AMES, IOWA.- The Iowa State University campus is iconic for its beauty. Adding to the lush plantings and idyllic landscapes, University Museums' Art on Campus collection has been adding to this beauty for many decades.

This fall, University Museums celebrates additions to the Art on Campus Collection and the Anderson Sculpture Garden with the exhibition A Legacy in Sculpture, running through July 2026.

The works of art within the exhibition ask viewers to call attention to the impact humans have on nature, the environment around them 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, the hope is that by engaging with this exhibition a new perspective into Iowa State’s environmental landscape and legacy can occur.

"This exhibition creates new opportunities for interpretation between well-known sculptures in the garden and multiple new additions to the space," says Sydney Marshall, Curator of the Art on Campus Collection and the Anderson Sculpture Garden. "Newly installed Hive Mind by Beth Lipman explores the historic innovations of Iowa State University in bronze and glass, while new acquisition Kabuki by Karen LaMonte furthers the conversation of figural expression in the sculpture garden."

University Museum's Art on Campus Collection and program was first established in 1980. Since then, numerous works of art have been added, with over 2,500 public works of art now within the collection-- making it one of the largest campus public art programs in the United States.

"University Museums' iconic Art on Campus Collection provides access to a wide range of monumental works of art on a daily basis," says Marshall. "These sculptures in the heart of campus become part of the everyday experiences of campus life, and viewing art and sculptures within the garden landscape provides new opportunities for interpretation."

Indoor works of art within the Art on Campus Collection are viewable during building hours. Outdoor works of art are viewable all hours of the day. An online digital map and printable map are both available on the University Museums website.