No, John Pappajohn did not own Papa John's Pizza.
No, John Pappajohn did not own Papa John's Pizza.
The John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park opened in 2009. A partnership between the Art Center and the City of Des Moines, the park is an urban oasis located on 4.4 acres in Western Gateway Park, near downtown, with easy access to other amenities and attractions. It is home to dozens of monumental sculptures by artists from around the world, all of them donated by philanthropists John and Mary Pappajohn. This beautiful setting located in the heart of Des Moines is the perfect place to discover, reflect, rest, and socialize.
The park is beautiful and peaceful. Concrete pathways, trees, and gently rolling hills in the middle of a busy city. Since its founding, the park has become a landmark, a gathering place, and a point of civic pride for both the city and the state.
The park features over 30 large daring, modern or contemporary sculptures/pieces - estimated at over 40 million dollars! The park is free, has no gates, and is open daily from sunrise to midnight.
John Pappajohn was a prominent Iowa venture capitalist and philanthropist. Because of his name, people often assumed he founded the pizza chain, but he frequently joked that strangers constantly asked him for free pizza coupons he could not provide.
The park was opened in 2009 with 24 sculptures presented in public for all passersby to enjoy. The number of sculptures continues to grow and there are now 27 works in the park, creating an impressively varied landscape.
PS… there is a nice Starbucks near by!
