The University of Iowa’s Art Building West has had a long and complicated history, including a devastating flood in 2008 that destroyed much of the building’s lower floors and resulted in it being abandoned for a decade. The school has put a painstaking effort into restoring it, and today, it has a stunning façade and is back to being used by art students. But one mysterious location on it raises many questions. Why is there a remnant of a much older building on campus, and why is this abandoned art building in Iowa of so much interest? Why not simply start over? Because the building once played host to Iowa’s arguably most famous son – the legendary painter Grant Wood, who called it his artistic home once upon a time. You can walk where he walked as this building comes back to life.

The University of Iowa Art Building West is a sprawling, modern complex that survived a flood in 2008, despite suffering serious damage.
University of Iowa
It's been heavily restored over the years and is now hosting students again. But there's a section that looks very little like the sleek modern façade.
Mohamed Gasim/Google Local
The old brick façade is the last remnant of the original 1936 art building, and it has been marked for future redevelopment by the campus.
PBS Iowa

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That's because it was once the studio and teaching grounds of the legendary Grant Wood, Iowa's most famous painter.
Grant Wood/Wikipedia
Not only did he teach here, but he painted some of his most famous works right here in the building - and it will remain standing as an homage to Wood.
Grant Wood/Wikipedia
But for students who explore the modern campus, they'll feel a million miles away from that history.
Art Building West/Google Local
While there is no timeline for the restoration of the original building, the modern building - designed in 2006, two years before the flood - is an eye-catching sight when the sun goes down.
Art Building West/Google Local

Have you visited this once-abandoned art building in Iowa? Tell us about your visit, and let us know what other Grant Wood sites you’ve visited in the area. The art building wasn’t the only one to suffer serious damage in the flood – The Stanley Museum of Art was severely damaged in that same flood, with many of its art pieces having to be sent elsewhere, but it’s now open in a new home and more spectacular than ever!

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Art Building West, Art Bldg West, 141 N Riverside Dr, Iowa City, IA 52246, USA