Seeds of Memory

Open June through September in 2026, Seeds of Memory is a site-responsive sound installation by artists Anna Gebhardt and Philip Rabalais that transforms Wallace Farm into an immersive listening experience.

Created in honor of the 100-year anniversary of Henry A. Wallace founding Pioneer, this sound walk invites you to walk the historic farm and prairie using your smartphone and headphones. Triggered by listeners’ movements, recordings of piano, voice, saxophone, and synthesized instruments automatically grow and evolve in response to seeds found throughout the site.

From the pansies Henry A.’s mother used to teach him about cross-breeding to the hybrid corn varieties that helped shape the future of agriculture, Seeds of Memory offers a new way to experience the stories, sounds, and living history of Wallace Farm.

Please note that we will have a limited number of headphones available to borrow during Pizza on the Prairie and when staff are on site during the week, but we highly recommend you bring your own for a fully immersive experience.

Support for this project is provided by the Iowa Tourism Office and Iowa Arts Council, which exist within the Iowa Economic Development Authority.