Needle Tower

Needle Tower is a sculpture made of aluminum and stainless steel at the Hirshhorn Museum that appears to float in space with its tubes connected only by cables. The structure rises about 60 feet tall and displays intricate geometric patterns that shift and change depending on your viewing angle.

Kenneth Snelson created this sculpture in 1968 as an application of a new structural principle combining tension and compression forces. The work became influential in modern art by demonstrating how engineering concepts could be integrated into artistic expression.

The sculpture represents a turning point in modern art where engineering principles merged with artistic expression in public spaces.

You can explore the structure from different positions around its base to see all layers and angles. The best way to understand how it holds together is to walk slowly around it and look upward through the interconnected elements.

Despite its slender appearance, the structure remains stable even though its tubes never touch each other and are held together purely by steel cables. This balance between emptiness and form shows that stability does not require solid connections.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Inception: 1968

Creator: Kenneth Snelson

Made from material: aluminum, stainless steel

GPS coordinates: 52.09422,5.82022

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:51