This is a classic mural located in downtown Anchorage on the side of the David Green Master Furrier…read morebuilding. It has somewhat become the business signature and is overlooking a parking lot. It was painted in 1993 by Richard "Ziggy" Ziegler, an amateur muralist and master shoe repairman at the Arctic Treasures store in Anchorage. Ziegler is a charter and has run for mayor of Anchorage The mural is showing its age and has some severe fading and just has a nostalgic look about it. It depicts a group of jolly walruses hanging out on the ice on one end. On the other end you will find a polar bear standing on a glacier and the words "David Green" in front of it. Even though somewhat faded, the colors still complement each other very well with the blue sky, aqua water and white glacier combining to make a perfect background for the piece. I could use a good power washing and/or refresh though. The mural is very dirty and covered in what I believe to be soot. Parking to get a closer look at this mural is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. And as I mentioned, it overlooks a parking lot itself. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

So many times I've sat in this tiny seating area on a bluebird sky day and enjoyed the contrast…read morethis art creates. Its definitely a piece of art that I would encourage any tourist on foot downtown in Anchorage to visit. There is also a fairly new mural and several other history objects in the area that make this art not completely isolated. The seated area is in a lovely urban luncheon with a few benches and plantings. Its a nice place to relax when the asphalt has been tearing up your joints.

This sculpture is the work of Leo Vait of Homer, Alaska who made the piece in 2006. It is located…read morein downtown anchorage, in a small Plaza area in front of the Atwood State Office Building. It is a duplication of another piece, also by Valt, that is located in his hometown of Homer. The "bones" are arranged much like the whale bone huts in some of the native Alaskan villages. They are made of 3/16 inch steel, coated in zinc and then painted. The sculpture is part of the Alaska State Council on the Arts' a Percent for Art Dedication collection. I find this piece very unique and intriguing. It is illuminated at night and has some large rocks placed under it to add to its aesthetics. It is a simple piece and it reminded me of an exhibit at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, around the lake. It is in decent shape, especial for being 16 years old. It is definitely attention getting and hard to miss. Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. This is defiantly not a destination piece that you make a special trip to see, but is nice to take a look at if you find yourself in the area. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area such as the Land Management Center and Anchorage Tourist Center or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This sculpture is the work of Hugh McPeck and was dedicated in 2000, Y2K. It weighs 1,200 pounds…read moreand stands 8 and a half feet tall. It depicts, as its title insinuates, a bear with a raven perched on its head looking down on him. The sculpture sits out front of the Bear and Raven Adventure Theater an interactive play space where children can get to know Alaskan history. The sculpture is in great shape and has a fun vibe. It looks like the animals are having a grand time.It has a plaque that gives it some context and reads, "The Bear and Raven, The Raven whispers to the Bear, "I really enjoy watching you fish for salmon in Ship Creek". The Bear's large smile and tummy, indicates that he loves it too! This sculpture is dedicated to the fun loving spirit of all Alaskans. Legend has it when you rub the Bear's tummy it will bring you good luck." Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

The location is very convenient. It's in downtown and there are shops and eateries all in walking…read moredistance. The visitor center is also near by. If you don't mind walking a bit, it's amazing. The place is very nice. I like how there are also some tour businesses in the area. We were able to walk there to book some tours. The accommodation is nice, clean, convenient and I loved the decor. Kitchen has glasses, dishes, refrigerator, utensils as well as extra blankets, tv, and more. Recommended

