Des Moines: Art, Culture and Green Spaces

If you’re looking for a hotel in Des Moines, your trip’s themes can help narrow down your options. The city offers a range of attractions: art in the sculpture park, historical collections, interactive science, botanical gardens, green spaces and cultural events. First, consider which of these will shape your stay. The destinations below each focus on something different: artworks, exhibits, hands-on activities, or nature and culture.

Art, History and Science

The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park is located at 1330 Grand Avenue in downtown Des Moines. It features works by more than two dozen of the world’s most celebrated artists. This makes the park a clear point of interest for a trip where art plays an important role; its address also places it downtown.

The State Historical Museum of Iowa offers a different perspective on history: it houses more than 80,000 artifacts, of which about 1,500 are on display at any given time. These figures distinguish the size of the collection from the selection on view at any one time. Admission to both the museum and its research center is free.

Interactive exhibits are the focus at the Science Center of Iowa (SCI). It also has theaters featuring special formats and unique programs that promote learning and entertainment for all ages. This offers a chance to weigh different interests: the museum focuses on artifacts and research, while the SCI combines interactive exhibits, film formats and programs. If you want to plan your trip around cultural or scientific themes, each of these attractions offers a distinct focus.

Green Spaces, Plants and Outdoor Activities

Des Moines Water Works Park spans 1,500 acres of green space. It is located at the corner of Fleur Drive and George Flagg Parkway, southwest of downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Park amenities include the Reichardt Family Natural Play Area. The park thus combines a large green space with a designated nature play area.

Cultural events are also part of the park’s offerings: the 2026 season of the Burnett Family Foundation Cultural Series includes free cultural events and performances at Des Moines Water Works Park. The seasonal Des Moines Biergarten is another distinct feature in 2026. This family-friendly pop-up beer garden has a German theme and offers beer in Maßkrüge (one-liter mugs) as well as German-inspired food. The cultural series and beer garden complement the focus on green space with different event and dining themes.

The Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden offers a different focus. Its conservatory houses thousands of plants, and the water garden has a boardwalk. The garden thus features two distinct points of interest: the plants in the conservatory and the water garden with its boardwalk. Together with the extensive green spaces at Water Works Park, these offer a selection of different nature-themed attractions without combining them into a single destination.

Decide which themes matter for your trip, then find a hotel in Des Moines that suits your plans.

Explore more destinations: Johnston, Grimes, Urbandale, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Clive.

Return to the main travel overview: Polk.