It’s hard for present day Muhlenberg students to imagine their school without the iconic steel giant, Victor’s Lament, on the front lawn and the other sculptures that populate campus. However, many of these college landmarks were not constructed and dedicated until the mid to late 1900’s. During this time, art collectors and philanthropists, Philip and Muriel Berman, were responsible for funding much of the public art that are now staples of the Muhlenberg environment. They were also the founders of the Berman Art Museum in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and Philip became the chairman of the Philadelphia Art Museum Board of Trustees in 1989. Many of their public art contributions can be seen not only on Muhlenberg College’s campus, but also in various other locations around the Lehigh Valley area, including a collection in Cedar Beach Park.

While the Bermans are a linking connection of many of Muhlenberg’s public sculptures, each piece has a unique history. Some also precede the Bermans entirely. This tour will tell the stories of these works pertaining to their construction, artists, potential meanings, and the often controversial public perceptions that they generated.