Springfield, MO’s Best Street Art

This page has been updated with new information. 07/26/2019

Springfield isn’t a huge street art community, but we do have our fair share of masterpieces covering the walls of beloved businesses around the city. We’ve rounded up some of the must-see murals in the Queen City so you snap photos of underwater scenes, greeting signs, butterfly wings and so much more.

Greetings from Springfield, Missouri

Underwater Scene

Springfield in 1975

The original painting that depicts Springfield in 1975 was created by Robert E. Smith who was an artist, writer, singer and actor. He was born in St. Louis, but made Springfield his home in 1975. He was a self taught artist who gained national recognition for his work. His paintings have been shown at New York’s Museum of American Folk Art, Vanderbilt University and the Springfield Art Museum. The replica that appears off of Campbell Ave. on the wall of Fresh Gallery was created by Ben Bunch and Ryan Thayer in 2000 to honor Smith.

Wings

Another one of Ehrhardt’s masterpieces lives across the street from Black Sheep Burgers & Shakes, right next to Riad in downtown Springfield. The human-sized butterfly wings are becoming one of the most Instagrammed pieces of art in the city. There are also at least two more sets of wings in Springfield: blue and yellow wings can be found inside Dickerson Park Zoo, along with angel wings on the side of Tie & Timber Beer Company.

Bud’s Tire & Wheel

Bud’s Tire & Wheel was built along Route 66 in 1958, so it’s only fitting that the building is covered with two murals depicting the historic highway. The route was approved in 1926, and songs and television shows about the highway have been dedicated to the route. After the initial boom of the highway in the ‘50s, it was replaced by I-44. Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985, leading to many businesses along the highway closing shop, but Bud’s Tire & Wheel still stands. Today Springfield is working to preserve the legacy of Route 66 through The Missouri Route 66 Association. The Route 66 Festival happens each year in downtown Springfield and it draws thousand of people who want to learn more about The Mother Road.

Springfield’s Unofficial Flag

You can find a mural of Springfield’s unofficial flag on the patio of Hotel Vandivort. A group called the Springfield Identity Project is working hard to promote and legitimize this new symbol of downtown pride and unique identity. There is merchandise for sale that showcases the new flag at Five Pound Apparel and Town & County, and there’s a petition you can sign to help the cause. You can also just sit at Hotel V and snap a picture under the mural to spread the word. 

Cycling Murals

These cycling murals live on the building that used to be Queen City Cycles. They were painted by Jim Veronee who is known for painting these and the eye-catching mural at Traders Printing & Design. The building is now rented by the owners of Sharks Surf X Supply, but the art still remains.  

Octopus

Across from Rogue Barber is a large octopus mural that was painted by Ehrhardt. She pitched the idea to the owner of the building after telling him about the #417streetart project and he loved it. “I had seen an octopus painted on a building before (in a Google search) but wanted to put my own spin on the idea,” Ehrhardt says.

Harbell’s Mural

On the side of Harbell’s Grill & Sports Bar downtown is a mural that takes up the entire side of the building. It was painted by David Guinn in 2001 over the course of seven weeks. “It was meant to capture the feeling of that space at that time,” Guinn says. “I understand there’s been a lot of construction, so it might not relate to it as well anymore.” Guinn is based out of Philadelphia, but lived in Springfield for one year in the ‘90s. During that year, he painted his first mural in a bar called the Juke Joint that once lived on the downtown square. “It was my first mural as an artist,” he says.

Student Murals at Brick City 

There is an abundance of student-painted murals on wall across from Brick City Gallery. This mural is a replica of the Guernica by Pablo Picasso, which gives the message to end violence. According to a blog on The Standard, this is one of two paintings that were completed in 2016 by six students who were given the assignment to replicate famous murals as social justice pieces.

Bank Tunnel Murals

The Systematic Savings Bank tunnel downtown contains various murals. Two of them were painted by Ehrhardt. After the bank contacted her about coming up with ideas for the tunnel, they went with the $1,000 bill and the bank vault that both make for great photo ops.

Lao Tzu Mural

This new Lao Tzu inspired mural is located downtown on the corner of South and Walnut. The mural was created by Springfield native Brad Noble, with assistance from artists Francois Lariviere and Emily Million.