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Seattle, Washington / Public art

A Sound Garden

A captivating wind-powered sound sculpture featuring twelve towering steel structures that create ethereal music, located on the NOAA Western Regional Center campus in northeast Seattle.

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What is A Sound Garden?

A Sound Garden is an outdoor public art installation in Seattle, Washington, consisting of twelve 21-foot steel towers. Each tower is topped with an organ pipe and weather vane that produce soft-toned or ethereal sounds when stirred by the wind.

Where is it located?

It is located at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Western Regional Center in northeast Seattle, specifically at Sand Point next to Magnuson Park on the northwestern shore of Lake Washington.

Is it open to the public?

No, as of April 8, 2025, A Sound Garden and other sculptures on the NOAA property are closed to the public.

Who created the sculpture?

The sculpture was designed and built by sculptor Douglas Hollis between 1982 and 1983.

Is it free to visit?

While it has been described as free to visit with no admission charge, access was semi-restricted, requiring photo ID, registration at a guard station, and bag searches.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

What to know

A Sound Garden is an outdoor public art installation located in northeast Seattle at the NOAA Western Regional Center in Sand Point. Designed and built by sculptor Douglas Hollis between 1982 and 1983, the work is a centerpiece of the NOAA Art Walk, which includes five other artworks on the campus. The site is situated on the northwestern shore of Lake Washington, adjacent to Magnuson Park. The sculpture is composed of twelve 21-foot high steel tower structures. At the top of each tower hangs an organ pipe attached to a weather vane. These components are designed to produce soft-toned, ethereal sounds whenever they are stirred by the wind, turning the natural environment into a musical instrument. Visitors typically approach the installation via a path made of triangular shaped ceramic bricks that leads up a knoll. At the summit, the kite-shaped steel mesh forms of the towers stand against the skyline. While it has been described as the most popular work on the NOAA Art Walk, the experience is tied to the weather and the movement of the air. Access to the site has historically been free but semi-restricted. In the past, visitors were required to present photo identification and register at a guard station, with bag searches occurring at the entry. However, as of April 2025, the Sound Garden and other sculptures on the NOAA property are closed to the public.

Visitor tips

  • Check current accessibility status before visiting, as the NOAA campus has been closed to the public since April 2025.
  • If open, bring a valid photo ID as registration at the guard station is required for non-employees.
  • Visit on a windy day to fully experience the wind-activated organ pipes and their ethereal sounds.
  • Allow extra time for security screenings and bag searches at the facility entrance.

Nearby context

The installation is located within the NOAA Western Regional Center campus in the Sand Point area of northeast Seattle. It sits immediately adjacent to Magnuson Park on the northwestern shore of Lake Washington, blending federal administrative grounds with public recreational space.

Sources

Evidence and links