National Building Arts Center, Sauget

About National Building Arts Center

The National Building Arts Center in Sauget, Illinois occupies a former Sterling Steel Casting Company foundry and houses the nation's largest collection of building artifacts. Visitors explore architectural pieces and building materials collected since 1973, including several complete or near-complete building elevations, ornamental metalwork, terra cotta, and structural elements. The center maintains an extensive archive and library focused on architectural design, materials manufacturing, labor history, urban studies and building conservation. Exhibitions change throughout the year, such as City 66: The Other Road, a free outdoor exhibition exploring Route 66 history. The center offers monthly campus tours on the second Saturday of each month, where visitors can see the foundry building and artifact displays. Researchers can arrange appointments to access the library and archive collections. Lectures and artist collaborations activate the collections, presenting the social and material histories of America's built environment through design, craft and historical context.