Take an interactive tour through the community of Glenville, Ohio and downtown Cleveland, Ohio to learn how those communities played a significant role in the creation of Superman, the most popular superhero character of all-time.

Superman’s co-creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, grew up in Glenville and in that community, Siegel and Shuster were exposed to a world of inequality and injustice, which they incorporated into the character of Superman. Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, was based on their own experiences growing up as outsiders in a tough, working-class neighborhood. They saw Superman as a symbol of justice and hope, who could fight against oppression and make the world a better place.

Furthermore, the name of Superman’s fictional city, Metropolis, was inspired by Cleveland, which was often referred to as “the Metropolis of the West” at the time. Many of the buildings and landscapes in the comic book series were also based on real-life locations in Cleveland.

The tour is located at publicartpassport.com and is designed to help people discover and learn about public art in their local communities in Michigan’s Great Lakes Bay Region.

The tour features a curated selection of public art pieces, including sculptures, murals, installations, and other types of outdoor art. Each art piece is accompanied by information about the artist, the history and significance of the artwork, and its location.

The virtual tour currently covers cities and destinations such as Bay City, Frankenmuth, Midland, Saginaw, Delta College, and Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum at Saginaw Valley University. Once a destination is selected, users can browse through the various public art pieces featured in that area.

The Public Art Passport Project is a unique and innovative way to explore and appreciate public art across Mid-Michigan. It provides a platform for artists to showcase their work, and for art enthusiasts to discover and learn about public art in their local communities or when traveling to new cities.