Pasture to Present at the Sioux City Art Center

The Sioux City Art Center is a must-see for anyone living in or visiting Siouxland who likes art, and their new exhibit Pasture to Present elevates it even further. The short version is that it's a really nicely done exhibit that you should go see. The long version is: in conjunction with the re-installation of the newly restored Grant Wood Corn Room, the Sioux City Art Center is displaying a variety of other works of American Regionalism by the 20th century masters of that movement, plus more modern works that touch on rural themes. The resulting exhibit exceeded my expectations and was just really pretty and fun to see. Here's what you should know about this great exhibit:

When and where to see the Pasture to Present exhibit

The Pasture to Present exhibit is on display at the Sioux City Art Center from June 13th through December 6th, 2026. Admission to the Sioux City Art Center, including the Pasture to Present exhibit, is free for all ages. 

The Sioux City Art Center is located at 225 Nebraska Street in downtown Sioux City, Iowa. There is a small lot with free parking, and there is metered parking on nearby city streets which is free on weekends and in the evenings. 

Grant Wood's Corn Room

The star piece of this exhibit (and the Sioux City Art Center's permanent collection), is the Corn Room by Grant Wood, best known for his American Gothic painting. Wood's Corn Room is a series of murals that originally graced the walls of a room in the Martin Hotel in downtown Sioux City. It was wallpapered over and forgotten, but when the hotel was closed, it was eventually somehow uncovered and removed more-or-less completely intact, and each wall's segments were framed! 

The paintings found their way to the Sioux City Art Center's collections thanks to generous donors, and the set now represents one of the largest known Grant Wood pieces. 

But the Corn Room has had a tough life and was showing it. So in the 2020s, the Sioux City Art Center had the Corn Room meticulously restored, and finally reinstalled and unveiled it in June 2026. It looks better than ever, and during the Pasture to Present exhibit, you can see the Corn Room in its own dedicated space on the main floor of the Sioux City Art Center. 

American Regionalism in the Pasture to Present Exhibit

Grant Wood is without a doubt one of the masters of the American Regionalism movement of the early 20th century, but he's not the only artist of that movement whose works are on display. Works by Thomas Hart Benton and Lee Allen especially shine in this exhibit. Their works are uniquely Midwesty and I personally love them. 

New Perspectives in the Pasture to Present Exhibit

Artists from the 21st century also featured prominently in this exhibit, with their own gallery near the art center's front entrance. One of my favorite works was a beautiful painting by Margaret Wall-Romana, while my kids were fascinated by this painting that they noted "looks like Minecraft" close up which led to some great discussion of impressionism and art techniques. 

The paintings, sculptures, drawings, and other pieces in the Pasture to Present Exhibit felt impressive and cohesive, and we all found art that our eyes and hearts were drawn to.

Pasture to Present Events and Activities

There was an opening reception on June 13th from 5 to 7pm with refreshments and a speaker. I was unfortunately unavailable to attend, but it sounds like it was a great event!

And on an ongoing basis, a variety of Pasture to Present themed activities are available to kids just outside the Junior League of Sioux City Hands-On Gallery. I did get to check those out with my family, and my preschooler and elementary-age kiddo both thought they were so fun and really enjoyed the opportunity to make their own agriculture-themed art. I really hope the Sioux City Art Center makes this a regular thing to have kids projects and activities available that fit with the theme of current exhibits because it made the museum visit such a hit for all ages. 

More information on the Pasture to Present Exhibit

For more information about the Pasture to Present Exhibit specifically, please visit the Sioux City Art Center website. 

For more information about the Sioux City Art Center in general, that same website has many good resources, and you can check out my guide to visiting the Sioux City Art Center.

Whether you've been to the Sioux City Art Center many times or you're planning your first visit, I think the Pasture to Present Exhibit is an especially good one and I highly recommend visiting while it's on display.