Free events in Des Moines

Sunday, October 18, 2026

• Visual arts

  until Dec 18

  Terra Cotta Conservation in the Art on Campus Collection

  Christian Petersen Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

• Visual arts

  until Dec 18

  Christian Petersen: Memory in Metal

  Christian Petersen

  Christian Petersen Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

• Visual arts

  until Jul 23

  Create and Replicate - Single Object Focus

  Brunnier Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

• Visual arts

  until Dec 18

  Luis Jiménez: The Mythic Southwest

  Luis Jiménez

  Christian Petersen Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

• Visual arts

  until Jan 31

  Midwest Maker Series: Mary Merkel-Hess

  Mary Merkel-Hess

  Brunnier Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

• Visual arts

  until Jan 31

  Wood for Function and Expression

  Brunnier Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

• Music

  3:30 PM

  Groundswell – A Free Screening w/ Governor Tom Vilsack + Drake University - 10/20/26 @ 3:30 pm

  The Varsity Cinema

  • Music

  Free Tickets ↗

• Cinema

  —Time not announced

  Groundswell - A Free Screening w/ Governor Tom Vilsack, Laura Turner Seydel + Drake University

  The Varsity Cinema

  • Cinema

  Free

Friday, October 23, 2026

• Music

  5 PM

  Friday Soirée

  Maintenance Shop (M-Shop) · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Music
  • Theatre

  Free

Saturday, October 24, 2026

• Visual arts

  until Jan 24

  Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way: Contemporary Latinx Painting

  Des Moines Art Center · Greenwood-Ashworth

  • Visual arts

  Free

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

• Visual arts

  12 PM

  Art Walk: Metals Mastery

  Christian Petersen Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

Thursday, October 29, 2026

• Visual arts

  6 PM

  Museum Meetup: DIY Coaster Night

  Brunnier Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

Thursday, November 5, 2026

• Visual arts

  5:30 PM

  The Shape of a Seat

  Brunnier Art Museum · Ames (Iowa State University)

  • Visual arts

  Free

Friday, November 6, 2026

• Visual arts

  5 PM

  First Friday: Black Art and Culture

  Open studios · live music and food · 5-8 PM

  Mainframe Studios · Downtown

  • Visual arts

  Free

Everything on in Des Moines