Anderson Sculpture Garden
August 2025 – July 2026
The campus environment nestled amongst the monumental architecture is designed to create a beautiful environment for learning, nestled with groves of trees and wide swaths of lawn for lounging. The everyday experience of walking campus can become mundane, however the sculpture garden and its perennial plantings invite passerby to slow down, take a mindful moment, and notice our changing environment. Sculpture can hold up a mirror to the powerful influence humans have on our environment, and in Iowa, with its landscape heavily changed by humans for agriculture, this influence is in constant presence. The works of art in the exhibition A Legacy in Sculpture call to attention the affects of this human influence on nature, and the consequences faced moving forward. Whether this is through the changing forest landscape caused by invasive insects, human innovations that make agriculture more efficient, or by stopping for a moment to reflect on human’s space in the natural environment, engaging with this exhibition may provide a new perspective into Iowa State’s environmental landscape and legacy.
Exhibition Educational Programs & Events
Artist Lecture: Karen LaMonte
September 26, 2025, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM (US Central)
Location: Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill Hall
With a career spanning three decades, artist Karen LaMonte has explored sculpture through various media, drawing on themes such as beauty, gender, and nature. Inspired by societal perceptions of beauty, in this lecture the artist will share insights into her creative process.
Austin Eischeid and the New Perennial Movement Sample Garden
October 1, 2025, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM (US Central)
Location: Morrill Hall
The now one-year-old New Perennial Movement Sample Garden in the Anderson Sculpture Garden is full of beautiful perennials, thoughtfully designed by ISU alum Austin Eischeid. Join Austin for a lecture followed by a stroll through the garden.
Preservation and Manufacturing in Public Art: Sawyer Krotz and Jake Behrens
October 28, 2025, 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM (US Central)
Location: Virtual on Zoom
Join University Museums staff, along with Sawyer Krotz and Jake Behrens from the ISU Manufacturing and Teaching Labs, for a behind-the-scenes look at their innovative work and recent collaboration on the History of Dairying project.
Visit the Anderson Sculpture Garden
Cost
The cost is free; donations are appreciated.
Hours
Always open
Accessibility
There are paved sidewalks in the sculpture garden.
The ISU campus is bike and pedestrian friendly. There is limited vehicle access to Osborne Drive and Morrill Road from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Should you need to access these roads during these times to visit the Anderson Sculpture Garden, please call the office at 515.294.3342 ahead of your visit to receive instructions.
Address
603 Morrill Road
Ames, IA 50011
Parking
Memorial Union Parking Ramp
2229 Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50011