Public art has become a popular and effective way of building a sense of community and giving public spaces meaningful identity. Like all art, the works inspire observers to think about their world differently. This transformative quality gives public art an important educational role throughout the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.

The Public Art on Campus Program was established in 1988. Since then there have been more than three-dozen public artworks installed on campus. The University’s public art collection is highly visible, placed in areas where the pieces become a part of everyday life adding interest to parks, plazas, and indoor atriums.

Image: Eduardo Kac, Natural History of the Enigma, fiberglass, 2009.
Location: Outside the Cargill Genomics Building, Saint Paul campus

Public Art Resources

 Interactive Public Art Map + Audio Tour

The Weisman has an interactive map guiding you through highlights of the U of M’s Public Art on Campus artworks: audio stops, in-depth descriptions of the works, short videos made by student guides, and location information so you can easily find each artwork. Browse the interactive public art map here >>