Emeryville mudflat sculptures for kids
The Mud Sculptures by the Bay. The true story of Emeryville mudflat sculptures, near Emeryville, CA, told for kids.
Read along
Look out at the muddy edge of the bay! Long ago, strange art grew right out there in the mud. People built sculptures from stuff they found on the spot, like driftwood and junk that washed up. Nobody signed their names. Nobody knew who the artists were!
They started in 1962, and soon people all over the country heard about them. Drivers heading to the Bay Bridge could see them from the road. Imagine sitting in traffic, bored, and then you spot a driftwood statue standing in the mud, looking back at you! Over many years, lots of different sculptures popped up and then disappeared. Today the shore is a protected home for wildlife, so the last sculptures were taken away in 1997.
Now, look out the window. Can you find the muddy shore? Pretend you see a giant driftwood robot waving at you!
Quiz the back seat
What were the mudflat sculptures mostly made from?
Show the answer
Things found on the shore. Yes! Driftwood and other found stuff. The artists never had to go shopping.
3 fun facts
- The sculptures were first built in 1962 and got national attention by 1964.
- The artists were usually anonymous amateurs.
- The last sculptures were removed in 1997.
For grown-ups
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Sources
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