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 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.

Absolutely gorgeous from basement to attic. Beautifully restored and furnished with marvelous…read moreantiques. Great place for an event.

We had a truly outstanding experience at Witmer House this weekend when we rented the venue for a…read morefamily memorial. Every detail was exceptional from the food to the decor of the house to the service provided by the hosts. The venue itself is a wonderful place to hold an event as there are several rooms for guests to visit with each other, ample parking and beautiful details throughout. The brunch that was prepared for us was fresh, unique and the perfect fare for our guests. The chocolate chip cookies were sublime. I highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a unique, intimate yet expansive place to host a special event.

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.

An unexpected find on the property of the Iowa State Capitol was the Iowa Holocaust Memorial. But I…read moreguess I shouldn't really be surprised - many of the concentration camp liberators were Iowa citizens and many of the concentration camp survivors moved here after the war. Lists of the camps and the dates of their liberation are here as are many quotes from survivors and other notables. How do we bring about "Never again!"? By educating people and reminding them of the horrors that came before us. Kudos to Iowa on building this great memorial.

This Holocaust memorial is right in front of the Iowa State Capitol, just down the steps. We were…read morewondering around downtown and came across this somewhat small but mighty memorial. It was an excellent time to talk to our son about history and reflection. It was especially interesting to me as a German citizen and I recognized some of the cities in the pictures; the regions where I grew up. This sparked some great conversations among us and a good time to learn more about each other and our past as a while world. It is beautifully made to last forever surrounded by the front lawn of the Capitol and flower gardens. Make sure you stop by when in the area. Lots to be learned and reflected on here...

We went to Iowa to get married. I did the application through the mail, as there is a three day…read morewaiting period. I called the recorders office several times before I left Austin to make sure I had everything together. The big day arrives. We show up, and, are greeted by a very friendly clerk who goes over the license with us, then sends us on our way to get married. After the Judge did his thing, we went back and got the official copy of the license on the spot. No waiting! The lady who took care of us was super friendly and knowledgeable. Thanks guys. BTW the fee for the license is only $35.

Well the only times I came here was for vehicle registration changes, property tax information, or…read moremarriage license application. I had no idea they had a section of the building known as the Heritage Gallery! This Gallery showcases art works for different occasions from different artists. They update the works every couple months I believe. When we visited, they had local high school art work showcased and it was cool checking them out! The Gallery is not that big, all you need is 15 minutes max to take a look at everything closely and read their descriptions. Of course, this is free admission! There is a staff member at the desk to the Gallery for you to ask any questions about regarding the artwork!

We came here early on a Sunday morning and I highly recommend it because not only was the park…read moredeserted, there was plenty of parking close by. We wanted to see the iconic love statue while we were in the city and snap a photo, but we ended up spending a lot more time here than we thought we would. This is a beautiful greenspace filled with sculptures that range in style and size. My husband and I typically like very different styles and we were both able to find things we really enjoyed here so I think there is probably something for everyone. I particularly enjoyed "Nomade". It's a tall white metal sculpture made of words and the fact that it is so large meant we were actually able to go inside of it. It felt very immersive and it was cool to look up and see the words against the backdrop of a beautiful sky. There was another smaller white statue of a girl done kind of in an anime or cartoon style that I also really enjoyed. Although it's very walkable and makes for a lovely stroll, we did miss a few of the pieces because the park seems to be home to a small population of unhoused people and we didn't want to bother them as they were mostly still sleeping. The park is free and open to everyone so there is no reason not to stop and check it out if you're in the area. You have nothing to lose and a lot to potentially gain.

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...!

Want to learn more about this amazing state? Then plan your trip to take a tour of the exhibits at…read morethe Historical Building. Conveniently located near a free parking ramp and the State Capitol building (while you're at it, take a tour there too!). This building also hosts events. I have attended a roof top wedding reception and a day long symposium is the auditorium.

There are an excellent array of exhibits here! Ranging from early Iowa settler history, to civil…read morerights war, and everything in between until present day! It's free, and there's a good amount of info in short blurbs so it's all easy to read. There's interactive exhibits and it's all very clean. Definitely check this out to learn a lot about Iowa and US history in the context of Iowa. It's very kid friendly as well.