I mean, what can be said about this strange abandoned art installation that hasn't been said…read morealready. It's not a great area, there's currently a homeless encampment right behind it. It has a chain link fence surrounding it giving it a 'We haven't torn this down yet' vibe. Being from the Bay Area and having seen pieces created at The Crucible I personally would call it exceptionally lazy art - if you're generous with the word 'art'. It's a sign, with some pointed cylinders around it. In my opinion the painted pieces at Gas Works are more interesting. I personally think it's only a matter of time before they tear it out and make it into another park so all in all, it's an easy skip.

At one point, I'm sure The Wall of Death was a very cool public art installation in Seattle. It's a…read morepermanently sited installation located along the Burke-Gilman Trail under the University Bridge along NE 40th Street. It was designed and built by Mowry Baden and his son Colin in 1993. While the exhibit sounds ominous, it's neither a memorial or some gothic art piece. Instead, it's a tribute to the structure used to perform "the wall of death," a motorcycle and miniature automobile stunt. While it looks like it was initially quite amazing, The Wall of Death has largely fallen victim to time and graffiti and it's really that graffiti that negatively impacts the appeal of the exhibit. The exhibit includes the cylinder itself on the south side of the Burke-Gilman Trail, as well as a concrete ramp to the north of the trail, which includes a "series of stylized metal chairs mounted to the existing concrete bridge columns and serves as the stands from which the stunts were viewed. The exhibit was originally intended as interactive with skateboarders intended to use it. However, after several skateboarding accidents including one involving a head-on collision between a skateboarder and a cyclist the exhibit was adapted, by Baden himself, to include 25 concrete parking stops. At this point, the exhibit is somewhat fenced in and much more difficult to access. However, it remains one of the more intriguing public art exhibits in Seattle and is still free to see. It's listed in Atlas Obscura. The exhibit was also reportedly damaged on 11/15/20 when a homeless camp tent caught fire. The exhibit is made of concrete, steel, and aluminum and measures 16' x 65' x 30'. It's easy to access the exhibit from the Burke Gilman Trail in the University District. It's near University of Washington housing and only a few blocks from Lake Union. The trail itself is wheelchair friendly and accessible quite easily.

A fun experience, a bit off the beaten path in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle…read more We ventured from downtown to check out the troll. Very easy access via a city bus route. After a short stroll down a well-designed dirt path, we found the giant troll. The troll is great for photos and has a sign that describes the history of the troll. My kids enjoyed climbing around the area, too. Facing the opposite direction from the troll is a very cool bridge that creates some awesome cathedral-like architecture. There is lots to do in Fremont, and even though the troll is kind of a one-and-done deal, it's worth checking out simply to explore the rest of the neighborhood and awesome surrounding businesses. Enjoy your troll hunt!

A visit to the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge is a fun and quirky Seattle stop. Sculpted in…read more1990 by four artists after a competition launched by the Fremont Arts Council to help combat the garbage and clutter that had been collecting under bridges, the troll has become one of the city's most iconic public art pieces. It's a great destination to bring out-of-town visitors--like me--to check out another troll! As a fan of the whimsical trolls created by Thomas Dambo, this was a must-see. Street parking is available nearby, making it an easy stop while exploring the neighborhood. I'd personally recommend not climbing on the troll due to safety concerns, although many people were doing so when we visited. Either way, it's a unique photo opportunity and a classic Seattle experience.

Cool Landmark in Seattle, Washington…read more.. I've had "The Center of the Universe" bookmarked for a while. It's a good thing to look at the bookmarked items on the Yelp app once in a while. I totally forgot about this novel and unique piece of Public Art! I should have visited it when I saw the Troll and the blue Fremont Bridge yesterday... darn! Anyway... I parked across the street and got a good shot of this directional sign! As I drew closer, I saw places on the sign that I would like to see - such as Machu Piccu and Rio de Janeiro. Other interesting places include The North Pole and The Milky Way. What a fun tourist stop! Check it out when you have time! It's free, quick, and a good break from daily routine!

One of the few photo ops (like the Rocket, dinosaurs, the Troll, etc) in Fremont…read more I saw the sign. It opened up my eyes. Life is demanding without understanding. To reiterate, I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes I saw the sign. No one's gonna drag you up To get into the light where you belong But where do you belong? Now if you excuse me, all that she wants is another baby, and she's gone tomorrow, boy.

