Public art in a post-9/11 world

New security concerns have made some public art more difficult to access.

Many artworks at Sea-Tac Airport now are available only to ticketed passengers who have gone through security screening. At Sand Point, outdoor artworks at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) including Douglas Hollis' "Sound Garden" are off-bounds when the federal alert status is orange. Otherwise, visitors may enter the gate from Magnuson Park to "Sound Garden" from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. weekdays or by foot at the NOAA gate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. You must provide ID, and purses and backpacks are subject to search.

The Olympic Sculpture Park

Public art will take the spotlight next June, when the Seattle Art Museum opens its new Olympic Sculpture Park on the downtown waterfront next to Myrtle Edwards Park. The 8.5-acre green space will provide a permanent home to Alexander Calder's "Eagle" (now at Volunteer Park) and newly acquired works including Richard Serra's 75-foot steel "Wake" and pieces by Tony Smith, Mark Di Suvero, Anthony Caro and Ellsworth Kelly. In addition to large-scale sculptures, the park will feature special commissions, temporary installations and performances.