University Museums is a distinctive organization that encompasses two art museums, a National Historic Landmark historic home museum, a sculpture garden, and one of the largest campus public art collections in the nation.
University Museums brings world-class exhibitions with educational programming to Iowa State University, actively acquires works of art to add to the more than 30,000 permanent collection objects, conserves and preserves collections, conducts and publishes curatorial scholarship, and fosters student engagement.
Each year, University Museums:
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Presents 80 educational programs, free to the public
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Serves more than 8,000 students in more than 30 departments and across all colleges through the Visual Literacy and Learning program.
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Curates and presents 10 to 15 major exhibitions
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Commissions, researches and publishes high-quality scholarship books on topics related to Iowa State’s arts, history, and the permanent collection
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Commissions over 20 new public works of art (PDF) for the Iowa State University campus
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Staffs three museums with trained educators
Reporting Structure
University Museums is part of Specialty Business Services and Cultural Arts (SBSCA) for Iowa State University, under the Senior Vice President of Operations and Finance.
SBSCA units are integral to Iowa State University’s pillars of excellence: innovative solutions, education experience, community engagement, and knowledge and discovery. The team fosters the university’s mission by providing:
- academic instruction and support;
- public learning and engagement opportunities; and
- convenient, customer-focused services.
All units provide opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience via student employment.
Accreditation