Lansing has a Mural and Street Art Scene and It’s All for You
The amount of hard work, creativity, and vulnerability it takes to present a piece of art on a large scale like murals and street art is colossal. The murals and art pieces around Lansing are beautiful gifts from some amazing artists – most local and others from around the world!
In some ways, the effects of mural art on a city can be hard to directly calculate. However, the experience we have personally is tangible – it inspires, builds creative place-making, and develops a sense of community.
Simply put – Lansing’s art is for the people – us. Let’s get out and enjoy it!
Murals, Street Art, Photo Spots
43 Iconic Photo Spots: Murals, Street Art, and Beautiful Buildings Around Lansing
My true motive for this article is to encourage us all to get out on the town and see how awesome Lansing is and is becoming! From world-renowned street artists to our own home-grown innovators and artists, every day our city is becoming more and more fun to explore.
The best part of getting out and taking pictures isn’t so much the picture itself, but the memories, learning, and conversations made as each spot offer something unique.
Have fun learning and making memories with your family!
Lansing Murals + Street Art Pieces
01) ARTPath Murals
Artist: Various
A) Address:
ARTPath starts on the Lansing River Trail starting at
100 E North St,
Lansing, MI 48906
(This piece is located under the 496 Bridge located between Impression 5 and the veer off to REO Town.)
Art Path is lovely from start to finish. But this stretch of Art Path is stunning, heartbreaking, and a must-experience for important and needed conversations.
Here are a few pictures of the many pieces under the bridge.
B) Address:
Adado Riverfront Park
201 E Shiawassee St,
Lansing, MI 48933
From afar this piece looks like a big frog with lots of bold color – super cool right? Well, up close is even better. Reading the artist’s statement is always helpful but this piece needs little to no explanation when you actually walk up to it…the tears of the frog are tadpoles.
C) Address:
Lansing River Trail
Located under the Kalamazoo street bridge.
As we rode up on our bikes to see this piece for the first time it was like a sudden punch of beauty! It’s gorgeous.
**For a full list of ArtPath murals see this map.
02) Lansing Media Center
Artist: Max Sansing (commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019)
Where to Find it:
2500 S Washington Ave,
Lansing, MI 48910
This futuristic and colorful work of art was a site of the Below the Stacks Mural Festival 2019. One of our writer’s daughter said of the piece “Look he has ‘Frozen’ powers!” We love this piece for these great conversations it ensues and the awesome addition it is to a southside neighborhood.
03) Centennial Building
Artist: Imagine (commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019)
Where to Find it:
511 South Washington Ave,
Lansing, MI 48933
Located directly across from the bus station this piece titled “All are Welcome – To Lansing, with Love from Nepal” is written in Nepali characters and a sweet message to our city where new beginnings are able to happen and anything is possible.
04) Pere Marquette Corridor
Artist: Royyal Dog (commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019)
Where to Find it: (parking on Pere Marquette Drive)
Directly behind
619 E. Michigan Ave,
Lansing MI 48912
Royyal Dog’s masterpiece is a painting of his wife. It’s absolutely breathtaking and a must-visit on foot so you can take in all of the detail.
05) Gillespie Red Building
Artist: Wing Chow (commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019)
Where to Find it:
413 N Larch St,
Lansing, MI 48912
This was a very cool piece to watch be created from start to finish. It’s last touches take it over the top with grand imagination and wonder.
06) Ahptic Productions
Artist: Werc (commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019)
Where to Find it:
901 Cleveland St,
Lansing, MI 48906
This is the work of what dreams are made of. Werc’s lion is LOVELY in pictures and absolutely AWE-INSPIRING in person. When you go see this I recommend parking on Cleveland St. on the south side of Oakland so that you can see it from afar. To get a closer look you’ll need to cross the busy street and park on the north side of Oakland on Cleveland st.