I am always a fan of public art and this floral canopy is easy to see just outside the Space…read moreNeedle. This art installation is more than meets the eye, with it's motion activated harmony, solar panels to light up the blooms at night and energy data motoring system. I wish I had seen them at night! Instead I have visited them 3 different times all during the day. Next time I am in Seattle I will have to do an evening visit to see Seattle's night lights!

There is so much cool, iconic stuff in Seattle, it's great when something new comes on the scene…read more Back in 2012, when the Pacific Science Center put out a call for public art demonstrating solar energy, Dan Corson submitted a proposal that lead to the the humming heliotrope named Sonic Bloom. Found at the foot of the Space Needle, Sonic Bloom is five 40-foot tall, 20-foot diameter flowers inspired by the Australian firewheel tree (Stenocarpus sinuatus). They are made from fiberglass and steel, custom photo voltaic cells, LEDs, sensors, LEDs, and an interactive sound system. Cool stuff! The five flowers are lit up at night by the solar panels within that absorb that day's energy. While at first glance, they all look the same ... look closer (and longer) and you'll see their distinct differences. And at night, the rainbow of LED colors make the distinctiveness even more obvious. It's a Seattle must-see ... and the best part, it's free!

I had a great time at the Space Needle, but for me, that was an event that I had to see once. It is…read moreindeed iconic, but the tickets are incredibly costly for what they're worth. After we arrived, we were put in line to go up to the top for more than an hour. The entire place has very tight quarters and was absolutely jam-packed with people. Actually, it was quite difficult to enjoy the view when there were lots of unsupervised children running around both overlook decks. If you do, I highly recommend booking one of the earlier or later times of the day to avoid the hordes. That said, the top view is quite lovely and it's cool to have two viewing platforms. Overall, I'm happy that I did, but I will never again return.

It hasn't been that long since I visited last, but figured it's an important place to go for…read morefirst-time visitors, so took my wife and her mom here during a weekday afternoon. We came from Mercer Island, taking the light rail (and monorail) and I was pleasantly surprised at how short the journey was. It now costs $55 for an adult ticket (which is steep), which we purchased at the main ticket office. No email address was required to purchase the tickets, which actually became a bit of a problem as any activities done during the visit is tied to your ticket. There were two picture taking opportunities, and both were not very good. One was before you entered, and tied to your ticket. There was no way to download the picture, instead having to take a screenshot to save it. And the picture taking opportunity up on top (where an email address is needed to get the picture), didn't work. We took two pictures sent to two different email addresses, and neither one made it. It was crowded, so we didn't stay very long. My usual recording of info is on my previous review, so no need to repeat.

"The Red Popsicle" by Catherine Mayer located on the corner of Fourth Street and Blanchard Avenue…read morein Downtown Seattle in the Belltown neighborhood. This is one of those public art pieces I heard about and had to go find. We were at Pikes Place and decided to set on a mission to find it and it wasn't to far away. It's a cool sculpture in person and is 17-feet tall. One of those little touristy things I wanted to do and now craving a red popsicle. It's a cool piece to checkout.

Admittedly, there may be better views of the New Year's Eve fireworks show at the Seattle Space…read moreNeedle, but "The Popsicle" on the corner of 4th Avenue and Blanchard Street is where it's at for us. We've celebrated NYE here many times and witnessed many things (including a marriage proposal that included the "fine print" disclaimer of "I will propose to you for real...someday." ‍ While you may or may not witness anything like a sorta/kinda marriage proposal when you visit, the views from this spot of the Space Needle and the fireworks show are only obstructed by a few power lines and tree branches (and this year some lingering clouds). This viewing location is easily walkable from most downtown hotels (our walk was approximately 12 minutes) and has felt safe each year to us with just two recommendations. Be sure to remain on the streets where the largest number of pedestrians are traveling and be sure to completely avoid walking on 3rd Avenue. A brand new year has been christened and hopeful new resolutions abound. Who knows? Maybe we'll meet 'ya at "The Popsicle" next year! And that's...Henry's Take. #seattlepopsicle #seattlenye #happynewyearseattle

Soooo weird but so cool lol This is a must do when visiting…read moreSeattle, as much as it's so gross to think about I just had to come experience it and it didn't disappoint.. We came prepared with lots of bubble gum thanks to my long time friend Emma who lives in Seattle and has been the best tour guide ever!! After looking at all the gum and unique ways people placed there's I decided to blow a bubble and leave it while my hubby left his hanging lol Fun memories made, definitely come see this alley way full.of gum that you won't see anywhere else in the world.

