Museums Iowa
Art

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American Gothic House
Eldon, Iowa

Art, History

Famous as the backdrop of Grant Wood's 1930 painting, "American Gothic" Nice photo opportunity.

Anderson Gallery
Des Moines, Iowa

Art

Exhibitions of fine arts including faculty, student and juried shows.

Arts for Living Center
Burlington, Iowa

Art

Community arts facility offering fine arts and crafts classes for all ages, changing fine arts exhibition and music and dramatic performances. Adapted 1868 church building in historic Heritage Hill District.

Brunnier Art Museum
Ames, Iowa

Art, Culture, University

The Brunnier Art Museum is the state's only accredited museum emphasizing a decorative arts collection, and one of the nation's few museums located within a performing arts and conference complex (Iowa State Center). Founded in 1975, the museum is named after its benefactors, Iowa State alumnus Henry J. Brunnier and his wife Ann. The decorative arts collection they donated, the Brunnier Collection, is extensive, consisting of ceramics, glass, dolls, ivory, jade, and enameled metals.

Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Art, Culture

The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art has a collection of more than 7,200 works of art spanning many eras—from Roman antiquity to the present. The collection is particularly strong in American art, especially from the first half of the 20th century. There are a number of artists the Museum holds in great depth—including the world's largest collection of works of art by Grant Wood. The Museum also possesses a strong collection of Roman portrait busts donated by Tom and Nan Riley, and an extensive print collection from the 15th century forward primarily donated by Peter O. Stamats.

Coe College Art Galleries
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Art

An art gallery established to exhibit temporary exhibitions; mainly regional artists of all media and styles and Coe students. Tours and lecture available.

Des Moines Art Center
Des Moines, Iowa

Art

The Art Center focuses on 19th & 20th century art. It features traveling exhibitions, studio classes, a restaurant, and museum shop. The building was designed by Eliel Saarinen, I.M. Pie and Richard Meier.

Figge Art Museum
Davenport, Iowa

Art

Our museum truly brings people and art together. We offer workshops, classes, lectures, films, and of course art in our permanent collection, including our renowned Haitian collection. We also bring numerous world-class exhibitions to our museum. Most of all, we strive to be an arts center for the community.

Grant Wood Gallery
Anamosa, Iowa

Art

View a continuing exhibit of Grant Wood prints and photos of the original Grant Wood Art Colony in Stone City. Original murals on exhibit by Grant Wood from the old Chieftain Hotel in Council Bluffs. Gift Shop includes Grant Wood prints, books and memorabilia.

Iowa Arts Council
Des Moines, Iowa

Art

N/A

American Gothic House Center
Eldon, Iowa

Art, History, Historic House, Specialized

Strike your own American Gothic pose in front of the house that inspired Iowa artist Grant Wood to begin his most famous painting. Costumes and pitch fork are provided by the American Gothic House Center!

Art on Campus
Ames, Iowa

Art

Displays of public art throughout the Iowa State University campus.

Blanden Art Museum
Fort Dodge, Iowa

Art, Children's, Culture, Historic House

The neoclassical building, which is on the national Register of Historic Places, is located in the interesting Oak Hill District of Fort Dodge. Along with with beauty and historical significance of the museum, the Blanden maintains a high standard of exhibition quality and dynamic spirit of community outreach in the visual arts. The museum is dedicated to providing learning opportunities to engage the community and foster creativity.

Carter House Museum
Elkader, Iowa

Art

House museum with annex

Charles H. MacNider Museum
Mason City, Iowa

Art

Features a fine collection of 19th & 20th century American art, including the "Bil Baird World of Puppets", changing exhibitions and a full range of public programs, classes and events.

Coe College Permanent Collection
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Art

Galleries and other spaces located in the Stewart Memorial Library to house important art works and several large collections: the Marvin Cone Collection, the Conger Metcalf Collection and the Grant Wood Collection.

Dubuque Museum of Art
Dubuque, Iowa

Art

The new Dubuque Museum of Art opened in July, 1999, and provides rotating exhibitions and exhibits related to its permanent collection.

