The City of Iowa City is proud to host the Historic Post Office Gallery at the Iowa City Senior Center (ICSC)! This exhibition program, which opens in January 2026, will feature rotating displays of local artwork in two public galleries inside the ICSC.

The program is a partnership between the Iowa City Public Art Program and the ICSC, which aims to make art more accessible to all residents. Exhibitions will rotate every two months and include a mix of solo shows, themed exhibits, and community collaborations.

Location & Hours

Located at 28 S. Linn Street in downtown Iowa City, the ICSC's new galleries include the Assembly Room Gallery and the Top Floor Gallery. Both spaces attract significant foot traffic through general programming and community events.

Artwork is generally viewable during the Senior Center’s regular operating hours, seven days a week, with occasional limits due to programs or room rentals. Guaranteed gallery hours:

• Monday–Thursday: 5 –7 p.m.
• Saturday: 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Sunday: noon – 3 p.m.

For questions about the gallery, including organizing special group visits, tours, or field trips, can be arranged in advance by contacting the Senior Center at 319-356-5220. Any questions about exhibiting in the gallery can be sent to Rachal Kilburg Varley, Iowa City Public Arts Coordinator, at rkilburg@iowa-city.org. 

Current & Upcoming Exhibitions 

Parables of the Future – Black Future Fest

The gallery will debut with “Parables of the Future,” part of a community-wide Black Future Fest celebrating Black creativity, imagination, and resilience.

The exhibition will feature a variety of works by local Black artists exploring themes of Afrofuturism within science fiction, history, technology, and cultural imagination. A community mural project will engage residents across all ages in contributing to a collaborative art installation revealed at the Senior Center during Black History Month.

The “Parables of the Future” exhibit will be on display from Jan. 19, 2026, until Feb. 27, 2026, with the Grand Opening to be held Feb. 14, 2025.

Black Future Fest is being presented in partnership with Public Space One (PS1), the Iowa City Public Library, FilmScene, and the UNESCO City of Literature as part of an Afrofuturism series inspired by the influential works of beloved science fiction author Octavia E. Butler. Her novels, such as "Parable of the Sower" and "Kindred," not only made her arguably one of the most influential science fiction writers but also a leader in the arts world for Black people, women, and more. She was the first science fiction writer to receive the MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship. "Parable of the Sower" became a New York Times Best Seller in 2020, 27 years after it was first published.

How to display at the Historic Post Office Gallery 

We will soon be calling for local artists who want their work displayed at the gallery. More information will be provided in February 2026. 

• ICSC Art Exhibit Policy 2025