Entry No. 4 — the Des Moines file — filed under: outdoor
South Des Moines Sculpture Park
“a 30-foot egg-shaped UFO with a smoke machine hidden in an old outhouse”
A self-built roadside art environment that locals call 'a poor man's Pappajohn's' — about 18 homemade sculptures including a 30-foot egg-shaped UFO with a smoke machine hidden in an old outhouse, a steel pyramid, and a 300-pound 'world's largest functioning paperclip.' Phil Barber and Chuck Mettler reclaimed a swampy illegal-dumping lot across from Barber's house and turned it into this oddball public park.
The story
Downtown Des Moines boasts the slick, multi-million-dollar Pappajohn Sculpture Park. South side locals counter with this place, affectionately dubbed "a poor man's Pappajohn's." Co-founders Phil Barber and Chuck Mettler took a swampy, overgrown lot across from Barber's house on McKinley Avenue—a stretch of land previously used as an illegal dumping ground—and reclaimed it with raw welded steel, found objects, and sheer persistence.
What resulted is a homemade outdoor art environment populated by roughly 18 whimsical, scrap-built structures. Scattered along the grass you'll spot a geometric steel pyramid, a 300-pound contortion of metal billed as the world's largest functioning paperclip, and a towering 30-foot egg-shaped UFO standing guard over the neighborhood.
The UFO isn't just decorative theater. Barber hid a smoke machine inside a vintage outhouse positioned nearby. During the park's annual September art festival—an event that raises money for an art scholarship for a student at nearby Lincoln High School—they fire up the fogger and blast a *War of the Worlds* soundtrack directly into the street.
What it's like
Don't search for a turnstile or a formal parking lot. This is a narrow, un-fenced roadside strip embedded in a quiet residential block. You'll pull off along McKinley Avenue, step onto the grass, and amble through the sculptures on foot. Visiting during daylight gives you the best look at the welding work on the paperclip and pyramid, though dusk offers a distinctly eerie ambiance. Keep your visit brief and low-key—you are exploring a labor-of-love backyard project directly across from the creator's front porch.
The move: Wander the narrow strip at dusk hunting for the weirdest piece (the UFO and giant paperclip are crowd favorites), then come back for the free September art festival when smoke machines fire up the UFO to a 'War of the Worlds' soundtrack.
📍 Before you go Look for it at the southeast corner of SW 8th St and McKinley Ave on the south side, a skinny roadside strip rather than a gated park, sitting directly across from creator Phil Barber's own house. There's no real lot, so street parking is limited and you'll mostly explore on foot along the narrow edge; keep it brief and respectful since this is a residential block and a labor-of-love passion project. Daylight makes the homemade sculptures easiest to read, while dusk is the most atmospheric. The big payoff is the free September art festival, when the UFO's smoke machine fires up, so aim for early fall if you want the full spectacle.
- 📍 McKinley Park (south side)
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 768-798 McKinley Ave (SW 8th St & McKinley Ave), Des Moines, IA
Hours: Free, outdoor, open public space; the smoke-machine/UFO spectacle runs during the annual September art festival.
Pair it with
- Monsterama Pubcade — Pair a walk past a 30-foot alien spacecraft with classic horror pinball and monster decor just a mile down on SW 9th.
- Malone Forgotten Arts (Greg Malone Blacksmithing) — Match homemade steel roadside sculptures with a visit to a veteran south-side blacksmith teaching traditional metalwork out of his home forge.
- Full Moon Hike at Fort Des Moines Park — Follow up an atmospheric dusk stroll through the art environment with a guided night walk through the woods less than two miles away.
Good to know
Where is the sculpture park located?
You'll find it at the southeast corner of SW 8th Street and McKinley Avenue on Des Moines' south side, sitting directly across the road from co-creator Phil Barber's residence.
How much does it cost and what are the hours?
It is completely free and accessible as an open outdoor space during daylight hours year-round.
When does the UFO smoke machine operate?
The outhouse smoke machine and its War of the Worlds audio soundtrack are fired up specifically during the free September art festival.
Where do visitors park?
There is no dedicated lot, so park along the street on McKinley Avenue, making sure not to block neighborhood driveways.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Roadside America · dmcityview.com
last checked: 2026-06-06