View Public Art Installations that Celebrate North of Boston’s History 

Keep an eye out for the graceful sculptures and spectacular murals that shine a light on the region’s rich heritage.

Dozens of striking art installations portray everything from legendary Revolutionary War–era figures to everyday scenes of workers, immigrants, and unsung heroes who shaped the North of Boston region. It doesn’t cost a penny to see these works, which is fitting for 2026—the first year since 1793 that no pennies will be minted in the U.S.

Beyond Walls Murals, Lynn

More than 80 murals reflecting this thriving city’s multicultural makeup have appeared since 2017 through a project spearheaded by the nonprofit Beyond Walls. Highlights include the thoughtful series of wheatpasted photos by Sheila Pree Bright that portray young voters from different backgrounds posing with a U.S. flag, and two murals by Angurria that salute Lynn’s Dominican American community. Sign up for one of Beyond Walls’ hour-long walking tours.

Founders Monument, Newbury

Crowned with a replica of The Mary and John, a ship that carried many of the town’s first settlers from England in 1634, this austere monument on Newbury’s Lower Green dates to 1905. Passengers named on the monument include Nicholas Noyes, who would go on to play an infamous role in the Salem witch trials.

George Washington Statue, Newburyport

The nation’s first president is immortalized in an imposing 1878 bronze by sculptor John Quincy Adams Ward that anchors the southeastern corner of Newburyport’s Bartlet Mall. Shortly after being elected, Washington slept in a home that is now part of the Newburyport Public Library. While you’re in town, go for a stroll on the Clipper City Rail Trail, a 3.3-mile multiuse track that passes by several captivating art installations including Steam Loco, an interactive play sculpture for kids.

Ipswich Riverwalk Mural, Ipswich

Completed by Alan Pearsall in 2007, this multipart mural covers a huge portion of a mill building on Ipswich’s enchanting riverwalk. It’s just downriver from the scenic 1764 Choate Bridge, which is featured in one of the painting’s historically driven scenes.

Josiah Bartlett Statue, Amesbury

This towering freestanding statue commemorates the life of the Amesbury native, renowned physician, and Declaration of Independence signatory who would later become the first governor of neighboring New Hampshire. Amesbury resident and esteemed poet and abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a poem for the statue’s dedication in 1888.

Lynn Stories Mural, Lynn

Unveiled in 2015 on the LynnArts Building, this collaboration by David Fichter, Yetti Frenkel, and Joshua Winer includes a depiction of the escaped enslaved man and author Frederick Douglass, who penned his influential autobiography here in the 1840s. Renderings of a General Electric Aerospace technician and women factory workers allude to Lynn’s industrial roots.

Maritime Sculptures, Gloucester

Three poignant statues overlooking the waves show the personal side of Gloucester’s seafaring pedigree. Bracketed by flower beds along a paved walkway, Leonard Craske’s 1925 Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial portrays an intrepid sea captain grasping a ship’s wheel, a tribute to over 10,000 locals who perished at sea. A short stroll west, the Gloucester Fishermen’s Wives Memorial (Morgan Faulds Pike, 2001) depicts a mother and two young children gazing somberly but stoically across the bay. And on a grassy bluff in front of his former home stands the graceful sculpture (Alfred M. Duca, 1996) of famed artist Fitz Henry Lane, notepad in hand, sketching one of the countless ships gliding across Gloucester Harbor.

Millyard Murals, Amesbury

Local painter Jon Mooers has created several works on factory buildings, including a 1999 mural visible from the Main Street bridge that pays homage to the town’s bygone carriage-making prowess. Another Amesbury industry is centered in Kate Delaney’s 2024 wall painting beside the Amesbury Carriage Museum. Its woven-twill background echoes the fabric once produced in the mill, while symbols reveal how the building’s use changed over time.

 Punto Urban Art Museum, Salem

Comprising 75 large-scale murals set along three blocks near Salem Harbor Walk, this open-air museum embraces a mission of social justice through art. Many works show the faces and cultural gifts of Salem’s increasingly diverse populace, including Generaciones by David Fichter, Migrar by Felipe Ortiz and Ivan Salazar, and Totem by Ledania. Discover more about these works on one of the museum’s guided tours.

 Roger Conant Statue, Salem

Depicting its subject clad in a dramatically billowing cape and a broad-brimmed Pilgrim hat, this formidable 9-foot-tall statue (Henry Hudson Kitson, 1913) rises from a massive 60-ton boulder in front of the Salem Witch Museum. Passersby often mistakenly assume it depicts a male witch, but it commemorates Salem’s founder, who would go on to serve as the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Photo: Super Dali by Sipros, Punto Urban Art Museum, Salem, NBCVB; Smug Mural, Lynn, NBCVB; Ipswich Riverwalk Mural, NBCVB, Mr Cenz Mural, Punto Urban Art Museum, Salem, NBCVB

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This blog is an excerpt from our digital guide “250 Ways to Explore, Discover, and Celebrate North of Boston”. To view the full guide, click here.