Arts and attractions

Fountain of the Four Seasons

Fountain of the Four Seasons sculpture by Christian Petersen.

Exhibits Calendar

Anderson Sculpture Garden | contact

South of Morrill Hall, free

Brunnier Art Museum | contact

Scheman Building, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, $3 suggested donation

  • "The World in Perspective," prints by Amy Worthen, through Dec. 17
  • "Faces of Iowa State State," portrait series by Rose Frantzen, through Dec. 8

    Christian Petersen Art Museum | contact

    Morrill Hall, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, $3 suggested donation

    • "Game Art vs. Art Game," an interactive exhibition that explores independent game design and includes 15 games for visitors to play, along with prints of various game scenes, through Dec. 17
    • "The People's College: The Morrill Act and Iowa State," ongoing
    • "Commissioning a Collection: 75 Years of Public Art," ongoing

    reACT Gallery

    • "Water," an exhibition revisiting ISU's 1977 Iceberg Utilization Conference, Oct. 23 through Nov. 17.

    Design on Main Gallery | contact

    203 Main St., 2-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday

    • "Where is Here?" an exhibition of works by new faculty members at the College of Design, Oct. 13 through Nov. 4.
      • Reception, Oct. 13, 5-8 p.m.

    Farm House Museum | contact

    Central campus, Noon-4 p.m., Monday-Friday, $3 suggested donation

    Gallery 181 | 515-294-7428

    College of Design, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, free

    • "CyBorg Sessions: Women in Robotics," features works created with robots, Oct. 18 through Oct. 22.
      • Lecture: Madeline Gannon, Oct. 18, 1-3 p.m.

        Parks Library | contact

        Special Collections and University Archives, 403 Parks Library, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, free

        • "This Movement for a More Beautiful Iowa: The Early Years of Iowa's State Park System," ongoing
        • Online exhibits: archives.lib.iastate.edu

        Special exhibitions, 405 Parks Library, free

        • Homecoming Pop-up Exhibition, Featuring unique items from our collections, with focus on Iowa State University history & student life in 1960s, Oct. 27, 1-4 p.m.
        • Halloween Exhibition & Trivia, Fill out trivia forms (answers can be discovered in a spooky pop-up exhibition). Submitted forms go into a drawing for prizes, Oct. 31, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

        Memorial Union | contact

        Gallery, viewing based on room availability, free

        • "The Iowa State Fair," black and white photography by Kurt Ullrich, through Oct. 15

        Pioneer Room, viewing based on room availability, free

        • "Headspace," artwork by ISU alum Meghan Flynn, through Dec. 6. 
          • Reception, Oct. 13, 6-7:30 p.m.

        Multicultural Center, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-5p.m. Friday, 5-11 p.m. Sunday, free

          Reiman Gardens | contact

          9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, $8 (youth $4, free for members)

          Conservatory

          • "Cardinal Tide," Iowa State inspired plantings, through Nov. 11

          Gardens

          • "Washed Ashore," sculptures made from trash collected from beaches to graphically illustrate pollution in oceans and waterways, through Oct. 31

          Textiles and Clothing Museum, Mary Alice Gallery | contact

          1015 Morrill Hall, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday, free

          • "Talking Textiles: Communicating through Cloth," Sept. 11 through Nov. 11

            Reiman Gardens

            Reiman Gardens

            Campus attractions

            Highlights

            Best public rose garden

            Iowa State's Reiman Gardens has been named the best public rose garden in the U.S.

            Most beautiful campus

            Iowa State's campus includes over 600 public works of art and was rated as one of America's 25 most beautiful in the book, The Campus as a Work of Art.

            Carillon

            The 10-bell carillon chime installed in the Campanile in 1899 was the first scientifically tuned bell chime outside of England; the carillon has 50 bells today.

            Building of the 20th Century

            Iowa State's Stephens Auditorium was named Iowa's "Building of the 20th Century" by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Iowa Chapter.

            Most Grant Wood murals

            Iowa State has the largest Grant Wood murals in the nation, including two WPA projects located in Parks Library -- "Breaking the Sod" and "When Tillage Begins, Other Arts Follow."

            Seamless curtain

            The main stage curtain in Stephens Auditorium is seamless, made entirely of silk, measures 85 by 35 feet and weighs 3,000 pounds. It was woven in Kyoto, Japan, on the world's largest continuous loom.

            Accredited museum

            The University Museums at Iowa State is one of only 10 percent of museums in the nation to be accredited by the American Association of Museums.

            Medallion site

            Iowa State's central campus was one of only three university campuses to make the American Society of Landscape Architect's 1999 centennial listing of "Medallion Sites."

            Most Christian Petersen sculptures

            Iowa State holds the nation's largest campus public collection of sculptures by Christian Petersen, who was artist-in-residence from 1934 to 1955.

            Online art tour

            You can take a virtual look at some campus art with University Museums' Digital Art on Campus project.