It's not exactly a "secret" garden — the Elizabeth and Byron Anderson Sculpture Garden wraps around historic Morrill Hall in the middle of campus — but its intimate nooks and impressive artworks can feel like an enchanting escape.

Christian Petersen bronzes from the 1940s sit in conversation with flowering greenery along winding footpaths. New Perennial Movement plantings and large installations by renowned artists define this outdoor gallery where there is always something new or changing to notice.

Bring a picnic. You may touch (but not climb!) the art. It's open 24 hours, year-round.

Reclining nude statue is pictured with flowers in the foreground.

Explore the Anderson Sculpture Garden

  • Article: Construction season comes to the Anderson Sculpture Garden
    • Collections
    • People & Partnerships

    Construction season comes to the Anderson Sculpture Garden

    Construction work near Beardshear Hall will affect access to the Anderson Sculpture Garden through the summer. Sculptures in the work zone have been wrapped and protected, and some sidewalks are partially closed until early August. A sample perennial planting bed in the area by Austin Eischeid (American, ISU '11) offers a preview of a planned 21,000-square-foot garden expansion, and donors can support that work through Forever True Day on April 1–2.

    March 26, 2026

Visit

Location

East and south of Morrill Hall
603 Morrill Road
Ames, Iowa 50011

Cost

Free. Donations fund our exhibitions, education programs, and student opportunities.

Hours

  • Always open

 

General visitor info  

Getting Here

The ISU campus is bike and pedestrian friendly. Morrill Road's west sidewalk is open for both pedestrians and bicyclists. CyRide operates several bus routes for maneuvering around campus and Ames.

Accessibility

There are paved sidewalks and no stairs in the sculpture garden.

History of the Elizabeth and Byron Anderson Sculpture Garden

The Elizabeth and Byron Anderson Sculpture Garden was made possible with a gift to Iowa State University by Elizabeth Anderson in memory of her husband, Byron.

Sculptures from the Art on Campus Collection and Christian Petersen Art Collection are permanently displayed in the Anderson Sculpture Garden alongside rotating two-year exhibitions by contemporary American public sculptors. Past exhibitions have featured works of Bill Barrett, William King, Gwynn Murrill, Charles Ginnever, and most recently Thomas Stancliffe.  

“The Elizabeth and Byron Anderson Sculpture Garden is an intimate outdoor space adjacent to Morrill Hall. Elizabeth Brookhart Anderson, a former student of campus sculptor-in-residence Christian Petersen, made a gift to establish this garden in memory of her husband in 2008. The garden is partially situated in a courtyard formed by Morrill Hall on the east and the Hub on the west. Here, the masonry walls of these two buildings provide a semiprivate enclosure for the enjoyment of sculpture, including several casts of Christian Petersen’s art. The garden extends along the walkway running south of Morrill Hall and across Morrill Road to the east, where Christian Petersen’s Panthers were installed in 2012. Planted with a variety of plant material, including ferns, hostas, roses, yews, and flowering trees, this garden marries art and nature to create a tranquil and verdant space.” 

– Campus Beautiful, pg. 305

The gardens today

The Elizabeth and Byron Anderson Sculpture Garden wraps around historic Morrill Hall. Shaded by flowering greenery, winding footpaths take visitors through works of primarily twentieth and twenty-first century American sculpture. This ranging collection of art represents the diverse character of modern and contemporary sculpture in a natural, accessible setting.

The garden reflects Iowa State’s long tradition of a beautiful, open campus first envisioned by its first president, Adonijah Welch. Located just northwest of central campus, it continues the university’s dedication to public art.

Current Exhibitions and Upcoming Events