This larger than life mural has a lot going on. It is 120 feet wide and about 50 Feet high and is…read morethe work of Bob Patterson, the 1997 Northwest Magazine's Photographer of the Year. It was painted in 1997 and is located overlooking a parking lot behind City Hall. The mural is packed with images of notable local figures, iconic landmarks and military milestones. It also lists the donors that made the mural possible. You will see a bunch of military aircraft, Captain James Cook, Olympic skiers, and a very detailed image of Alaskan mountains and Anchorage's cityscape across the top. Across the bottom of the mural is the name of donors and other people/businesses that were instrumental in the completion of the project. It is a very nice mural with a lot to dissect. I really like the mural's detail. It is definitely a sight to see. Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. As I mentioned, it overlooks a lot. Anyway, as with most mural that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area such as the 5th Avenue Mall, Town Square Park, and Anchorage Visitor's Center, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This attraction is located in front of the Anchorage visitor's Center. It is a metal abstract arch…read morededicated in memory of Robert L. Hartig, one of the principals of the law firm of Hartig Rhodes Hoge & Lekisch, a leading corporate and business law firm in Anchorage. The spiraling arch is made of stainless steel and granite and is the work of sculptor Roger Barr, who received the commission for the piece in 1985. It is illuminated at night, which I think makes it more impressive to view after dark. One of the arch's pillars are inscribed with the following: Spirit Bridge In Memory Of Robert L. Hartig 1928 - 1980 A Leader In Law And Community Affairs His Dedication Provided A Bridge For A New Generation In designing the piece Barr drew upon Hartig aviation background and went with somewhat of an aviation theme. Barr "sought to create a sculpture that would soar, reflecting and seeming to dissolve in the changing light, large but not massive." Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. Fortunately, most people visiting this attraction will be there visiting the Anchorage Visitors Center and this will be a subsequent visit. If you do choose to make this a destination stop, which I do not suggest, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This mural doubles as a community project. It is the work of Steve Gordon who led the project in…read moreconjunction with the Anchorage Downtown Partnership. Gordon enlisted the help of the community to complete the mural, which was completed in 2021. The mural is made of 70, 4x4 foot canvas squares that were individual painted by community volunteers using color by numbers templates made by Gordon. When they were put together the squares formed a 30 by 40 foot mural. Once the squares were done Gordon and his "Dream Team" had to put them together on the wall. That required them to do little touchups to make sure every square is filled in correctly, and that process took about 20-30 minutes per square. Makes me tired just thinking about it. This mural overlooks a parking lot in Spenard and depicts a native woman holding a huge arm full of flowers and blossoms and birds carrying ribbons are flying over her head. The woman is holding the blossoms with both hands and it covers most of her body. Gordon intended the gathering of all the different wildflowers to show the beauty that exists in our diversity as people from all walks of life gather together. And the ribbons the birds carry to the light express the shared hopes of the community. This is a very colorful and vivid mural and you cannot tell that it is made of 70 squares. It is seamless. I really like this mural and the fact that it is a community project, makes me like it that much more. Gordon did an excellent job putting this together. It is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. And as I mentioned, it overlooks a parking lot itself. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area such as the Anchorage Museum or Federal Building, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This is a sculpture that depicts three ships of the controversial explorer, Captain James Cook,…read morethat represent the 3 voyages of his exploration. There are bronze markers that are engraved with information of each respective voyage. The voyages occurred between 1768 and 1780, with him being killed during the third voyage in 1779. The piece sits in a little trench that is lined with medium sized rocks. It sits in front of the Anchorage Pel'meni restaurant and across the street from the Captain Cook Hotel. It was made in 1977 BY Josef Princiott, with the assistance of Susan Mckittrick, Jim Froehlich, and Dean Mctavish. This area seems to be heavy on Captain Cook, with this sculpture, the hotel, Cook Inlet and his memorial all within a few blocks from each other. It is a nice piece, but is showing signs of wear and tear. It could use a little TLC. Parking to get a closer look at this sculpture is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions, such as the Captain Cook Memorial, or The Alaska Victim Memorial, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

This sculpture is located in downtown Anchorage near the tourist area with all the gift shops and…read morerestaurants. It is in an area known as the mushing district and was sculpted by Jacque and Mary Regat in 1989. The sculpture depicts a single sled dog running with a determined stare and has a lot of meaning. There are bronze plaques on the statue noting it meanings and significance. First, the statute is dedicated to all dog mushers and their "heroic dogs". More specifically, it commemorates Fur Roundezvous, Anchorage's winter celebration, which features the World Sled Dog Race and the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, which makes it location significant. The Sculpture is located at 4th Avenue and D Street, it also happens to mark the ceremonial starting point of the annual Iditarod dogsled race. The sculpture is also dedicated to the memory of David Green, a local famous furrier whose store, David Green Master Furrier, is located just down the street. This sculpture is not the best nor most detailed, but I really like its back story. And I have always been intrigued by dog sledding. It is in great shape and located in a touristy area even though , as I have noted, that the location goes much deeper than that. Also, contrary to many claims, this sculpture is not of Balto the Wonder Dog or any other specific sled dog. Parking to get a closer look is very easy. There is metered street parking within a reasonable walking distance and well as tons of commercial parking lots and garages. Anyway, as with most sculpture that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area such as the Land Management Center and Anchorage Tourist Center or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.