Priscilla Sage teaching a class
Original Home and namesake of the Octagon. Circa 1966
Gallery in the Octagon
Masonic Building. Circa 1919. Current home of the Octagon Center for the Arts
The Octagon was the vision of four women dedicated to promoting the arts in Ames: Veronika Ruedenberg, Martha Benson, Priscilla Sage and Janet Harris Squires.(pictured left to right).
Collegiate Manufacturing Company. Circa 1944
Logo 1966
About Us
The Octagon Center for the Arts is a non-profit community art center in the heart of downtown Ames, Iowa. A cornerstone of the cultural scene in Ames since 1966, the Octagon serves more than 30,000 people each year through art classes and outreach, rotating exhibits, a retail gallery shop, and the annual Octagon Art Festival.
The Octagon Center for the Arts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funded in part through memberships, donations, and grants, including the City of Ames Commission on the Arts (COTA) and the Iowa Arts Council.
© 2025 Octagon Center for the Arts. All rights reserved.
Octagon Center for the Arts
413 & 427 Douglas Avenue
Ames, IA 50010
Phone: 515-232-5331
Email: info@octagonarts.org
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Octagon Shop and Community Gallery
Monday-Wednesday 10:00am-5:30pm
Thursday 10:00am-7:00pm
Friday 10:00am-5:30pm
Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm
Sunday CLOSED (except during the holidays)
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