Poetry Maps

Maps are more than just guides; they open doors to worlds beyond our own. In 2023, the Museum of Northern Arizona embarked on a unique project, selecting captivating paintings from our fine art collection that showcase unique locations around the Colorado Plateau. We then invited our community to write original short poems corresponding to the art, bringing new depth to each scene. These paintings and poems serve as a map through place and time, revealing perspectives that form a collective connection to this extraordinary landscape.

For several years MNA and Flagstaff Mountain Line buses have partnered on a project to put original poetry matched to images from the Museum’s collection on city buses. The Poetry Maps exhibition grew out of this public art project. Submissions are now open for the next set of poems to featured with MNA art on buses. Poems can be written to go with any image or object in the Museum collection. For inspiration we suggest you visit the Museum in person, come for a tour of the Easton Collection Center, or visit the Museum collections online.

New poems are being accepted now through May 3, 2026, to go onto Mountain Line buses in fall of 2026.

Learn more about the project and how submit your poetry.