Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in a tour or program, please contact the Stanley Museum of Art in advance at 319-335-1727.

2026 Downtown Fall Gallery Walk promotional image

2026 Downtown Fall Gallery Walk

Friday, October 2, 2026 5:00pm to 8:00pm
University of Iowa Main Library

Join the Stanley Museum of Art, the UI Libraries, and the UI Museum of Natural History for the Iowa City Downtown District's ​Fall Gallery Walk! This annual free event invites everyone to take a self-guided tour of shops and galleries showcasing local art and exhibitions in downtown Iowa City. You don't want to miss these three premier campus destinations:

Stanley Museum of Art: To kick-off the Downtown Gallery Walk, the Stanley will launch the latest iteration of its Thresholds: Poetry series...

Threshold Poetry Launch with Robyn Schiff promotional image

Threshold Poetry Launch with Robyn Schiff

Friday, October 2, 2026 5:00pm to 5:45pm
Stanley Museum of Art

The Stanley will launch the latest iteration of its Thresholds: Poetry series with a 45-minute presentation by American poet, Guggenheim Fellow, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Iowa Writers' Workshop alum, Robyn Schiff. An excerpt of Schiff's book-length poem, Information Desk: An Epic, offering a wry, ekphrastic meditation on art and museum life, will be featured on the lobby wall that visitors can enjoy following the talk.

This program is presented in collaboration with the Office of Writing and...

Art & Write Night promotional image

Art & Write Night

Friday, October 2, 2026 6:00pm to 8:00pm
University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

Join the long, rich, historical tradition of artists creating in our spaces.

Professional, aspiring, and amateur artists alike, make our museum your muse. The return of this popular program series welcomes guests into the Museum of Natural History's magical gallery spaces after-hours to work on sketching or writing projects with other campus and community artists.

Tell a friend, grab a notebook, and join us on the first Friday of each month. We'll provide a new inspo prompt for each session and...

Night at the Museum: Spooky Crafts promotional image

Night at the Museum: Spooky Crafts

Thursday, October 8, 2026 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Stanley Museum of Art

Join us for our next installment of Night at the Museum—a series of monthly events for students that occur Thursday nights, when the museum is open late. 

This month we're hosting different spooky crafts centered around Halloween, complete with snacks. Join us to make scary monsters out of air-dry clay, color Halloween-themed coloring sheets, make fall mood boards, decorate masks, or explore a fall scavenger hunt in our galleries! 

Bring your friends to get into the Halloween spirit!

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Once a month...

Friday Crafternoons promotional image

Friday Crafternoons

Friday, October 9, 2026 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Stanley Museum of Art

Need a creative break at the end of the week? Swing by the Stanley on Friday afternoons to work on a craft project of your choice.

Bring your own in-progress project or start a new one using the various supplies provided. Try your hand at sketching, coloring, knitting, embroidery, origami, and so much more in a relaxing, low-pressure environment. Stay as long as you like and make new connections. Light snacks will be provided.

Friday Crafternoons occurs almost every Friday at the Stanley Museum of...

Friday Crafternoons promotional image

Friday Crafternoons

Friday, October 16, 2026 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Stanley Museum of Art

Need a creative break at the end of the week? Swing by the Stanley on Friday afternoons to work on a craft project of your choice.

Bring your own in-progress project or start a new one using the various supplies provided. Try your hand at sketching, coloring, knitting, embroidery, origami, and so much more in a relaxing, low-pressure environment. Stay as long as you like and make new connections. Light snacks will be provided.

Friday Crafternoons occurs almost every Friday at the Stanley Museum of...

Friday Crafternoons promotional image

Friday Crafternoons

Friday, October 23, 2026 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Stanley Museum of Art

Need a creative break at the end of the week? Swing by the Stanley on Friday afternoons to work on a craft project of your choice.

Bring your own in-progress project or start a new one using the various supplies provided. Try your hand at sketching, coloring, knitting, embroidery, origami, and so much more in a relaxing, low-pressure environment. Stay as long as you like and make new connections. Light snacks will be provided.

Friday Crafternoons occurs almost every Friday at the Stanley Museum of...

Write at the Stanley: A Generative Writing Workshop promotional image

Write at the Stanley: A Generative Writing Workshop

Sunday, October 25, 2026 2:30pm to 4:15pm
Stanley Museum of Art

Join us monthly to generate new creative writing inspired by works in the Stanley collection. Each session will be led by a different talented writer from our area, who will be offering a new prompt and a new approach to ekphrastic writing (writing inspired by visual art). Bring your own notebook and pencil or computer and leave with the beginning of a newly written piece.

Co-sponsored by Iowa City Poetry. Teen and adult writers in all genres are welcome.

Write at the Stanley meets every fourth...

Artist Talk | Duane Slick promotional image

Artist Talk | Duane Slick

Thursday, October 29, 2026 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Stanley Museum of Art
The 2026 Bette R. Spriestersbach Endowed Lectureship features internationally acclaimed artist and educator Duane Slick. Slick will discuss his 36-year studio practice across painting, printmaking, storytelling, and artist books, drawing heavily on his Indigenous heritage and Midwestern upbringing.
Friday Crafternoons promotional image

Friday Crafternoons

Friday, October 30, 2026 1:00pm to 3:30pm
Stanley Museum of Art

Need a creative break at the end of the week? Swing by the Stanley on Friday afternoons to work on a craft project of your choice.

Bring your own in-progress project or start a new one using the various supplies provided. Try your hand at sketching, coloring, knitting, embroidery, origami, and so much more in a relaxing, low-pressure environment. Stay as long as you like and make new connections. Light snacks will be provided.

Friday Crafternoons occurs almost every Friday at the Stanley Museum of...