07) Polka Dots Building
artist: Nanibah Nani Chacon
Where to find it:
1207 Turner Rd,
Lansing, MI 48906
Nanibah graced our Lansing Old Town streets with this breathtaking mural after talking with many local northside residents and hearing their stories. It’s awe-inspiring and seeing it in person is spectacular.
08) The Grid Arcade and Bar
Artist: Sentrock (commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019)
Where to Find it:
226 E César E. Chávez Ave,
Lansing, MI 48906
This is a very special piece for Lansing for many reasons but a stand-out is that it depicts that blood, sweat, and tears create something beautiful. So true of our resilient city.
09) Old Town Vacant Lot
Artist: Muralmatics (commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019,) and Redhead Design Studio
Where to Find it: (Across from Elderly Musical Instruments)
1115 N. Washington Ave,
Lansing MI 48906
This building has two projects:
A) This Stevie Wonder tribute piece is an extra special gem for my family not only because Stevie Wonder went to school just down the street at the School for the Blind, but my little cutie-pie was the photo model for the artist, Dustin Hunt. I am forever thankful, Dustin!
B) To create a more vibrant spot in this portion of Old Town, Redhead Design Studio was commissioned to paint pieces to place on the building. We found them especially vibrant during the winter months when most of the area’s trees are bare.
10) Downtown Lansing Parking Lot
Where to find it:
Grand Ave. Downtown Lansing
You’ll be able to see this piece from multiple locations and views around Downtown Lansing, but do yourself a favor and go see it up close. It’s beautiful to look up at and gaze on from across the street on the west side of the Lansing River Trail.
11) Kean’s Store Co
Artist: Htown Ink
Where to find it:
406 S. Jefferson St,
Mason, MI 48854
In-person, you’ll love the beautifully whimsical feel this gives downtown Mason.
12) Bad Brewing Company
Where to find it: In the back patio of Bad Brewing
440 S Jefferson St,
Mason, MI 48854
If you eat outside on the back patio of Bad Brewing you’ll walk past this pretty mural. The steps are directly up against the walk. You can also gaze at it through the igloos.
13) REO Town BWL Parking Lot
Artist: Sentrock
Where to find it:
1132 S. Washington,
Lansing, MI 48910
World-renowned artist, Sentrock, placed his iconic bird on this building when AOTA occupied the space 2015.
14) Elderly Instruments Mural Wall
Where to find it:
1100 N Washington Ave,
Lansing, MI 48906
I bought my first instrument at Elderly Music – a violin. Walk through these nostalgic doors for breathtaking guitars and instruments or take pics by their mural wall.
15) The Cadillac Room
Artists: Sydney G. James, Birdcap, Spiz, and Eufoe (Commissioned by Below the Stacks 2019)
Where to find it:
1115 S Washington Ave,
Lansing, MI 48910
Riverview Church was one of the sponsoring walls for Below the Stacks Mural Festival 2019. Four artists collaborated on this large canvas. Two on the visiting artists on the east and two local artists on the west portions of the wall. It’s an amazing piece all together but each person’s art speaks for itself.
16) Hillbrook Park – Haslett
Where to find it:
1751 Lake Lansing Rd,
Haslett, MI 48840
You can’t see the park from Lake Lansing road, but you can see the mural art piece. This is a fun mosaic placed on two walls of a shed in the parking lot. Take a pic then play.
17) American Fifth Spirits
Where to find it:
112 N Larch St,
Lansing, MI 48912
The Love Lansing Mural is big and bold just like all of our love for this city!
18) Michigan Ave. Stretch
Artist: Various
Where to find it: Soup Spoon Building and many more sprinkled throughout Michigan ave from The Capitol to the 496 bridge in Frandor.
1419 E Michigan Ave,
Lansing, MI 48912
There are so many pieces along this stretch you’ll want to check out. If you’re going in the summer, walking the stretch starting at Soup Spoon heading east it’s nice to stop at the park by El Oasis near Ferris st.
