12 Brilliant Public Art Pieces In Pennsylvania That Will Make You Stop To Stare

Public art makes our lives brighter-- when you walk down the streets of your city, you enjoy seeing colors and shapes that catch your eye and make you pause for a moment to reflect. Whether it be murals, sculptures, statues, or beautiful architecture, public art brings light into lives and draws communities together. Luckily, many cities in Pennsylvania have robust programs that bring beautiful artwork to their communities. Today, we're looking at the three biggest cities in Pennsylvania-- Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown-- and the predominant forms of public art found in each city. Take a peek at the unique works you might encounter in each place.

1. PHILADELPHIA: Murals, murals, murals.

You may recognize the work of this artist, Keith Haring. The mural is called "We Are The Youth" and can be found at 22nd and Ellsworth Streets in Point Breeze, Philadelphia. Thanks to the Mural Arts Program in Philadelphia, the city is rich with colorful buildings and walls.

2. Philadelphia, Haas&Hahn

This expansive project can be found on Germantown Avenue between Huntingdon Street and Somerset. The artists used over 1,000 gallons of paint for the project.

3. Ogden St. Mural

The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program has dubbed their project "the largest outdoor art gallery."

4. Meg Salisman, Common Threads Mural

This masterpiece at Broad & Spring Garden Streets is one of the most iconic murals in Philadelphia.

5. PITTSBURGH: Dinosaurs

Here we have the Alphabet Dinosaur, which can be found across the street from Carnegie Hall in Pittsburgh. Andrew Carnegie established museums in Pittsburgh and also had a fascination with dinosaurs, a motif that thrives in the city to this day.

6. Carnegie Brontosaurus

This giant statue stands proudly outside the Carnegie Museum of Natural History on Forbes Ave. It's usually decked out with a scarf or some other seasonal attire.

7. Mr. Tyrannosaurus Rogers

This somewhat creepy guy stands in front of the WQED building, where Mr. Rogers was filmed.

8. Downtown T-Rex

This guy stands downtown and is often decked out for various occasions. This particular costume is from 2011, when part of Dark Knight Rises was filmed in the city.

9. ALLENTOWN: Industrial Sculpture

Throughout the city, you'll find large, industrial metal sculptures dotting the parks. They were created by an assortment of artists in the 1980s and early 1990s, including: Igael Tumarkin, Tom Sternal, and Ernest Shaw.

10. Allentown: Ernest Shaw, Votive XXXV, 1985

This sculpture stands in Cedar Beach Park in Allentown. It's one of a few sculptures by Ernest Shaw within the city limits.

11. Allentown: The Joggers Sculpture, Philipo Bermani

This cool sculpture was created in 1975 and stands near a baseball field in south Allentown.

12. Allentown: Victor's Lament, Mark di Suvero

This gigantic statue is regularly repainted to retain its bright red hue. It stands on Muhlenberg University's campus in Allentown.

This list is only the beginning of the rich artistic heritage of our state. What's your favorite piece of public artwork in the state of Pennsylvania? Tell us in the comments below!