The Stanley Museum of Art will launch its National Endowment for the Arts Big Read program on Jan. 20, 2025, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This event features a community wide reading of the novel Beloved by Toni Morrison. Pick up a free copy of Beloved at 12 pickup locations across Iowa City between Jan. 20 and Feb. 12, 2025.  Register here to pickup a free copy: https://uiowa.doubleknot.com/event/nea-big-reads-beloved-by-toni-morriso... An email confirmation must be presented to claim a book...

Enjoy refreshments, curator remarks, and an open house in recognition of the spring 2025 Main Library Gallery exhibit, A Roll of the Dice: Symbolism in the Sackner Archive, curated by Rich Dana. Event Schedule  4–6 p.m.: Reception and open house with curator Rich Dana 4:30 p.m.: Brief remarks in the Main Library Gallery  6 p.m.: Opening event ends 8 p.m.: Main Library Gallery closes (open late on Tuesdays) Admission to the gallery is always free. No RSVP required for this event. About the...

Join us Feb. 4 for Sarah Bond's lecture about her new book: "Strike: Labor, Unions, and Resistance in the Roman Empire" (Yale University Press, 2025).

Join the 2024-2025 Grant Wood Fellows artists for an evening of discussion about their work and research. The event will be accompanied by light refreshments. Panel members: Rush Baker IV (Painting & Drawing) Matthew Willie Garcia (Printmaking) Lyndsey Scott (Interdisciplinary Performance—Music) The Grant Wood Art Colony seeks to provide a creative home for the next generation of artists and continue Grant Wood’s creative advocacy in the School of Art & Art History and the Division of...

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...

Join us for a creative adventure at the Stanley Museum of Art! Children are invited to design their very own 4x4 inch mosaic tiles. This engaging artmaking program will allow young artists to explore patterns, colors, and textures as they piece together their unique creations. Perfect for kids of all ages and skill levels, this activity encourages imagination and creativity, while developing fine motor skills. Come and let your artistic side shine! Space is limited; please reserve your spot at ...

Join us for another installment of Night at the Museum, a series of monthly events for UI students that occurs on Thursday nights, when the museum is open late. This month, we're celebrating Valentine's Day for a whole week! We're giving students the chance to show what artworks they love in our galleries, as well as the opportunity to make their own art. Visit the Stanley Museum of HeARTs anytime during the week — we'll have paper hearts available at the front desk for students to leave on the...

Join us for another installment of Night at the Museum, a series of monthly events for UI students that occurs on Thursday nights, when the museum is open late. This month, we're celebrating Valentine's Day for a whole week! We're giving students the chance to show what artworks they love in our galleries, as well as the opportunity to make their own art. Visit the Stanley Museum of HeARTs anytime during the week — we'll have paper hearts available at the front desk for students to leave on the...

Join us for another installment of Night at the Museum, a series of monthly events for UI students that occurs on Thursday nights, when the museum is open late. This month, we're celebrating Valentine's Day for a whole week! We're giving students the chance to show what artworks they love in our galleries, as well as the opportunity to make their own art. Visit the Stanley Museum of HeARTs anytime during the week — we'll have paper hearts available at the front desk for students to leave on the...

Join us for the opening of the exhibition, it's a fine thing This exhibition explores the rich and often overlooked landscape of the Black Midwest, challenging conventional narratives and celebrating the resilience and creativity of Black Midwestern artists.  Program begins at 6 p.m. with opening remarks, followed by refreshments and music. Event concludes at 8 p.m. Learn more: https://stanleymuseum.uiowa.edu/its-a-fine-thing it’s a fine thing is generously supported by the Terra Foundation...

Join us for another installment of Night at the Museum, a series of monthly events for UI students that occurs on Thursday nights, when the museum is open late. This month, we're celebrating Valentine's Day for a whole week! We're giving students the chance to show what artworks they love in our galleries, as well as the opportunity to make their own art. Visit the Stanley Museum of HeARTs anytime during the week — we'll have paper hearts available at the front desk for students to leave on the...

Join us for four discussions of Toni Morrison's Beloved and the exhibition it's a fine thing, led by the Stanley’s curator of special projects and author of What Napoleon Could Not Do, Derek (DK) Nnuro. Register for each session by clicking the dates below, capped at 30 participants:  Feb. 15 (Pages 1 - 59) March 8 (Pages 60 - 195) April 5 (Pages 199 - 277) May 10 (Pages 281 - 324) Iowa City is one of 62 communities nationwide participating in the 2023-2024 NEA Big Read. From February...

Join us at the Stanley Museum of Art for our Sundays with the Docents tour where Stanley docents create unique tours to share with our audiences throughout the year. In the Art by Indigenous Americans tour, Docent David Duer will look at some of the ways Native artists examine and express their cultural heritage. The Muscogee poet and musician (and former U.S. poet laureate) Joy Harjo, in her poem “Conflict Resolutions for Holy Beings,” offers words that serve as our tour theme: “Recognize...

The Drawing Salon focuses on drawing artworks from the museum's collection. Each session will focus on a different artwork. The sessions will begin with an introduction and discussion of the selected work. Participants will be encouraged to pursue their own visions and to take inspiration from the artworks in the gallery. Pencils and sketchbooks/paper are the only artmaking materials allowed in the galleries. The museum has golf pencils with erasers and clipboards for participants to use...

Interested in learning about the ancient art practice of weaving? The Stanley has partnered with ICDD for the upcoming Free Week – a winter festival offering free programming at over 15 venues, celebrating Downtown Iowa City’s Cultural & Entertainment District from Feb. 18 to 22, 2025. Weaver and Graduate Assistant at the Stanley Museum of Art, Melanie Landsittel, will lead a workshop featuring many types of DIY looms and demonstrate the process of weaving. Visitors will be shown how to create...

Join us for a tour of the exhibition it's a fine thing through the lens of Toni Morrison's novel Beloved. This tour is presented in conjunction with the NEA Big Read. This tour is part of the Sundays with the Docents program where Stanley docents create unique tours to share with our audiences throughout the year. Registration is strongly recommended. Walk-ins are welcome, but tours are capped at 20 participants. Reserve your spot at https://uiowa.doubleknot.com/event/sundays-with-the-docents...

Write at the Stanley: A Generative Writing Workshop is back for the Spring Semester! Join us monthly to generate new creative writing inspired by works in the Stanley collection. Each session will be led by a different talented writer from our area, who will be offering a new prompt and a new approach to ekphrastic writing (writing inspired by visual art). Bring your own notebook and pencil or computer and leave with the beginning of a newly written piece. Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry...

Children are invited to build their very own tin box robots using tin boxes, bolts, and a variety of other hardware. This inventive artmaking program encourages young artists to explore their imaginations and transform everyday materials into whimsical robot sculptures. Perfect for kids of all ages and skill levels, this hands-on activity promises a day of fun, creativity, and discovery. Space is limited; please reserve your spot at https://uiowa.doubleknot.com/event/schools-out-at-the-stanley...

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...

Join us for four discussions of Toni Morrison's Beloved and the exhibition it's a fine thing, led by the Stanley’s curator of special projects and author of What Napoleon Could Not Do, Derek (DK) Nnuro. Register for each session by clicking the dates below, capped at 30 participants:  Feb. 15 (Pages 1 - 59) March 8 (Pages 60 - 195) April 5 (Pages 199 - 277) May 10 (Pages 281 - 324) Iowa City is one of 62 communities nationwide participating in the 2023-2024 NEA Big Read. From February...