You don’t have to trek to a museum to see great art—often, you can find it outdoors. Public art allows everyone to experience the thrill of creative expression. From playful sculptures that interact with the environment to colorful mosaic staircases, these incredible displays brighten our world at large. And, best of all, you needn’t go far to see these types of fantastic creations. Often, they’re just beyond your doorstep. There are numerous pieces of public art in the U.S. that are just waiting for you to come and see them.
Public art isn’t limited to large metropolitan areas or museum-adjacent spaces. It can be in seemingly random or even isolated places. The Social Pool by artist Alfredo Barsuglia, for instance, is open to anyone who can find it. Currently, it’s in an undisclosed location in the Southern California desert. Barsuglia is vague about how to even get there, stating that it’s “several hours of driving from Los Angeles” and to visit it, you must be willing “to walk a long distance to reach the pool from the nearest road.” But among the sandy locale, its white, minimalist appearance looks like an oasis under the hot sun.