Seventeenth-century Venetian glass. Porcelain from imperial China. Jade carvings so intricate you'll wonder how anyone made them by hand. The Brunnier Art Museum (BAM) is where craft meets design meets "I had no idea this was five minutes from my dorm."

For fifty years, we've been stewarding, collecting and exhibiting truly world-class art that directly enhances Iowa State's curriculum and outreach. We're the only accredited museum in Iowa that emphasizes a decorative arts collection, and we're open to everyone, for free. 

Indulge your curiosity with something real—explore the galleries and take notice of the details, the light, and the effect it has on you. Come see for yourself.

Swan chairs in the Brunnier Art Museum gallery

Explore the Brunnier Art Museum

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Hours of operation

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Brunnier Art Museum

Location

Scheman Building, Top Floor
1805 Center Drive
Ames, Iowa 50011

Cost

Free. Donations fund our exhibitions, education programs, and student opportunities.

Closed

  • Mondays (ISU curriculum tours may be scheduled with a 2-week notice)
  • University Holidays
  • Iowa State home football game days

Parking

Free parking is available in lot B1 north of the Scheman Building. There are two reserved spaces for museum visitors directly in front of the north set of doors into the Scheman Building. Handicap parking, with a state permit, is provided in lot B1.

Accessibility

The main entrance to the Scheman Building (north side) is accessible for those with mobility aids: accessible parking spaces, one set of automatic doors, and elevators inside.

General visitor info  

History of the Brunnier Art Museum

Iowa State University President James H. Hilton (1953–1965) envisioned a state-of-the-art Iowa State Center to expand outreach education, the arts, athletics, and housing. Beginning in 1959, alumni and friends funded the project, and in 1962 Ann and Henry Brunnier joined the effort.

Henry Brunnier donated stock to the building fund, while Ann pledged a large collection of dolls and decorative arts. Although his gift was initially seen as more significant, hers proved more enduring. When her collection arrived in 1974, it filled two semi-truck trailers and totaled over 30,000 objects. The Scheman Continuing Education Building, including the Brunnier Galleries, opened on September 19, 1975.

Since 1961 when Henry and Ann Brunnier gifted their collections to Iowa State University, over 600 other private patrons have contributed more than 28,000 objects to expand the University Museums’ permanent collections. The bequest of the Edith D. and Torsten Lagerstrom Collection greatly expanded the areas of European and American decorative arts. Other collections have grown consistently as gifts were made over time, such as the W. Allen Perry Collection of Asian Arts, the Joyce Tomlison Brewer Collection of Native American Arts and the Iowa Artists Collection.

Today

The one-of-a-kind Brunnier Art Museum is the only accredited museum emphasizing a decorative arts collection in the state of Iowa and one of the nation's few museums located within a performing arts and conference complex. Founded in 1975, the museum is named after its benefactors, Henry J. Brunnier and his wife Ann. See ceramics, glass, dolls, ivory, jade, and enameled metals in the Brunnier Art Collection.

The permanent collection includes prints, paintings, sculptures, textiles, carpets, wood, lacquered objects, silver, and furniture. The regularly changing exhibitions, from the permanent collection or a visiting collection, provide educational opportunities for all ages. Lectures, receptions, conferences, university classes, panel discussions, and gallery walks are available to further the interpretation of these fine objects.

Current Exhibitions and Upcoming Events