Hoyt Sherman Place is a Des Moines landmark with more than 125 years of history. Originally built in 1877 as the grand mansion of Major Hoyt Sherman, the property later became home to the Des Moines Women’s Club, which expanded it to include the city’s first public art gallery and, eventually, a performance theater. Today, Hoyt Sherman Place houses a remarkable collection of nearly 2,000 artworks and historic objects spanning centuries of cultural heritage.

To help visitors explore this depth of history, we created a self-guided tour experience that lets guests move at their own pace. Built for tablets, mobile phones, and desktop browsers, the experience connects visitors to rich stories behind each space and collection item—pulling directly from the institution’s catalog system and delivering narrative context through audio, video, and QR-enabled content throughout the venue.