Iowa State celebrates Public Art Day with series of tours
July 8, 2021 - Ronna Faaborg
The University Museums are celebrating Iowa State’s public art with a full day of tours on Friday. With more than 2,500 public works of art, Iowa State’s Art on Campus Collection is among the largest of its kind in the United States.
With a collection that vast, it can be daunting for art lovers to know where to begin, said Brooke Rogers, an interpretive specialist with the museums. But staff are ready to help, with five 45-minute tours throughout the day in the free, open-to-the-public event. Registration is requested at mueseums.iastate.edu, but last-minute attendees are also welcome, Rogers said.
“This is a first for us. We’ve had other variations of public art days, but they haven’t ever looked like this with a full day of tours,” Rogers said.
At 9 a.m., the “Campus Beautiful tour” will be led by Lynette Pohlman, director and chief curator of the University Museums. The tour will meet at the “Bighorn” sculpture by Gwynn Murrill in the Elizabeth and Byron Anderson Sculpture Garden, which wraps around Morrill Hall, 603 Morrill Road. “This tour is about the foundation of the university and the early vision of how the campus would look,” Rogers said.