Bloomington, Indiana: Big Brain with Smart Lighting
Outdoor brain carved from limestone, weighs six tons. Claimed to be the "World's Largest Anatomically Accurate Sculpture of a Human Brain." Interactive lighting added April 2015.
- Address:
- 1101 E. 10th St., Bloomington, IN
- Directions:
- Outdoors, on the campus of Indiana University. From Hwy 45 turn south at the stoplight onto N. Fee Lane. Drive one mile. Turn right at the stoplight onto E. 10th St. Drive one block. As you come to a crosswalk look right; you'll see the brain set back from the street at the entrance to the Psychology Building.
- Hours:
- Glows at night. Local health policies may affect hours and access.
- Admission:
- Free
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
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Parking right in front of the big brain.
[Stephen Francia, 09/14/2023]Not that impressive. Smaller than I thought it would be. The lighting was not on... I guess you have to go there at night to see the lighting. I thought the lighting would be from inside the brain, but it is just spotlights surrounding the brain.
[Dave O, 01/22/2023]
In 2014 Indiana University unveiled the "World's Largest Anatomically Accurate Sculpture of a Human Brain." The seven-foot-tall, six-ton brain was carved out of limestone by local artist Amy Brier, who was inspired by Bloomington's "Brain Extravaganza" of 2012, in which the city was temporarily populated with dozens of large fiberglass brains (to raise brain awareness). In April 2015 the University made its World's Largest Brain even more brainy by enhancing it with multicolored lights that respond to nearby movement and change colors with the seasons and Indiana University sports victories.
According to Amy, the new lighting, "makes the brain dance."
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We did call it a "big" brain and not a "giant" brain, but we understand how reality can sometimes fail to live up to expectations. The spotlights are supposedly sequenced, highlighting different parts of the brain.