19) Moores Park
Artist: Various unknown
Where to find it:
420 Moores River Dr,
Lansing, MI 48910
There are all sorts of pics to be taken here besides the mural on the pavilion. Here’s a list: The round pool, the graffiti wall in the pavilion, the three stacks, the river trail, and the spiral stone zen garden. You’ll probably find something else awesome as well. When you do #lansingplays so we can join the fun too!
20) REACH Art Studio
Artists: REACH Team, Students, Eufoe
Where to find it:
1804 S Washington Ave,
Lansing, MI 48910
The REACH team has a beautifully unique garden in the back of their building making way for beautiful and cool pics of your kiddos and their mural pieces all at the same time.
21) Under the Bridge Project
Artists: Lights by BWL, art by Brian Whitfield
Where to find it:
Under the 127 freeway on Michigan Ave between Frandor and East Side Lansing.
It was so cool seeing the lights at night for the first time! Now they, and the beautiful mural pieces underneath are a staple in our city as a corridor connecting Lansing and East Lansing in Frandor.
22) Under the Bridge MSU Campus
Artists: Various Unknown Artists
Where to find it:
Located on Farm Lane & Auditorium Road just beyond “The Rock.”
This is a super fun place to take the kids on a walk. Street art spans the entire under part of the big bridge.
23) Old Town Alley
Artist: 5 artists under the direction of REACH Art Studio
Where to find it: (behind Absolute Gallery next two Arts Council of Greater Lansing)
1208 Turner Rd,
Lansing, MI 48906
It doesn’t matter which end you start at – the art is beautiful and pics are grand.
24) Impression 5
Where to find it:
200 Museum Dr,
Lansing, MI 48933
Endless great pictures and fun await you at I5. Some of my favorite spots to take pictures of my boys are the water, nature, and light rooms as well as the building mural walls and sundial.
25) Preuss Pets
Where to find it:
1127 N Cedar St,
Lansing, MI 48906
The waterfall and pond structure in the front entrance is reason enough to pick this place. Don’t forget about the Koi fish ponds, huge parrots and birds, tortoises, spiders, fish, and the list goes on. There’s also a really great full wall mural that has just been redone!
26) ARTPath – Basketball Court Mural
Where to find it: Elm Park – Lansing Riverwalk entrance near Gumps BBQ (which is delicious, by the way.)
1105 River St,
Lansing, MI 48912
A mural has been painted on the full basketball court. Kids love to run around on it like a maze.
27) ARTPath – Wall Mural
Where to find it:
Under the Shiawassee St. Bridge
You can find this by walking the Riverwalk trail from Rotary Park towards Old Town.
A wing mural has been painted under the Shiawassee bridge on the Lansing Riverfront making a fun photo stop for all ages.
28) Cedar Street Art Collective
Artists: Eufoe, Spiz, and Loopcut
Where to find it:
1701 S. Cedar St,
Lansing, MI 48910
A new collab piece is now on the north wall of this fun creative space as an unofficial site of Below the Stacks Mural Festival.
29) Blue Owl // El Azteco Corridor
Where to find it:
213 Ann St Suite C,
East Lansing, MI 48823
An awesome view awaits you as you walk from the parking garage to all of the fun stops in East Lansing. It’s a nice view as you sip yummy coffee from Blue Owl EL too!
30) Redhead Design Building
Artist: Tiffany McGillie
Where to find it:
1135 N Washington Ave,
Lansing, MI 48906
This textured beauty is small but packs a big punch of color and inspiration to Washington street.
Public Art for Memories and Photos
These spots are fun for families to visit but also really beautiful to look at – Aka Instagram Worthy Spots.
31) The Michigan State Capitol
Where to find it:
100 N Capitol Ave,
Lansing, MI 48933
Beautiful iconic building = beautiful iconic shots.
32) Interactive Gear Head Structure: “Portrait of a Dreamer”
Artist: Ivan Iler
Where to find it:
Located where Michigan Ave and Museum Drive intersect. (As you turn to Impression 5)
This one is fun for all! You can turn the handle and watch the gears move.
