Stanley Museum of Art

Jackson Pollock's Mural

Detail photo by Dave Drogos

See yourself at the Stanley

Come explore our beautiful home - a campus and community hub of global visual culture.

Everyone is welcome.

Plan Your Visit Explore the Collections

Image of the front cover of "In a Time of Witness." It features a detail shot of Elizabeth Catlett's "Glory," with a yellow sidebar that features the book's title.

Award-winning writers find inspiration in the Stanley Museum of Art collection

Publication ‘In a Time of Witness’ pairs beautiful imagery with new literary works

The University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art announces the September release of In a Time of Witness, a publication highlighting the Museum’s celebrated collection.

Beyond a traditional exhibition catalog, the book pairs stunning imagery from the Stanley collection with original literary responses to showcase an innovative vision for art interpretation.

east front of museum with sky reflected in the glass

Visit

Our beautiful building is a cultural and social center where you can explore, unwind, meet, and create. Everyone is welcome.

Two students thoughtfully viewing artwork

Explore

Spark your curiosity with something new or stop by and see your old favorites.

A group of three university students look at a large African mask

Discover

The world-class art collection provides exciting opportunities for teaching, learning, and research.

Two women sitting on a green couch having a conversation

Connect

There’s always something exciting going on at your art museum. Find out what’s coming up on the calendar.

Gallery Hours

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Wednesday: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00–4:30 p.m.

Admission to the museum building will end 15 minutes before gallery closing.

Office Hours

Monday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Tuesday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Thursday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Friday: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Homecoming

August 26, 2022–July 2025

The Stanley's inaugural exhibition, Homecoming, reintroduces visitors to the museum's extraordinary collection. Homecoming comprises a series of related installations: “Generations,” which will foreground the University of Iowa’s history of innovative arts education and scholarship; “Fragments of the Canon,” featuring African art collected by a Black Iowan, Meredith Saunders; and “History Is Always Now,” in which the Stanley’s celebrated collection of African art will be displayed in a new way that emphasizes movement and cultural exchange through time and across space.

Aerial view of museum with campus recreation center on left and Main Library on right

The Building

Nestled between the Main Library and Campus Recreation and Wellness Center on the west side of Gibson Square Park, the new Stanley Museum of Art is a hub of learning and research for the University of Iowa and the state. The three-story, state-of-the-art building, designed by BNIM of Des Moines, Iowa, includes a range of flexible spaces for research, education, and exhibitions, and is ideally suited to serve as a center for interdisciplinary teaching, discovery, and community building.

Upcoming Events

Crosscurrents in Time: A Video Trilogy by Aline Motta (Exhibition)

Friday, March 31, 10:00am to Tuesday, August 1, 2023 4:30pm

Stanley Museum of Art

This multi-channel installation of three related videos will be on view in the Lauridsen Family Gallery at the Stanley Museum of Art. Aline Motta is a participant in Frequências: Contemporary Afro-Brazilian Cinema & the Black Diaspora, an Oberman Humanities Symposium & International Programs Major Project Award, held at the University of Iowa March 30 - April 1, 2023. Among the Atlantic waters that connect Brazil, Portugal, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, contemporary artist Aline Motta engages with...

First Stop at the Stanley

Friday, June 2, 2023 4:00pm to 6:00pm

Stanley Museum of Art

Start your Gallery Walk with First Stop at the Stanley! For the first time in Gallery Walk history, the Stanley Museum of Art will be joining as one of the stops. See the Stanley Museum of Art’s recent acquisition of Willie Cole’s Two-Faced Blues and the reinstallation of prints, photos, and textiles in the galleries. Then, enjoy refreshments and live music by the Blake Shaw Duo in the lobby. The Stanley will be open late until 6 p.m. After enjoying First Stop at the Stanley, head downtown for...

Art & Write Night

Friday, June 2, 2023 6:00pm to 8:00pm

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Join the long, rich, historical tradition of artists creating in our spaces. Professional, aspiring, and amateur artists alike, make our museum your muse. The return of this popular program series welcomes guests into the Museum of Natural History's magical gallery spaces after-hours to work on sketching or writing projects with other campus and community artists. Tell a friend, grab a notebook, and join us on the first Friday of each month. We'll provide a new inspo prompt for each session...

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