Knocked off one star because, just why?? LOL…read more OVERALL, a really cool, eclectic, unique, and odd photo op while entering the pike place market in downtown Seattle. When you put it out of your mind that you are possibly touching another strangers gum it's a fun and once in a lifetime experience. Plenty of people were there with their tripods in their cameras, ready to document it. Make sure you come with plenty of gum, bonus points, if your gum is a unique color to really stand out on the wall.

After sitting down, I saw a super loving grandparents. They were dressed very formally; the…read moregrandfather was even wearing a suit and dress shoes. It was like a casual, ceremonial date, so beautiful I couldn't resist taking a picture. The scene was as serene and warm as the sunset in the background. We ordered several dishes, all of which were good, but I personally found everything a little too salty, and I kept drinking water. However, I'll forgive the ambiance and atmosphere.

Great food and service at the Pink Door. We went late so the restaurant had emptied out by the time…read morewe were done and that that gave us a chance to wander around and admire the eclectic and fabulous collection of items there. We had the carbonara and the pork chops, both very good dishes. I liked how the carbonara was light on the sauce and prepared to perfection. The pork chop was very tender and tasty and the mashed potatoes had very good flavor. We also had the Caesar salad, which was very fresh with light dressing. My girlfriend asked for more dressing and adding more made it a much better salad. My reference standard is a restaurant which used to be in Goldendale, WA. Fortunately an Italian restaurant opened there and has a Caesar salad which comes pretty close.

Secret?! i think not. ;) Although it can appear rather secretive if you consider walking through it…read morethe first time (w/o knowing it's a tunnel) and ask yourself upon exiting "I was in an underground tunnel?" Yup. And a super COOL one at that, too. :) Fine shops, great lunch options, and a jackpot of historic Seattle photos - everything from the early days of dumping Pill Hill fill into Elliot Bay to the early Boeing airplanes. Downtown? Take a stroll down this tunnel. It begins/ends in Rainier Square and ends/begins in One/Two Union Square. Happy strolling. :)

I haven't visited enough underground tunnels to know if this one deserves 5 stars or not, so let's…read morework this out, arithmetic-style! 1 star for keeping me out of the rain, cold, and wind and away from motor traffic and waiting for crosswalk signals. 1 star for neat photos of old-time Seattle 1 star for a display of upcoming shows from the 5th Ave 1 star for the convenience store selling cards and snacks. There are also some little deli type eateries, a salon, and an art gallery, though I haven't taken advantage of any of them yet. All in all, this is a pretty spiffy way to get from 7th and Union to 4th and University without having to set foot outside - always a plus when it comes to dealing with Seattle's variable weather.

What a lovely tribute to Seattle legend Chris Cornell! We stumbled upon this statue and plaque in…read morefront of the Museum of Pop Culture on the way to Chihuly - definitely worth seeing, especially if you're a fan! It's small and doesn't take up too much time - there's a small plaque on the ground right in front with a nice dedication. Very fitting but still doesn't seem enough, given his contributions to the musical arts. Chris Cornell was my first celebrity crush lol - I had just become a teenager as the grunge movement started really taking off - so the first music albums I ever bought (all at the same time lol) were Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, Nirvana's Nevermind and of course Temple of the Dog - his one-off band that was a tribute to a friend of his! He was so talented and had an incredible voice - He did some solo work which was great and was also the frontman of another excellent band, Audioslave. He did a cover of Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares To You" and if you haven't heard it, go listen to it rn!! It's phenomenal!! This statue was commissioned and donated by his wife Vicky - such a sweet tribute!

I've loved Chris Cornell for so long! My teenage years I played those songs over and over. When I…read moreknew I'd be in Seattle a while back it's one of the first stops I made. It was in walking distance of not only my hotel, but right in front on the pop culture museum and Piles Place. Such an amazing statue to the grunge king!