33) Downtown Lansing Riverfront Peace and Love Signs + Beach
Artist: Ben Graham
Where to Find it:
325 City Market Dr,
Lansing, MI 48912
These sign installations are a great reminder to all passing by either walking, biking, and now just enjoying the new Rotary Park and Beach.
34) Lighted Forest and Rotary Park Beach
Where to find it:
313 N Cedar St,
Lansing, MI 48912
The much-awaited Rotary park is here and it is even better than we imagined. The grounds are kept up by Lansing Parks and Rec so the sand is lovely to hang out in with your kids. Visit in the evening for the dreamy lighted forest and boat launch areas.
35) Sculpture Walk LCC Downtown Lansing
Where to Find it: You can start at any of the sculptures but the Gannon Building is a good place to start if you’re new to the area.
422 N Washington Square,
Lansing, MI 48933
Taking this tour has 27 sculptures and doing this walk will make you see Downtown Lansing in a new, cool, and unique way. We did this for the first time last winter and had so much fun with the kids.
36) MSU Museum
Where to find it:
409 W Circle Dr,
East Lansing, MI 48824
The architecture at the MSU (Dinosaur) Museum is absolutely beautiful. Plus, they have fun exhibit changes throughout the year making this an ever-changing experience. Plus, the kids will love the dinos, snakes, and bear – Oh My!
37) On the River – River Town Adventures
Where to find it:
325 City Market Drive,
Lansing, MI 48912
The pictures are endless and the same goes for the smiles. Paddle down the river and take some beautiful shots. You might even see some turtles! BUT – don’t forget to pick up your waterproof pouch from River Town’s store before you go so your phone doesn’t get wet.
38) MSU Eli & Edyth Broad Art Museum
Where to find it:
547 E Circle Dr,
East Lansing, MI 48824
Read Melissa’s reasons to visit the MSU Broad and you’ll realize it’s more than just a piece of perfectly build architecture placed in the middle of Downtown East Lansing. But if it’s an outdoor adventure and gorgeous pictures you’re after this is a perfect stop.
39) The Jumping Pillow – Uncle John’s Cider Mill
Where to find it:
8614 US-127,
St Johns, MI 4887
Pics on the big pillow are adorable because the kids are having a blast! Try a pike or splits pic to get everyone laughing.
40) Sparty
Where to find it:
On MSU Campus where Beal street and Circle Drive intersect.
This can tend to be a little tricky – but look both ways and it will be so fun!
41) Scrap Fest Sculptures
Where to find it:
Preuss Pets, 1127 N Cedar St,
Lansing, MI 48906
Preuss Pets has several Scrap Fest pieces in their parking lot. One is super tall my kids think it looks like the BFG.
42) Fenner Nature Center
Where to find it:
2020 E Mt Hope Ave,
Lansing, MI 48910
Fenner Nature Center has many a great photo to capture but they also have fun art installments on their trailhead.
43) Granger Hill
Where to find it:
1745 Granger Meadows Ln,
Lansing, MI 48906
Climb to the top of Granger Hill for a great view of the city and park. Your kids will love this birds-eye view where you can capture a nice view of planes landing at the Lansing Airport.
MURAL ART MAP
Your Map and List to Find Murals, Street Art, and Iconic Photo Spots Around Lansing
Use this map to find the exact location of the above list.
Murals and Street Art Near Me
See All the Art – Take All the Pics: Social Media Never Looked So Good
You could trek around to all of them in one day or take an entire year to explore and delve into each location. Don’t forget to snap a pic and #lansingplays when you post.
Oh, by the way, follow us @lansingfamfun on Instagram! We’d love to interact with you and share more ideas together on the road.
Such cool events and places, thanks for sharing! I’ve definitely added some on my list. I’m with Explorest and we built an app that helps people discover 60+ beautiful photo locations in Michigan, and I think you’d enjoy it! We include the exact GPS coordinates & tips by the state’s best photographers. We also have locations in New York and California, across Asia and will be debuting in Europe soon. If you have a moment, check it out! https://www.explorest.com/