You think of a lot of things when you think of Hiram Chittenden Locks: the boats, the gardens, the buildings. But what about the water itself, without which all of this would be moot? Salmon Waves celebrates the most basic and important of elements here, which brings the salmon and other animals with it.

Installed in 1993, “The Wall of Death” doesn’t have the best location in Seattle, but it’s a hidden gem for those traveling along the Burke-Gilman Trail. (At least, for those who enjoy it; the Seattle Times, gauging viewer reactions soon after its installation, summarized public input on the statue thusly: “sinister, whimsical, tacky and really orange.”)

The colossal statue underneath the Aurora Bridge does a terrible job driving people away. If anything, he attracts them in droves. Sculpted by four local artists—Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead—the work was the winner of a competition to create a piece of public art in this spot. He is interactive; visitors are encouraged to clamber on him or try to poke out his one good eye (a hubcap).

Local glass artist Rodman Miller created two neon sculptures, installed in bridge tower windows in 1994: a neon Rapunzel and a depiction of Rudyard Kipling’s “How the Elephant Got its Trunk.”

Most people come here for the view and to take pictures of the skyline and old gas works. But the ornate analemmatic dial by Charles Greening atop Kite Hill is a special find for anyone who scales it. Want to use the dial? Just stand in the center and you become the time-teller.

In 1968, Isamu Noguchi envisioned creating a fluid and timeless work that would appear to move as the sun does. Located in the heart of Volunteer Park, Black Sun offers one of the most unique views of the Space Needle you’ll find. Local legend goes that the Soundgarden song “Black Hole Sun” was inspired by this piece; upon the singer’s death, the sculpture became an impromptu memorial site.

You have to come here at night to really appreciate the last work by architect Robert Murase. The urban oasis lights up with a rainbow of colors that make everything ethereal for the groups that have gathered to sit and rest.

So many pieces of public art to choose from here. You could even make the argument the Space Needle is one. “The Fountain of Creation,” a.k.a. DuPen Fountain is a big highlight. Originally created for the 1962 World’s Fair, it’s home to smaller installations, too. Don’t forget to look for other works such as “Dreaming in Color,” “An Equal and Opposite Reaction,” “Baby Whale’s Tale,” “Kobe Bell,” and “Grass Blades”—plus another watery World’s Fair relic, the International Fountain.

Passengers emerging from the light rail station on Capitol Hill are greeted by a couple of steel-and-porcelain works by legendary Seattle cartoonist Ellen Forney. In one piece, pinkies on two hands link. In another, two fingers take a stroll.

Inside Cal Anderson Park, you’ll find Douglas Hollis’ Waterworks, an endlessly-streaming “river” that flows from a volcano (source) and settles in a calming pool (reflection).

It’s an obvious destination, but a mandatory one if you’re looking to see as much public art as possible. Old stalwarts like the Eye Benches and the Eagle mix with ever-changing installations, all with views of Elliott Bay.

This dual-stick popsicle—the kind designed for splitting and sharing—at Fourth and Blanchard in Belltown was designed by Catherine Meyer.

Near Eighth Avenue and Pine Street, this huge wall has been painted with a Tetris-inspired mural designed by Will Schlough and installed by Urban Artworks.

Right in the middle of the Lenora & Western intersection, this 30-foot, red metal umbrella is inspired by, what else, the rainy weather of Seattle. Not everyone knows that it actually spins 360 degrees, depending on which way the wind blows.

A collaboration between sculptor Robert Maki and landscape architect Robert Hanna, “Westlake Star Axis/Seven Hills” consists of several elements throughout Westlake Park: a 24-foot-high stone proscenium arch meant to be a kind of Roman-style speakers forum, with a set of three large stairs that provide seating; a fountain creating 64-foot-long wall of water cascading around steel ramps that allow visitors to walk through the center of the spray (and more recently, lights); and a pink granite column and six cubic pieces that allude to Seattle’s original seven hills. At the center of the park, a stand of 24 trees is also a part of the installation.

Certainly we can’t talk about public art and not talk about Hammering Man. Measuring 48 feet tall, he “hammers” silently and smoothly four times per minute from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. He actually rests his arm every year on Labor Day.

This station in the middle of downtown has a couple of notable pieces of public art including LED boxes by Robert Teeple that create a kind of magnet-poetry-like display, crafting poetry and collections of symbols around a silent, animated face.

Meant to inspire contemplation upon the transmission of information, Tony Oursler’s “Braincast” features a tableau of faces and individual features projected onto three-dimensional forms and semi-transparent Plexiglas. Outside you’ll find George Tsutakawa’s “Fountain of Wisdom.”

The Tlingit Indian Totem Pole first appeared in 1899, after members of the Chamber of Commerce stole it from Tlingit Indians, then gave it to the City of Seattle as a gift, even though it wasn’t theirs to give. In 1938, the totem pole was set on fire. Even though the the city had retained ownership of their stolen totem pole, Tlingit craftsmen in Alaska carved a reproduction to stand in its stead. The new pole dedicated with tribal blessings, and it now stands, as the National Register of Historic Places puts it, “as symbol of the complicated relationship between American Indians and European Americans.”

Along with the water views along Alki Beach, there are multiple fascinating pieces of public art to see. A trail between Duwamish Head and Alki Point is lined with art by Joe Fedderson, Donald Fels, and Juane Quick-To-See, including viewers that superimpose historical images, inlaid stone, sculptures, and bronze plaques to tell a story of the history of the land.

The Sodo Track is a unique take on a public art gallery: It’s specifically designed to be viewed via public transit. Hop on Link Light rail or one of the many buses that rolls through this neighborhood to see more than 50 murals on nearly every wall facing the bus-only road.

In this sculpture by Phillip Levine, four bronze children leap about on the side the Fauntleroy exit at the end of the West Seattle Bridge. Some folks find them creepy, others find them something worthy of dressing up. They get a reaction regardless. In 2012, volunteers stepped up with a landscaping plan, removing waste and planting trees and shrubs—and are now a big part of the site’s upkeep. In 2014, one of the kids was stolen.

Jefferson Park contains a massive duo of installations by Elizabeth Conner that track the culture and topography of the land, both past and present. It also contains “Skate Space,” a sculpture by CJ Rench specifically designed for skateboarding.