In the center of downtown Des Moines, tucked among office buildings and restaurants, sits a larger-than-life collection of artwork unlike any other in Iowa.

The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park is a 4 1/2-acre park located in downtown Des Moines.

It is filled with world-class contemporary art.

Kohlsdorf: In the early 2000s, Des Moines residents John and Mary Pappajohn had an idea that would forever change the city's identity.

Known for their philanthropy, the Pappajohns saw a mutual opportunity in the city's revitalization of the downtown Western Gateway neighborhood and their collection of contemporary art.

They were driving through downtown Des Moines.

They saw this newly opened green space, and they thought, "Hmm, maybe we have an idea here."

They then called our former director, Jeff Fleming, and said, "I have an idea for you."

And they wanted to give a gift to the Des Moines Art Center and also to the city.

And they realized that they didn't want to just put sculptures onto this flat, green space.

So, they called in some landscape architects, and they created a beautiful outdoor museum.

There are these berms that are put up in the park to create these galleries.

And then the artwork was situated in these gallery spaces so the artworks would have conversations with one another, just as they do in a museum setting.

Kohlsdorf: With 16 sculptures from the Pappajohns' personal collection, plus nine additional works, the park opened to the public in 2009.

The open-air gallery has become a part of Des Moines' image, often appearing in photographs and works of art depicting the city.

The lush landscaping and thought-provoking sculptures draw the community into the park, creating a gathering space for festivals and celebrations.

Having art in proximity to people is super valuable to the building of a community fabric that is inquisitive, that is wanting to engage with the issues of our time, and it's surprising to see artwork outside.