The Leif Erikson Statue (now located at the Shilshole Marina) is a fun statue demonstrating…read moreBallard's Scandinavian past standing tall for all its immigrants (primarily Danes, Finns, Icelanders, Norwegians, and Swedes). Leif Erikson remains the first recorded European to set foot on American shores and represents all immigrants who travelled to new lands for freedom, opportunity and a hopeful future. The statue was a gift to the city of Seattle from the Norwegian-American community during the Seattle World's Fair in June of 1962. At the base of Leif Erikson is a large granite stone six feet in height. The circular plaza is encircled by "Stonehedge-esque" upright, runic-like stones. Each stone features a Viking carving and plaques with the names of 1,767 immigrants, accompanied by their hometowns and years of immigration. The tribute display was designed by Jay Haavik. The statue is a unique piece of Ballard's past worth a visit to the Shilshole Marina with gorgeous views of the Olympic Mountain Range.

The Leif Erikson statue is one of the many cool yet slightly odd statues that you'll find all…read morearound Seattle. It's a tribute to Scandinavian immigrants across the United States. Leif Erikson was the first Scandinavian to come to North America (he didn't actually come to Seattle though). This 16 foot tall statue was first unveiled during the 1962 World's Fair. For many decades after, the statue was a kind of touchstone for the Scandinavian community here. The King of Norway even visited! In 2002, the Port of Seattle announced that they were going to renovate the Shilshole Marina, where the statue is located. By 2007, Scandinavian groups had raised enough money to commission local carver Jay Haavik to add a new base to the statue, as well as new stones to surround it. The stones have plaques on them which include the names of Norwegian, Swedish, Icelandic, Danish, and Finnish immigrants, their home towns, and when they immigrated to America. It's really pretty neat. As of right now, there are almost 2,000 names, and they're still adding more. If you're interested in Seattle's history or even just the vikings in general, this imposing and unique statue is a must visit.

Only in Fremont can you see dinosaurs in your very own city... They well groomed Ivey beast lurk…read moreneed the banks of the water by the Fremont Bridge. Relax folks you can approach the beasts they won't be harmful to your health. But you can most definitely snap your selfies with the mother and baby dinosaur. But don't climb on them, unless you must and then ride these beasts like your in a Texas rodeo.

Fremont has a bunch of photo ops: a big Troll, a tall Rocket, a strange Center of the Universe…read moresign, a Lenin statue (I LOVED Double Fantasy), and this: a 66-foot-long, ivy-covered mother dinosaur and child. Go around 5:15am to see the feeding. OK, it's automatic sprinklers, but still.

I don't want to say that I was staying in a weird neighborhood while I was in Seattle, but being…read morejust over a mile away from the Bettie Page House left me no other option one early morning than to head out by wheelchair to check it out. Smack dab in the middle of Seattle's worst heatwave ever, I can still easily say it was worth the effort for a glimpse of this private residence that features an 18' Bettie Page and even more recently has added the one and only Divine. The house is located in the Ravenna district adjacent to the University District (where I was staying). Commissioned by the owner in 2006, the artwork has been vandalized once (it came back better than ever) and has been threatened by the city at one point with $100 daily fines. because of the "graffiti" on the home. Of course, no fine ever happened and Bettie Page is still alongside the home's exterior wall. Interestingly enough, the home is right across the street from a Mormon Temple. Bettie is adorned with her usual black panties and thigh-highs, a gutter conveniently crosses her chest area. The house is a little tricky to get to, though the mural is easily visible from I-5 near the 65th Street exit. As this is a private home, there is no "admission." Essentially, this is public art visible from a sidewalk or street. If you're in the Seattle area, it's definitely worth checking out and most likely a "must see" for true Bettie Page (or Divine) fans.

Add this to your list Roadside America…read more We've been to the usual Space Needle, Pike's Place Market but, if you're up for something new and unusual --- this is it. Welcome to the Bettie Page and Drag Queen Divine house! After driving around the area that Google Maps told us it was without finding it; we realized it might be across the damn freeway. So, might want to consider that if you haven't found it lol

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.

Why, Seattle? [Seattle WA]…read more The walkable Fremont neighborhood of Seattle has many artworks in easily visible outdoor settings including this statue of Vladimir Lenin located just west of Fremont Avenue. His larger-than-life statue looks over N 36th Street... can't miss it (intersection of Fremont Place North and Evanston Avenue North) Not sure if there was one but I did not see a bronze marker with a description about the statue. I did see an interpretive sign that explained about a man named Lewis Carpenter who wanted to preserve the statue (toppled during the 1989 revolution) and brought it back to his home in Issaquah... I suppose that's how it made it to a Seattle neighborhood. The statue is privately owned. The statue had some graffiti written on it and, also, a thick coating of bright red paint covered his open hand. Also, he hasn't stopped celebrating Halloween as he still has a pumpkin over his head ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Review #3621

Sort of an oddity, yet a landmark in the Fremont area. The Lenin Statue has an interesting history…read more The statue is of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, a Russian revolutionary infamous for causing much strife in the then Soviet Union. The Lenin Statue is subject to being made into a canvass for events around the year in the city as well just plain old vandalism, it isn't surprising seeing as it isn't someone to be readily idolized. The statue was made in the late 80's by a Slovakian sculptor by the name of Emil Venkov as part of a competition. Lenin was likely a figurehead at the time, so he was the subject. The statue was toppled soon after and was purchased by an Entrepeneur. A few years later, and about $30,000 shorter the statue was in Seattle. The statue changed hands at the untimely death of that Entrepeneur and went to the hands of the Fremont Chamber, ideally until a buyer was interested. (It's a headscratcher as to who would by that personally.) The property the Lenin Statue is on is privately owned and therefore it's private property. Hard to miss traversing through the main streets of Fremont the plaque near the statue reads "to serve as a reminder of an important historical period." These words presently and will continue to be very true.

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.

Olympia buildings are covered in murals which makes the buildings entertaining to look at…read more The Star Wars mural is located on a building, in a lot, with three food trucks. The lot has a picnic table for those interested in ordering from the food trucks. Paid street parking is available. While I enjoyed the Star Wars mural, I liked the superhero mural much better. Keep up the artsy work Olympia!

"Honey, let's go check out the Star Wars mural."…read more (silence) There are many times when I suspect that Mr. K rolls his eyes on our little road trips. We are going where? To see what? I came across this local gem when browsing the highest rated spots in Olympia. It was an easy stroll from the center of town and just a couple blocks from the Olympia Coffee Roasting Company. When asking a local for directions to the mural, he informed me that his friend created the mural and although it is a caricature, all characters are truthful in their representation. He was dead serious when describing the artist's motivation. This is when I turn to Mr. K and nod knowingly. Just stick with me, kid. The mural is painted on the side of an apartment building and is in good condition. Someone actually has their apartment in the Death Star. **jealous** The grassy area alongside the building appears to be home to the only food cart in town, so it was a fun little journey of discovery. Not to say all my wanderings are successful. But in this case, the Force was with me.