Olympic Sculpture Park

Description:

• Wow! The Olympic Sculpture Park is the best thing to happen to Seattle in years. Covering 9 acres of hillside, the park stretches from Belltown down to the waterfront at Myrtle Edwards Park. Strolling the terraces and zigzagging pathways admiring the art, you would never guess that this park was built on a former industrial site. The creation of this public space has been one of Seattle's most extreme makeovers. Modern and contemporary monumental sculptures are the focus of the collection, which includes works from regional, national, and international artists, including Alexander Calder, whose sculpture Eagle is one of the highlights of the collection. From just the right perspective, this sculpture perfectly frames the distant Space Needle. What a view! Other noteworthy works include Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen's's Typing Eraser, Scale X, Richard Serra's massive plate-steel Wake, and Split, a life-size stainless-steel tree by Roxy Paine. If the sculptures aren't enough to hold your attention, turn your eyes toward the views of Elliott Bay and the distant Olympic Mountains. Down along the water, you'll also find a perfect little beach that was constructed as part of the sculpture park. The beach feels as wild as any beach on the Olympic Peninsula.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2009
•  Very Highly Recommended 2010