Opening August 26, 2022

Always Free and Open to All.

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.                                                                                                                                  

man and woman looking at lithographs

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. Read the latest news and find out what’s coming up on the calendar.

southeast corner of museum building with "University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art" visible on wall in foreground

You're Invited to the Opening Celebration

The grand opening of the new University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art will bring together the campus, the community, and all Iowans to celebrate the return of the collection and the opening of Homecoming, the inaugural exhibition. The celebration will extend through the weekend and includes the official dedication and ribbon-cutting at 3:00 p.m. August 26, followed by tours of the building and galleries, and free entertainment and activities in the museum and Gibson Square Park.

Mark your calendar and join us for an art-filled weekend of family fun!

A large abstract painting with swirls of yellow, pink, teal, and light greenish blue, amid longer, vertical, curved black lines that have a quality of dance-like movement.

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.

east front of museum with sky reflected in the glass

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 will be 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

Art & Write Night promotional image

Art & Write Night

Friday, July 1, 2022 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...
Art & Write Night promotional image

Art & Write Night

Friday, August 5, 2022 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...
Stanley Museum of Art Opening Celebration promotional image

Stanley Museum of Art Opening Celebration

Friday, August 26 3:00pm to Sunday, August 28, 2022 5:00pm
Stanley Museum of Art
Join us as we celebrate the opening of our new building! The 3–4 p.m. dedication on August 26 will include remarks from UI President Barbara Wilson and Stanley Museum of Art Director Lauren Lessing. Following the dedication, light refreshments will be served in Gibson Square Park. Beginning at 4:30 p.m. visitors can explore the galleries and enjoy curatorial introductions to Homecoming, the inaugural exhibition. Art-making activities in the park will be available all evening and there will be...
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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.

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