Exhibit Celebration | It's Been Wonderful Knowing You
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Enjoy refreshments, remarks from the curators, and an open house in recognition of the fall 2026 Main Library Gallery exhibition, It’s Been Wonderful Knowing You: Wildlife Conservation and Advocacy Through the Lens of Jay N. “Ding” Darling.
Event Schedule
4–5:30 p.m.: Reception and open house with curators Lindsay Moen and Collin Vandewalle
4:30 p.m.: Brief remarks in the Main Library Gallery
5:30 p.m.: Opening event ends
6 p.m.: Main Library Gallery closes
Admission to the gallery is always free. No RSVP required for this event.
About the exhibit:
A Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist for The Des Moines Register, Jay N. “Ding” Darling (1876–1962) was also one of the nation’s most influential figures in the American conservation movement. Appointed director of the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey (later part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Darling made historic attempts to answer his growing concerns about industrialism’s impact on the environment.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of his birth, this exhibition explores the transformation of Iowa’s environmental landscape during Darling’s life and his contributions to environmental and wildlife conservation advocacy nationwide.
It also showcases how his legacy lives on today both locally and across the country, and how other Iowans have played key roles in our state’s conservation efforts.
Curated by librarians Lindsay Moen and Collin Vandewalle, It’s Been Wonderful Knowing You highlights the Jay N. “Ding” Darling Papers from Special Collections and Archives, specimens from the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, and more from across the Libraries.
The Main Library Gallery is open daily. Learn more about the exhibit and open hours at lib.uiowa.edu/gallery.
Event Schedule
4–5:30 p.m.: Reception and open house with curators Lindsay Moen and Collin Vandewalle
4:30 p.m.: Brief remarks in the Main Library Gallery
5:30 p.m.: Opening event ends
6 p.m.: Main Library Gallery closes
Admission to the gallery is always free. No RSVP required for this event.
About the exhibit:
A Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist for The Des Moines Register, Jay N. “Ding” Darling (1876–1962) was also one of the nation’s most influential figures in the American conservation movement. Appointed director of the U.S. Bureau of Biological Survey (later part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Darling made historic attempts to answer his growing concerns about industrialism’s impact on the environment.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of his birth, this exhibition explores the transformation of Iowa’s environmental landscape during Darling’s life and his contributions to environmental and wildlife conservation advocacy nationwide.
It also showcases how his legacy lives on today both locally and across the country, and how other Iowans have played key roles in our state’s conservation efforts.
Curated by librarians Lindsay Moen and Collin Vandewalle, It’s Been Wonderful Knowing You highlights the Jay N. “Ding” Darling Papers from Special Collections and Archives, specimens from the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, and more from across the Libraries.
The Main Library Gallery is open daily. Learn more about the exhibit and open hours at lib.uiowa.edu/gallery.
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Where is it happening?
Main Library Gallery, 125 West Washington St, Iowa City, IA, United States, Iowa 52242
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherUniversity of Iowa Libraries
