The Wire — Events Calendar
August 2, 2026
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A Docent-Led Discussion of a Single Artwork, Sunday Late Morning
The Art Center runs Art for Brunch! as a monthly meetup for adults of any age, built around one work from the collection. A docent supplies questions and prompts rather than a lecture, so where the discussion lands depends on who turns up. No art background is assumed.
Good to know: Free, but registration is required. Brunch is not part of the program; the Art Center Cafe is open before and after for coffee and pastries. Held the first Sunday of each month.
When: Sunday, August 2, 2026, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm CDT. Where: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines.
Source: Des Moines Art Center.
Read the original A Docent-Led Discussion of a Single Artwork, Sunday Late Morning
Gallery Discussion and Coffee, Built for Adults 55 and Over
Creative Aging is the Art Center's monthly gallery program for adults 55 and older. A docent leads a collaborative discussion of one work of art, after which guests move to an informal social hour with coffee and tea. The stated aims are community connection and cognitive health as much as art history.
Good to know: Free, registration required. Two start times are offered, 12 pm and 2 pm, each session running roughly 90 minutes. Gallery seating is available.
When: Tuesday, August 4, 2026, 12:00 pm CDT, with a second session at 2:00 pm. Where: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines.
Source: Des Moines Art Center.
Read the original Gallery Discussion and Coffee, Built for Adults 55 and Over
Silent Disco, Storytime, and a Scavenger Hunt Across the Art Center
August's Social Saturday turns the museum over to drop-in programming for three hours: storytime in Levitt Auditorium at 11:15 am, a silent disco run by Iowa Silent Disco from noon to 2 pm, and an all-ages guided tour from 1 to 2 pm meeting in the Macomber Lobby. Studio crafts, a gallery scavenger hunt with a prize at the front desk, a Paint-n-Play station, and the cafe run alongside.
Good to know: Free, and no registration is required. The event is documented with photography.
When: Saturday, August 8, 2026, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm CDT. Where: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, across the galleries, Levitt Auditorium, Macomber Lobby, and the Art School studios.
Source: Des Moines Art Center.
Read the original Silent Disco, Storytime, and a Scavenger Hunt Across the Art Center
A Gallery-and-Studio Program for Autistic Children, Teens, and Their Families
Art Spectrums pairs a guided look at one work in the galleries with studio time making art inspired by it, structured for children and teens ages 5 to 18 on the autism spectrum together with their family members. The format is deliberately family-inclusive rather than drop-off.
Good to know: Free, monthly, and registration is required.
When: Sunday, August 9, 2026, 1:00 to 3:00 pm CDT. Where: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines.
Source: Des Moines Art Center.
Read the original A Gallery-and-Studio Program for Autistic Children, Teens, and Their Families
Guided Tour of Topographies, the Art Center's Mapping and Belonging Exhibition
A free guided walkthrough of Topographies: Mapping Being and Belonging, on view in the Anna K. Meredith Gallery through September 20, 2026. The exhibition takes its title from the Greek topos and graphia, place and writing, and works through how a visual map describes the natural and human-made features of a place.
Good to know: Free; no registration required.
When: Saturday, August 15, 2026, 1:00 to 2:00 pm CDT. Where: Des Moines Art Center, Anna K. Meredith Gallery, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines.
Source: Des Moines Art Center.
Read the original Guided Tour of Topographies, the Art Center's Mapping and Belonging Exhibition
The Museum Shop Discounts Its Entire Jewelry Case for a Week
The Art Center's Museum Shop is clearing its jewelry case, discounting every piece in that category by 15 percent for a full week in mid-August.
Good to know: Art Center members can stack their standing 10 percent shop discount on top of the sale, for 25 percent off. Runs during regular Museum Shop hours.
When: Tuesday, August 18 through Sunday, August 23, 2026; the calendar lists it as an all-day entry with no set start time. Where: Des Moines Art Center Museum Shop, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines.
Source: Des Moines Art Center.
Read the original The Museum Shop Discounts Its Entire Jewelry Case for a Week
A Weekly Guided Pass Through the Permanent Collection
The Museum Highlights Tour is the Art Center's general-audience walk through the permanent collection, covering paintings, sculpture, and other holdings along with the stories and techniques behind them. It is the entry point to the collection rather than an exhibition-specific talk.
Good to know: Free; no registration required. Public guided tours run every Saturday, 1 to 2 pm.
When: Saturday, August 22, 2026, 1:00 to 2:00 pm CDT. Where: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines.
Source: Des Moines Art Center.
Read the original A Weekly Guided Pass Through the Permanent Collection