By Alexander Calder | 1971 | Painted steel

Bold. Red. Unmissable.

Calder’s Eagle stands tall at over 39 feet, its steel wings flaring against the Seattle sky. It’s one of the Olympic Sculpture Park’s most photographed landmarks — a symbol of strength, movement, and the park’s connection to air, land, and sea.

From different angles, it morphs: one moment, a bird poised for flight; the next, a geometric blaze of shape and shadow. Calder called works like this “stabiles” — sculptures meant to be still, but that feel like they might lift off any second.

📸 Photo Tip: Frame the sculpture with the Space Needle or Puget Sound behind it for iconic Seattle vibes.

Did You Know?

• Calder was originally trained as an engineer. You can see that in Eagle’s perfect balance — even at 6 tons, it seems to float.
• It’s made of painted steel in Calder’s signature “Calder red” — a hue he believed popped best against sky and greenery.
• Calder is best known for inventing the mobile, but his static sculptures are just as dynamic.
• Eagle was originally installed in Fort Worth, Texas, before flying north to Seattle in 2000.
• It’s bolted down, but not by much — just enough to stay grounded. The rest is all illusion and air.

👀 Psst… want more Calder?
Head to the Seattle Art Museum downtown to see his delicate mobiles and drawings — proof that even paper can fly.