quite friendly and they support the community well. Features all the regular sports like basketball, football, baseball, etc. but also sports and activities such as dance, bowling, agriculture and more. So many of the things that make the state of Iowa a great place. Worth a stop in to see it all. Take your time and enjoy.