The Blanden Memorial Art Museum

The Blanden Art Museum has a permanent collection which includes modern American & European paintings, African sculptures, glassworks and 16th-20th century American, European & Japanese prints.


The Blanden also has adult and youth classes, art education classes, meet & greet artist events and family fun activities.

  • 1. What year was the Blanden built?

    A: 1932. The Blanden Art Museum is located in the Historic Oak Hill District of Fort Dodge, a city on the Des Moines River settled in the 1850s and developed as a mining, agricultural and commercial center of Webster County.

  • 2. What architectural style is the building?

    A: The museum is a neo-classical public building constructed on private land and financed by Charles Granger Blanden. The museum and grounds were donated to the City of Fort Dodge at completion in 1932.

  • 3. What internationally known artist works are located at the Blanden?

    A. There are many in our temporary exhibits, but two notable permanent inclusions are a glasswork by Dave Chihuly, and one of the famous Campbell's Soup cans by Pop Artist Andy Warhol.

  • 6. What different types of collections do you have?

    The Blanden prides itself on promoting diversity in its permanent and revolving collections. Pieces encompassing all media types (painting, textile art, repurposed materials, sculpture, metalwork, etc.) and themes are viewable.