Photo Credit: Public Art NOLA (New Orleans, LA)

Public Art

Outside, accessible and often created with a sense of place. Public art gives you a glimpse of the soul of a community. Want to really get to know the people of the Great River Road? Check out their public art.

~Minnesota~

Photo Credit: We Move Still by Jordan Rosenow and April Martin

Franconia Sculpture Park (Shafer, MN)

43 acre outdoor sculpture park. Exciting and intriguing with ever changing exhibitions hosting forty artists a year.

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Minneapolis, MN)

More than forty works of sculpture and called the crown jewel of the city’s park system, I’d have to agree.

~Wisconsin~

Dickyville Grotto (Dickyville, WI)

In the 1920’s a Catholic priest built this grotto out of stone, motor, and brightly colored objects. Guided tours of the folk art is available in the summer, free to visit but donations accepted.

Prairie Moon Sculpture Garden (Cochrane, WI)

You’ll see concrete sculptures that include a Rocket to the Stars, a Hindu temple, dinosaurs, even a miniature mountain. The artist worked on the garden until age 100.

~Iowa~

Self-Guided Tour (Bettendorf, IA)

A few of these pieces you’ll find across the water in Rock Island. The Quad Cities have some great outdoor artwork to check out.

Art on the River (Dubuque, IA)

Take a stroll along the river and enjoy! Even in the winter things are happening with a snow sculpture competition.

~Illinois~

Yarn Bombing (Alton, IL)

You’ve probably seen yarn bombing before, but Alton’s downtown takes it to a whole new level!

West Street Sculpture Park (Galena, IL)

Outdoor gallery of steel structures, a modern approach to outdoor art.

~Missouri~

Public Art (St. Louis, MO)

St. Louis has an incredible amount of public art. Where to start? Best bet, choose a region and hit the streets.

Clayton Public Art (Clayton, MO)

This suburb of St.Louis has world class public art structures by artists you might just recognize.

~Kentucky~

Wall to Wall Murals (Paducah, KY)

Once voted Kentucky’s most popular tourist attraction, these life sized paintings on this city’s floodwall (created by the Dafford Murals Team) is worth the quick jaunt off the River Road.