Foundation volunteers offer walking tours of downtown Des Moines every summer to educate the public about the balanced mix of historic and contemporary architecture in Iowa's capitol city.
Tour guides do not have to memorize scripts, so each tour is unique and different. Tours typically last 90 minutes and are approximately 14 city blocks in length. Comfortable shoes are recommended.
In addition, your guide may have worked on a building that is featured on the tour. If this is the case, you typically get more details as your guide worked on the design first-hand!
The tours begin at 5:30 PM the IAF office (400 Locust, Suite 100 in Capital Square) on the third Thursday of May, June, July, August, and September. Four different routes are offered and a Skywalk tour is available in case of inclement weather.
$10 per person. Proceeds benefit IAF programs.
A sampling of buildings featured on each tour:
North -- Homestead, American Republic, Scottish Rite Consistory, Ruan Center, Equitable Building
South -- Plaza Tower, Borlaug Hall of Laureates, SCI, RI Depot, Youngerman, Hotel Kirkwood
East Village -- City Hall, Armory, 300 E. Locust, Teachout, Historical Building, Northwestern Hotel
West -- County Courthouse, EMC, Wells Fargo, Davis Brown Tower, Hotel Fort DSM, Central Library, US Bank
