Home | Waterloo Center For

top of page

People interacting with large Sculpture on display

Welcome to the
Waterloo Center for the Arts

Gallery Hours

Tuesday – Saturday | 10:00AM – 5:00PM & Sunday | 1:00 – 4:00PM

Exception of Holidays

Admission for all WCA galleries is free

Current Exhibits

The Center collects Midwest Art, American Decorative Arts and International Folk Art, including
a significant collection of Mexican Folk Art and the worlds’ largest public collection of Haitian Art. Selections from our collection are always on display in one or several of our galleries at any given time. We also feature changing exhibits in ﬁve separate galleries throughout the building.

Colorful painting with yellow starburst-style background with a portrait of a woman and a mirror image side by side in a twin visual style. The woman is painted in shades of blue, splashes of purple and green with parts of the background showing through.
A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Brent Houzenga: Time Again”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Brent Houzenga: Time Again

Stencil painting of a girl with blue, red and pink paint abstract swooshes layered over a light gray background.
A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Chris Wubbena: Recent Works”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Chris Wubbena:

Recent Works

Colorful painting with abstract depictions of people in a concentric design around a central circle with abstract trees with a night sky painted in the center circle.
A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Memories of Woodie Long”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Memories of Woodie Long

A colorful painting vase of flowers on a table. The background is composed of painted squares in gray, blue and yellow.
A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Milton Wolsky: A Mid-Century Nebraska Artist”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Milton Wolsky: A Mid-Century Nebraska Artist

Mexican folk art painting in bright vivid colors. There are many colorful shapes and yellow flowers on green stems that surround a central figure of a person painted in green with a purple head.
A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Cielo Y Tierra: Mexican Painting Traditions”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Cielo Y Tierra: Mexican Painting Traditions

Image of beautiful water-like ripples drawn with thin light blue line work over a white background.
A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Boundless Folds”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Boundless Folds

An image of a medium-sized Mexican folk art statue of a jaguar that is covered with very intricate traditional patterns and design work. The shapes and patterns are created in mostly white and black on the belly of the jaguar. The top side of the jaguar has patterns in teal and a light brown.
A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Viendo La Vida”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Viendo La Vida

An image of a traditional colorfully beaded Haitian flag with a woman in the center with a flowing headpiece that is adorned with voodoo symbolism. The background of the flag has large and small clusters of sigils and other representations of deities.
o A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Haitian Art: Forged from a Vibrant Land and a Powerful People”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Haitian Art | Forged from a Vibrant Land & a Powerful People

An image of an iron pounded 2D sculpture. The sculpture is of a humanoid figure with wings crouched on top of a horse-like figure underneath. The sculpture has many small cutout details to represent feathers within the wings.
o A white box sits on top of the photo with text on top that says, “Fe Koupe: Haitian Iron Works”. There is a button under the text that takes the user to the gallery information.

Fe Koupe:

Haitian Iron Works

View Upcoming Exhibitions

What's Happening?

Mon, Mar 16
World's Greatest Spring Break for Kids!
Phelps Youth Pavilion
Learn more
Mar 16, 2026, 9:00 AM – Mar 20, 2026, 5:00 PM
Phelps Youth Pavilion, 225 Commercial St, Waterloo, IA 50701, USA
Enjoy $1 admission into the Phelps Youth Pavilion for the week of spring break!
Fri, Mar 20
Spring Artist Reception featuring Isaac Prior and Greg Hargreaves
Waterloo Center for the Arts
Learn more
Mar 20, 2026, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial St, Waterloo, IA 50701, USA
Join us for a combined celebration of Waterloo-based painter Greg Hargreaves and Ames-based drawer/jeweler Isaac Prior.
Sat, Mar 28
Dino Egg Hunt
Waterloo Center for the Arts
RSVP
Mar 28, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial St, Waterloo, IA 50701, USA
Go on a fun family dinosaur egg hunt!

Artist Receptions

Fri.
March 20 | 5:30-7:30pm

Isaac Prior &
Greg Hargreaves

Gallery Talk & Demo
Free Admission

A celebration of Waterloo-based painter Greg Hargreaves and Ames-based drawer/jeweler Isaac Prior.

Thurs.
April 9 | 5:30-7:30pm

Chris Wubbena

Film Screening
Free Admission

Interdisciplinary artist Chris Wubbena is known for his mixed-media sculptural compositions, multi-media installations, and large-scale public sculptures. In Petersen Town Hall, we will present a screening of his most recent work in film and reveal Wubbena's sculpture "We're Here".

Fri.
May 22 | 5:30-7:30pm

Amythest Warrington

Gallery Talk & Opening Reception
Free Admission

Hear the artist speak about her work in the context of pain and loss as well as unique properties of the ceramic medium.

Visit the Phelps
Youth Pavilion

Children's Museum Hours - View the Visit Page for Holiday Closures

Wednesday - Saturday | 10:00AM - 5:00PM & Sunday | 1:00 - 5:00PM

3rd Thursdays: The PYP will be open from 10:00AM - 8:00PM on the 3rd Thursday of each month during the fall and winter season.

Admission

$5 per person or $2 with the presentation of a valid EBT card for up to 4 people

Members are free

Subscribe!

Want to keep up with the latest news and event details? Sign up!

bottom of page