Animals in Pools, Bronze animal sculpture series near Pioneer Courthouse Square, Portland, United States.
Animals in Pools is a series of 25 bronze figures showing regional wildlife like bears, otters, and deer arranged across ten trough-shaped fountains along downtown streets. The works stretch between Fifth and Sixth Avenues on two city blocks, with water flowing through them during warmer months.
Artist Georgia Gerber created these works in 1986 as part of a project during MAX Light Rail construction downtown. The funding came from merchants and transit authorities who wanted to bring life to the district during that construction period.
The sculptures bring Pacific Northwest wildlife into the urban center, positioned low enough for people to touch and explore them directly. This kind of interaction with public art feels unusual in a busy downtown area filled with shops and offices.
The fountains are free and easily reached on foot along downtown streets without entering any building or buying a ticket. Water flows through them in the warmer months, but the bronze figures remain interesting to explore year-round.
Some of the bronze figures wear surprising small details like otters dressed in holiday sweaters or bears teaching their cubs to fish. These personal touches make each figure special and invite visitors to look more carefully.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
