Outdoor Sculpture
In Maine, works of art spring from its lands and waters—granite shaped by tides, timbers marked by time and even ice born from winter’s chill. These raw materials are storytellers, carrying the history of Maine’s landscapes, industries and communities. In the hands of artists they also become works of enduring beauty. Experience Maine’s diverse collection of sculptures, from monumental public statues to fleeting ice carvings, each piece a collaboration between human imagination and nature’s powerful forces.
Public Sculptures and Statues
Maine’s public art often stands as a beacon for local pride and cultural heritage.
Portland Public Art
From stone to steel, the interactive map of Portland Public Art leads aficionados on a treasure hunt to more than 50 works. See a tribute to local fisherman with Victor Kahill’s bronze Maine Lobsterman and a nod to Maine’s valuable natural resources with the granite Cod by Steve Lindsay. Some of the pieces even invite interaction. The tree-inspired Luminous Arbor doubles as a light fixture, casting a warm glow in the evening, while the sweeping steel form of Cloud Couch invites passersby to rest and take in the cityscape. These functional works blend design and utility, proving that art can be part of daily life.
Paul Bunyan Statue
Bangor touts its place as the birthplace of legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan, and you can’t miss its tribute: a towering, 31-foot-tall statue made of fiberglass over metal. Standing guard over Main Street, this outsized figure tips his plaid-shirted hat to Maine’s rich logging history and its folklore of hard work and oversized dreams.
Sculpture Parks and Gardens
Not all sculpture is tucked into city streets—some of Maine’s best art lives in gardens and natural landscapes.
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
While best known for its 300 acres of horticultural splendor, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay also integrates sculpture throughout its serene grounds. Marvel at permanent pieces ranging from whimsical creatures carved from stone to sleek, abstract forms of metal and glass. Stroll through the wooded forest to spot giant troll sculptures made from recycled wood, part of the Guardians of the Seeds exhibit by Thomas Dambo. A multi-year collaboration with Indigo Arts Alliance—Deconstructing the Boundaries—explores Black, Brown and Indigenous connections to the land and has resulted in sculptural works, such as Fiddleheads, that reflect a deep connection to nature and the longstanding tradition of thoughtful land stewardship.
David E. Shaw and Family Sculpture Park
Part of the Portland Museum of Art, the David E. Shaw and Family Sculpture Park is a serene, wheelchair- and stroller-friendly green space is open May through December. Bring a picnic, sit in the sun and enjoy works that range from contemporary to classic.
Ogunquit Museum of American Art
On 3 acres overlooking the ocean, the sculpture park at Ogunquit Museum of American Art seamlessly blends sculptural art and landscape design. Pieces by Bernard Langlais, Cabot Lyford, Dorothea Greenbaum and Antoinette Schultz are accompanied by crashing waves and seasonal blooms, making each visit different from the last.
Langlais Art Preserve
Dedicated to Maine-born Bernard Langlais (1921–1977), Langlais Art Preserve is a nature preserve on a portion of the artist’s homestead in Cushing. Wander wooded paths and meadows dotted with his large-scale works, where art and environment exist in easy conversation. The grounds are open from dawn to dusk, and a 0.25-mile ADA-accessible path makes the grounds accessible to all. The barn and workshop, which showcase selected artworks and tools, are open to the public seasonally.
Sculpture Trails in Maine
For those who prefer art with adventure, Maine offers sculpture trails that turn the state itself into an open-air gallery.
Boothbay Harbor Region Sculpture Trail
Winding through charming coastal streets and hidden island spots, the Boothbay Harbor Region Sculpture Trail showcases pieces all carved from Maine granite. And surprisingly, all the work is for sale, so you can take a piece of the journey home. (Purchases can be arranged directly with the artists.)
Maine Sculpture Trail
Spanning more than 200 miles along the coast—much of it tracing the Bold Coast Scenic Byway—the Maine Sculpture Trail is a collection of 34 sculptures is the legacy of the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium. International artists shaped Maine granite into works as varied as the delicate intertwining of Connection by Kyoung Uk Min (South Korea) and the sturdy, anchor-like Cleat by Maine’s Don Justin Meserve. The trail is proof that even one material, in skilled hands, can tell dozens of different stories.
Langlais Art Trail
Bernard Langlais began as a painter before shifting to wood sculpture, creating abstract reliefs, mosaic-like panels and large outdoor works. Today, his pieces are scattered across Maine, indoors and outdoors, from farm preserves to public libraries. The Langlais Art Trail connects these sites, letting visitors trace the breadth of his playful, textured and distinctly Maine-made legacy.
Ice Sculptures in Maine
Maine’s outdoor sculpture scene doesn’t stop when winter’s chill arrives—in fact, the snowy season adds its own ephemeral treasures.
Glacier Ice Bar at Samoset Resort
Bundle up and get ready for a cocktail experience like no other at the luxurious Samoset Resort in Rockport. Every winter for a limited time, 50,000 pounds of ice is transformed into Glacier Ice Bar, complete with polar bear ice sculptures and glittering ice glassware. Enjoy a frosty cocktail or a shot from the crystal-clear ice luge while enjoying ocean views.
Camden Winterfest
The annual Camden Winterfest embraces winter’s creativity with live ice carving in the Camden Harbor Park Amphitheatre. Artists shape frozen blocks into everything from playful animals to fantastical figures, their breath rising in the cold as shavings pile at their feet.
State of Maine Ice Carving Championship
The state’s best ice carvers gather for a day of competition at the Annual Ice Festival and State of Maine Ice Carving Championship in Belfast. Wielding chainsaws, chisels and hand-tools, amateur and professional ice carvers race against the clock to reveal crystal-clear works of art. The resulting sculptures are fleeting, but their beauty is undeniable. After seeing the sculptures, wander Belfast for other festivities such as glass-blowing demonstrations and free hot chocolate.