Hand-blown glass from 1920s Venice. 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. There are accessible parking spaces directly in front of the building, one set of doors has a wave-to-open sensor, and there are elevators inside.

General visitor info  

History of the Brunnier Art Museum

Iowa State University President James H. Hilton (1953-1965) had a vision of expanding outreach education, the cultural arts and athletics, and housing the programs in a state-of-the-art complex called the Iowa State Center. Beginning in 1959, private monies were solicited from alumni and friends across the nation for fifteen years, and in 1962, Ann and Henry Brunnier from San Francisco joined the effort. Henry Brunnier arranged for a substantial stock donation (IBM and American Lead) to the Iowa State Center building fund through a trust agreement. Ann Brunnier pledged a collection of dolls and decorative arts amassed over fifty-five years. At the time the gifts were made, Henry’s gift was considered the most significant, but it was Ann’s which proved to be the most enduring. The actual size of her collection was not known until its arrival at Iowa State in 1974, and to the astonishment of University administration, it filled two semi-truck trailers. Over the next six months, more than 30,000 individual objects were unpacked and inventoried, and on September 19, 1975 the Iowa State Center’s Scheman Continuing Education Building opened, including the Henry J. Brunnier Galleries on the top floor.

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 University Art 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