Virginia Beach Public Art

Image courtesy of Andrezza Haddaway

Behold the Artistic Side of Virginia Beach

There’s so much to see when you visit Virginia Beach. As you explore the city, you’ll probably notice the eye-catching public art. Wall murals, statues, sculptures and more can be found all across Virginia Beach, from the Oceanfront to Town Center and other inland neighborhoods. There are nearly 50 public art installations in Virginia Beach. How many can you find while you’re here?

Types of Public Art in Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach has several types of public art, including murals, sculptures and environmental pieces.

Find engaging murals across Virginia Beach. They adorn the walls of several businesses at the Oceanfront, especially within the ViBe Creative District. The ViBe District encourages local artists to create these masterpieces. 2019 introduced 10 new murals during the ViBe Mural Festival. The ViBe’s 18th Street Parklet fence also displays over 55 plywood murals.

Atlantic Avenue, along the Oceanfront, also has colorful wall murals, designed by local students in the “Love! On Atlantic” art contest. Headed to Mount Trashmore for a walk? Climb the steps embellished with a mural titled, “Helping Hands.”

Virginia Beach’s most famous work of art, the statue of King Neptune, can be found along the boardwalk. Also on the boardwalk and nearby are a number of sculptures and monuments. These sculptures pay tribe to Virginia Beach’s ocean life, military heritage and local legends.

A trip across the Lesner Bridge offers a view of two sculptures, The Canoes and Terrapin Basin.

These are just some of the many works of public art in Virginia Beach. Even more can be found at local public parks, libraries and recreation centers. In addition to viewing the free public art, plan a trip to one of the local museums where can find even more art.

