Collections

The initial gift of Ann and Henry Brunnier was massive, with a significant focus on the decorative arts, one that is still unique to any museum in the state of Iowa. Ann had passionately gathered objects from around the world and across time periods building an expansive collection that today remains the core of University Museums' permanent collection. Since the first exhibition opened on September 19, 1975, the permanent collection has continued to build through many donors who have gifted objects and funds over the past 50 years. The focus remains on the decorative arts—including over 3,000 glass objects and 2,300 ceramics—but has grown to include Iowa artists (more than 1,750 objects), printmaking, and Depression-era art. The permanent collection includes more than1,500 prints and printing plates, 780 sculptures, and 750 paintings. The collections feature notable artists including Grant Wood, Japanese printmakers Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige, illustrator N.C. Wyeth, and glass artists Louis Comfort Tiffany and Dale Chihuly, among over 600 contributing artists and makers. 

Browse the Collection

Iowa State University is home to one of the largest campus public art programs in the United States. Art stewarded by University Museums is located across campus in buildings, courtyards, open spaces and classrooms—from Parks Library to Reiman Gardens and even in livestock buildings. Iowa State's public art contributes to a beautiful campus, and it is required to be intellectually relevant and utilized in curricula. The Art on Campus Collection and Program, formalized in 1980, includes acquisition, care and maintenance in addition to scholarship and educational programming. With the inception of University Museums came a responsibility to care for the objects in the collections but also a home for the art that had come into Iowa State over its history where it can be shared with Iowa State students, faculty, and all visitors.

Art on Campus Collection

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Built in 1860 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965 as the Knapp-Wilson House, the Farm House was home to Seaman A. Knapp and James F. "Tama Jim" Wilson. Documentation of objects original to the house was extremely rare, so it was decided to furnish the house with more than 1,300 objects from 1860 to 1910, reflecting the time period covered in the National Historic Landmark designation. Alumni and friends of Iowa State that had been following the restoration process through university publications offered their possessions for the new collection.

Explore the Farm House Museum Collection

Visit the Farm House Museum

University Museums works in conjunction with the University Library to exhibit the collection of Drs. David G. Topel and Jay-Lin Jane-Topel and Mr. Tung-Hsiang Cheng and Mrs. Chih-Fei Cheng. Along with their collection of art, the two families have generously donated funds to create and maintain this exhibition space in the Periodical Room of Parks Library to showcase their extensive collection of Chinese fine and decorative arts. The collaboration furthers the education and understanding of Chinese culture by exhibiting the beauty of traditional Chinese arts and examining their impact on arts throughout the world. The exhibition of scrolls and decorative arts changes annually.