Burnett Memorial Fountain, Bronze sculpture in Conservatory Garden of Central Park, United States
Burnett Memorial Fountain is a bronze memorial fountain set within the Conservatory Garden of Central Park in Manhattan. It features two figures placed beside a water lily pool, one depicting a girl holding a birdbath and the other a boy playing a flute, both cast in bronze by sculptor Bessie Potter Vonnoh.
Bessie Potter Vonnoh completed the sculpture in 1936, and it was officially dedicated by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in 1937. Before reaching its current spot in the garden, the work spent several years in storage after its completion.
The fountain pays tribute to Frances Hodgson Burnett through two bronze figures drawn from her most beloved novel. Visitors who know the story recognize Mary and Dickon right away, and the setting among flowers and hedges feels like a natural extension of the book.
The fountain sits in the English section of the Conservatory Garden, which is reached through the main gate on Fifth Avenue at 104th Street. Paths inside the garden are easy to follow and the fountain is visible once you walk past the central formal garden.
Although the fountain honors Frances Hodgson Burnett, her name does not appear engraved on the sculpture itself. The connection to the author comes entirely through the figures she gave to her readers, not through any inscription on the bronze.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
