All University Museums programs and events are free and open to the public unless noted. Programs and events are subject to change. Some events require registration. Some events have optional registration to receive updates and emails. Other events have no registration.
Support for programs provided by the Kathy & John Howell Art Enrichment Program and University Museums Membership.
Find parking information and current and upcoming exhibitions.
Step inside the Farm House Museum, where time stands still and the shadows whisper. Explore crafts and activities inspired by real Victorian funerary and mourning rituals—arrange your own funeral bouquet, etch your name upon a casket plaque, write your epitaph and sit for the faux-est mortem photograph. Complimentary snacks… for the living.
Read More on Museum Meetup | Memento MoriThe spiral of a shell, the symmetry of a flower, the seemingly impossible structure of snowflakes. Hidden in the flora and fauna of nature is a structure and a rhythm found in geometry and mathematics. Join a free guided tour of several botanical and nature-themed sculptures that center around the shapes and structure of life.
Read More on Art Walk: Geometry of NatureDiscover the artistic and cultural objects found in University Museums collections that tell stories from around the world. Michèle Schaal, Professor of French and Women's and Gender Studies, and Adrienne Gennett, curator of the Brunnier Art Museum, will guide visitors through the tales of origin, caution, and celebration on exhibit.
Read More on Curator’s Tour: Tell Me a StoryExplore the fascinating connections between art and technology at the Brunnier Art Museum. Free activities and crafts for children and families will focus on cityscapes, mapmaking, 3D modeling, and technology. Find inspiration from the exhibition Mapping Infrastructure/Mapping Agriculture, by artist Norwood Viviano. Activities geared for grades K-5; all are welcome! Stop by any time during the three-hour window, while supplies last. No admission fee or registration.
Discover the work of internationally recognized metal sculptor Albert Paley in this free guest lecture. Anne Pagel, Curator of the Karen and Robert Duncan Art Collection, explores how Paley transforms metal into bold, evolving sculptures that investigate form, materials, and innovation. Learn how his sculptures create a dynamic dialogue between art and architecture in public spaces, including Iowa State’s own Transformation, a public art installation at the east entrance of Morrill Hall.
Read More on Gallery Talk: “Albert Paley: Origins” with Anne PagelThe Christian Petersen Art Museum and Farm House Museum are closed during spring break. Come see the Brunnier Art Museum in the Scheman Building and enjoy the Anderson Sculpture Garden by Morrill Hall instead!
Read More on Closed for spring break: Christian Petersen and Farm House onlyMore information to come. Due to planned essential utility work in the area and for everyone's safety, we are anticipating a closure of the Anderson Sculpture Garden during March 16 - August 17, 2026.
We expect that access to Morrill Hall and the Christian Petersen Art Museum will remain unaffected during this period.
Join our mailing list for information about planned improvements following the reopening!
Read More on Anticipated Temporary Closure of the Anderson Sculpture Garden