German American Heritage Center
Davenport, Iowa

Art, Culture, General, History, Library

A growing ethnic museum focusing on the German-American in the Midwest. Located in an historic immigrant hotel, this museum explores German American immigration to the United States on the impact these individuals and their descendents had on regional development.

Hoyt Sherman Place
Des Moines, Iowa

Art, Historic House

1877 mansion with art galleries and a 1925, 1400 seat, theatre.

James & Meryl Hearst Center for the Arts
Cedar Falls, Iowa

Art, Culture, Library

Small regional arts center and sculpture garden featuring temporary exhibits and a permanent collection.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

Wednesday, February 5 - Friday, February 7, 2025

Ina Dillard Russell Library Georgia College & State University

Milledgeville, Georgia

Hosted by: Georgia Association of Museums

The Whole Story Is The Meanin

“For the fiction writer himself the whole story is the meaning, because it is an experience, not an abstraction.”― Flannery O'Connor, Mystery and Manners: Occasional Pros

Join us in Milledgeville, Georgia, for the annual Georgia Association of Museums conference as we explore the profound wisdom of Milledgeville author Flannery O'Connor’s words. In a world where narratives intersect and perspectives diverge, this theme invites proposals that delve into the essence of storytelling within museums and cultural institutions. Our work in the museum field requires us to look at stories from as many angles and perspectives as possible so that we might do our best to tell the “whole story.

Through thought-provoking discussions, interactive workshops, and engaging presentations, we will uncover the layers of meaning embedded within every artifact, exhibition, and historical account. Just as O’Connor masterfully crafted narratives that resonate with universal truths, museums hold the power to illuminate the whole story behind many objects, artworks, and cultural phenomena

We will examine how museums can embrace inclusivity, diversity, and authenticity in their storytelling practices. By acknowledging multiple perspectives and amplifying marginalized voices, we can enrich our understanding of the past and present, fostering empathy and connection within our communities.

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

Monday, February 17 - Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Gaithersburg Marriott Washingtonian Center

Gaithersburg, Maryland

Hosted by: Small Museum Association

The annual SMA conference attracts more than 300 museum professionals, board members, and volunteers from a wide variety of small museums. They attend sessions on topics ranging from collections and education to staffing and board issues.

We offer a large Museum Resource Hall and plenty of informal networking opportunities for you to talk with (and get ideas from!) other small museum professionals and volunteers

Theme for 2025: Make It Happen!!!

Is there an exhibit, program, or fundraiser that you've been talking about doing for years? Do you feel stuck because of procrastination, lack of board support, or insufficient funds? It's time to take action

At SMA 2025, small museum professionals will share their tips and tricks of how they made it happen!

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

2025 California Association of Museums Conference

Tuesday, February 18 - Saturday, February 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Hosted by: California Association of Museums

CAM is hard at work planning for the 2025 conference, set to take place from February 18–22, 2025 in San Francisco. We look forward to highlighting best practices and innovative ideas from California's museum community

The California Association of Museums is excited to continue offering in-person programming for 2025. We will not be requiring proof of COVID vaccination/s, but highly encourage vaccination and boosters. For the health and safety of our colleagues, masks are also encouraged (but not required). Capacity and spaces will be thoughtfully considered in the planning of this event.

For more information, please email programs@calmuseums.org.

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

Wednesday, September 10 - Saturday, September 13, 2025

TBD

Cincinnati, Ohio

Hosted by: American Association for State and Local History

The 2025 AASLH Annual Conference, in partnership with Ohio Local History Alliance, will take place as the history field makes the final preparations to kickoff off the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

The 2025 conference theme, inspired by AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for Semiquincentennial, is an opportunity to broadly explore one of the guide’s themes, The American Experiment. For many in the American colonies in 1776, independence from Britain represented a “leap into the dark” into an unknown future

We are excited for you to join us in Cincinnati as we encourage discussion about our democracy and civic institutions and how they can help strengthen understanding, inspire action, and reveal ways that all of us can participate in and shape the ongoing American experiment.

For more information, please call 615-320-3203 or email info@aaslh.org.

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