The Building Campaign for the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art

MYMUSEUM

“Art is art, life, birth, death, you, me, the world, the planet Earth, the universe—the best human experience and activity.”

LIL PICARD, PIONEERING ARTIST AND CRITIC

There are more than 3.1 million people in the state of Iowa, and each one of them owns world-class masterpieces by the likes of Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, as well as ancient artifacts from across the globe.

That’s because the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art belongs to all Iowans—from the farmer in Crawford County and the professor in Winneshiek County to the elementary student in Sioux County and the nurse in Cedar County. They all have a stake in the more than 15,000 objects that comprise our top university art collection, and they all can say, “The Stanley Museum of Art is my museum.” Together, we have the chance to explore the “best human experience and activity.”

Sign Our Virtual Wall

Stanley Museum of Art invites you to help us turn our new home into a "signed original" by writing your name on our virtual wall between now and Wednesday, September 30, 2020! We will transfer your message onto a real wall, hidden within the building, before the construction team finishes its work.

Why This?

Our museum came to life in 1969, in a building on the banks of the winding Iowa River—a waterway that has helped shape our destiny. After the river rose to unprecedented levels in 2008, we found ourselves without a home for our outstanding collections. However, this challenge brought with it new opportunities, compelling us to think “outside the building” and find innovative new ways to share art with our communities.

Today, thanks to our highly successful outreach programs, we truly are “the museum for the people of Iowa”—offering free access to all our visitors—and we want to maintain this reputation far into the future. As we look toward this bright future, we see a new building on the horizon, and we’d like you to be our partner in making this home a reality. That’s why we ask you to join us in the Building Campaign for the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art.

The University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art transforms lives by connecting people throughout the UI community, the state, and the world with extraordinary works of art.

Why Now?

Though our many post-flood projects and art-sharing initiatives have met an important need in the state of Iowa, it’s still imperative that we give our exceptional collections, valued at nearly $500 million, a permanent home worthy of their stature. Artworks such as Pollock’s Mural—which has graced the walls of Peggy Guggenheim’s home and of art museums throughout the world—deserve to, once again, have a place of honor at Iowa. And our students, faculty, and staff deserve a dedicated space for research, discovery, and conservation work.

Construction began in August 2019 and is scheduled for completion by winter 2021.

Why You?

Since the flood, we have magnified our presence throughout the state and across the globe, even without a building. We have hosted more art events, launched more educational programs, and reached even more art lovers than ever before. We want to maintain this vital work—and our highly successful outreach programs—far beyond our move into the new building.

But we can’t do it without you. With your help, we can build a physical museum that is worthy of our collections... that will foster new collaborations and community connections... and that will make all Iowans proud to declare, “The UI Stanley Museum of Art is my museum.”