Map Legend

Map courtesy of the Virginia Beach Cultural Affairs Department

1. Anticipation, Sculpture by Richard Stravitz, (2010) JT’s Grommet Island Beach Park and Playground at Jetty
2. Seashore Cathedral, Mural by Giuseppe Percivati, (2018) Walkway connecting Marina to 4th Street lot
3. Prismatic Play, Mural by Aimee Bruce, (2019) Rudee Loop
4. World Below the Brine, Placemaking Sculpture by Work Program, Architects and Piece of Cake Productions, (2018) 4th Street at Atlantic Avenue
5. Dolphins Atop Globes, Sculpture by Bartlett A. R. Teachout, (1993) 5th Street and Boardwalk
6. Leatherback Sea Turtles, Sculpture by Philip L. Balsley, (1993) 6th Street and Boardwalk
7. Fantasy Fish, Sculpture by Bartlett A. R. Teachout, (1993) 8th Street and Boardwalk
8. Mallards, Sculpture by David H. Turner, (2006) Near the Boardwalk between 11th and 12th Streets
9. Beach Balls, Sculpture by Larson Design Group, (1993) 17th Street and Boardwalk
10. Barreled, Placemaking Sculpture by Hive Public Space, (2020) 17th Street & Pacific Avenue
11. Broken Current, Mural by Navid Rahman, (2020) 17th Street and Pacific Avenue
12. John Wareing Monument, by Robert Bricker, (2004) 17th Street Park
13. Birds in Flight, Sculpture by Bartlett A. R. Teachout, (1991) 18th Street Park
14. Monument to Naval Aviation, by Michael Maiden, (2006) 25th Street and Atlantic Avenue
15. Norwegian Lady, Sculpture by Ornulf Bast, (1962) 25th Street and Boardwalk
16. Shells, Larson Design Group, (1993) 26th Street Park and Boardwalk
17. Bob Mervis Memorial, Sculpture by Linda Gissen, (2002) 27th Street and Boardwalk
18. School of Fish, Sculpture by Bartlett A. R. Teachout, Lee Knoll Ltd., (1993) 28th Street and Boardwalk
19. Hermit Crabs & Boulder Clusters, Sculpture by Larson Design Group, (1993) 29th Street Park
20. King Neptune, Sculpture by Paul A. DiPasquale, (2005) 31st Street and Boardwalk
21. The Wave, Sculpture by Jeff Laramore, (2013) Given by the Public Art Virginia Beach Foundation, Laskin Road at Roundabout
22. Delight, Sculpture by Mike Cunningham, (1992) 33rd Street and Boardwalk
23. Virginia Beach Law Enforcement Memorial, by Paul DiPasquale, (2012) 35th Street and Boardwalk
24. Sandcastle, Sculpture by Bartlett A. R. Teachout, (1995) 36th Street and Boardwalk
25. The Naked Warrior, Navy SEAL Memorial donated by the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, (2017) 38th Street and Boardwalk
26. Tidewater Veteran’s Memorial, Concept by local students, Edward Davis, Audrea Powell and Martha Ellen Clark; Joseph A. Miller, designer, (1988) Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th Street
27. Dolphin Play, Sculpture by Bartlett A.R. Teachout, (1997) Visitor Information Center, 2100 Parks Avenue
28. Virginia Beach Fire & EMS Memorial, by Hans E. C. Wachtmeister, (2006) Virginia Beach Fire & EMS Training Center, 927 Birdneck Road
29. Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, 717 General Booth Blvd. Lookdown Fish, Sculpture by David H. Turner, (1986) River Otters, Sculpture by David H. Turner, (1995)
30. Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art, 2200 Parks Avenue People and Plants, Mural by Maser, (2017) Museum’s south-facing exterior Mille Colori, Glass Chandelier by Dale Chihuly, (2003) Rodriguez Pavilion The Voyage, Sculpture by Masayuki Oda, (1989) West Parking Lot Island Poetic Object Series: Knowledge, Sculpture by Michael Manjarris, (2001) North Parking Lot Island Olympia, Sculpture by Steven Lesser, (2001) North Parking Lot Island Mano Hermano, Sculpture by Steven Lesser, (1999) North Parking Lot Island Curled Up C, Sculpture by Lila Katzen, (1979) North Parking Lot Island Something in the Water Art Walk Murals, by Victoria Weiss, Hampton Boyer, and Tommy Mitchell, (2019) North Parking Lot
31. The Canoes, Sculpture by Donald Lipski, (2018) Given by the Public Art Virginia Beach Foundation. Pedestrian overlook of Lesner Bridge at Shore Drive
32. Terrapin Basin, Sculpture, Benjamin Heller, (2018) Pleasure House Point, 3663 Marlin Bay Drive
33. Portraits from a Place of Grace, Sculpture by Richard Hollant, (2019) Future home of the African American Cultural Center of Virginia Beach, Newtown Road and Hampshire Way
34. Helping Hands, Stairway Mural by Aimee Bruce, (2018) Northeast staircase at Mount Trashmore Park, 301 Edwin Drive
35. Children Playing, Sculpture by Robert Cunningham, (2004) Virginia Beach Court Complex, 2425 Nimmo Parkway
36. Light Garden, sculpture by Dale Eldred, Reconfigured and reinstalled by Keith Oliver, (2012) Princess Anne Commons Gateway Park, Princess Anne Road at Dam Neck Road
37. Glass Fireplace, by Rob Kuster, (2015) Inside the Joint-Use Library, 1700 College Crescent
38. Town Center, Independence Boulevard and Virginia Beach Boulevard Untitled, Sculpture by Toshio Iezumi, (2009) Main Lobby of the Sandler Center, 201 Market Street Wings, Sculpture by Lin Emery, (2011) Given by Tom and Juanita Felton. Sandler Center for the Performing Arts Plaza, 201 Market Street The Kiss, Sculpture by Gary Alsum, (2007) Given in memory of W. Breck Wood by his wife, Deborah Wood. Columbus Street by Central Park Trio of Herons Fountain, Sculpture by David H. Turner, (2007) Town Center Fountain Plaza, Central Park Avenue at Main Street Town Center Garage Murals by Richard Nickel, (2017) Town Center Block 4 Parking Garage
39. Meyera E. Oberndorf Central Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Boulevard Pennant, Sculpture by Lin Emery, (1989) Outside library entrance Parataxis, Sculpture by Ken Daley, (1995) Given by the Old Dominion University Research Foundation, the Virginia Beach Public Library Endowment Foundation and the Friends of the Virginia Beach Public Library, along a rear wall inside the library
40. Kempes Landing Park, 524 Kempsville Road Good Game, Sculpture by Richard Stravitz, (2015) Friendship Anchor, (2015) acquired from The Mariners’ Museum and Park in Newport News, VA
41. Bayside Recreation Center Mural, by Navid Rahman, (2019) 4500 First Court Road
42. Great Neck Recreation Center Mural, by Rosemarie Spracklin, (2019) 2521 Shorehaven Drive
43. Princess Anne Recreation Center Mural, by Aimee Bruce, (2019) 1400 Nimmo Parkway
44. Parallel Migrations XXV, Installation by Anne Dushanko Dobek, (2019) Lake/Lake Smith Natural Area, 5381 Shell Road