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10 Urban Art Installations That Celebrate Books and Music
Content warning: From staircases turned into philosophy shelves to lamp posts jamming in a jazz band, these ten public artworks celebrate two of humanity’s most powerful forms of expression—books and music. Spotted across the globe, this curated collection features a viol
From staircases turned into philosophy shelves to lamp posts jamming in a jazz band, these ten public artworks celebrate two of humanity’s most powerful forms of expression—books and music. Spotted across the globe, this curated collection features a violin bigger than a building, a sparrow flying out of a storybook, and benches that look like novels ready to be opened. Here’s how artists have brought literature and rhythm into the streets.
More: 10 Street Art Masterpieces That Will Make You Fall in Love with Books Again
1. Stairs of Knowledge — University of Balamand, Lebanon
This painted staircase outside the library at the University of Balamand features 21 classic book spines arranged in near-chronological order. Titled the “Stairs of Knowledge,” the installation symbolizes intellectual progress through reading and has become a visual landmark for students and visitors alike.
2. Book Bench — Zaporozhye, Ukraine
Installed near the city library of Zaporozhye, this creatively designed bench resembles an open book with curved wooden slats for seating and white painted pages along the sides. It’s a fitting tribute to reading placed right at the heart of literary access.
3. Jazz Lamps
Street lamps take the shape of jazz musicians—one plays trumpet, another saxophone—while an ornate metal bench forms a piano. The snow-covered scene amplifies the surreal atmosphere.
More!: Repairing the World with LEGO
4. Guitar Player — Mural by Alex Maksiov in Houston, Texas, USA
Painted directly onto stair steps, this large-scale mural shows a boy sitting with a white electric guitar and an open blue case beneath him, making clever use of perspective.
🔗 Follow Alex Maksiov on Instagram
5. I Have A Dream — Mural by Bane & Pest in Chur, Switzerland
A giant sparrow emerges from a glowing open book, carrying a girl on its back. Surrounding it are tall stacks of painted books in a dreamlike composition.
More!: Amazing Murals by 3D Master Fabian Bane (7 Photos)
6. Miles Davis — Sculpture by Vlado Kostov in Kotor, Montenegro
Crafted from scrap metal, this detailed sculpture of Miles Davis captures the iconic trumpeter mid-performance, blending industrial materials with fluid motion.
7. Stringed Soul — Mural by SFHIR in Fene, Spain
Painted across the height of a building, a woman appears mid-performance with a giant white violin integrated into the building’s shape, her expression serene and focused.
More!: Turning Walls into Stories! 6 Murals by SFHIR
8. Fox and Bookshop — Mural by HERA in Vincennes, France
A giant fox curls protectively around two children reading outside a bookstore. The quote translates: “The children asked the fox how to escape reality. He replied: it’s easy, just open a book.”
More!: HERA – Crafting Stories on Walls Around the World
9. Violin Wall — Mural by Dopie in Delft, Netherlands
A hyper-saturated violin mural appears to float off the wall of a residential building. The stylized design gives a pop-art twist to classical music.
10. Trombone Player — Mural by Tom Bob in New York, USA
A yellow gas pipe becomes the body of a trombone, transformed by clever street art into a fun character blowing the horn, giving life to overlooked city infrastructure.
More!: 33 Cute Street Art Pieces by Creative Genius Tom Bob
More: 20 Street Art Pieces That Hit the Right Note
Which one is your favorite?
14 Street Art Masterpieces That Will Make You Fall in Love with Books Again
From a massive bookshelf painted across a building in Russia to a fox sharing wisdom on a French bookstore wall, artists across the world are transforming public spaces with book-inspired art. In Brazil, a child climbs a vibrant wall of painted encyclopedias. In Michigan, a chalk-drawn mouse curls up with a novel beneath a terra cotta pot lamp. This collection explores 14 creative murals, sculptures, and interventions where reading takes center stage—reminding us that stories still shape the cities around us.
More birds!: Read, Roam, Repeat: 11 Whimsical Public Book Spots to Celebrate World Book Day
1. Climbing the Library – Eduardo Kobra in Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil
A giant mural of a boy climbing a painted wooden ladder up a wall filled with colorful books. Each book spine is intricately detailed in vibrant tones, creating the illusion of a real, towering library.🔗 Follow Eduardo Kobra on Instagram
2. Giant Bookshelf Mural – JanIsDeMan in Solnechnodolsk, Russia
This massive trompe-l’œil mural transforms a bland apartment block into a three-story bookshelf packed with Russian titles, a model cathedral, and a Matryoshka doll.🔗 Follow JanIsDeMan on Instagram
3. Flying from a Book – Bane & Pest in Chur, Switzerland
On a sports court wall, a mural shows a huge bird soaring from a glowing book, with a child in blue flying on its back. Piles of painted books surround the open one, symbolizing escape through imagination.🔗 Follow Bane on Instagram
4. Books Spark Ideas – TAKERONE in Razgrad, Bulgaria
A glowing lightbulb bursts out of an open book in this dramatic mural on a school wall. White paint splashes and swirling pages emphasize the moment of creative awakening.🔗 Follow TAKERONE on Instagram
5. Escape Through a Book – HERA in Vincennes, France
Painted on the wall of a bookstore, a fox coils protectively around a boy reading. Text in French translates: “It’s easy to escape everyday life—just open a book.”🔗 Follow HERA on Instagram
7. Reading in a Meadow – Zabou in Moutiers, France
This upside-down mural cleverly uses the building’s shape to depict a girl laying in a field of dandelions, reading while listening to music. The book becomes part of the wall’s edge.🔗 Follow Zabou on Instagram
8. Brick Wall of Knowledge – Brad Spencer in Charlotte, North Carolina, US
Sculpted from brick, this piece shows three children climbing and helping one another over a wall. The figures emerge seamlessly from the same bricks, referencing growth and learning.🔗Visit Brad Spencer website
9. Books as the Foundation – Unknown Artist in Yekaterinburg, Russia
A clever urban repair fills a crumbling building base with real books set in concrete. It’s a quiet but poetic commentary on knowledge holding up society.
10. Nadines Evening of Adventure – David Zinn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, US
A miniature chalk drawing of a mouse reading under a terra cotta flowerpot turned into a lamp. David Zinn’s whimsical interventions bring cozy charm to any corner. More by David Zinn!: Discover David Zinn’s Amazing Chalk Art Masterpieces in Michigan🔗 Follow David Zinn on Instagram
11. Book-Shaped Benches – Unknown Artist, likely Eastern Europe
These curving benches look like thick, open books with lines of text printed across them. They invite passersby to sit down—literally—on a story.
12. Tree Became a Library – Ruurlo, Netherlands
This open-air library is built into the hollowed trunk of an old tree, with small glass-fronted cabinets neatly installed into the wood. It holds a selection of books and acts as a public book exchange in a natural setting.
13. Dystopia Bowl
A black Halloween bowl filled with copies of George Orwell’s 1984 sits outside a home, accompanied by a sign reading “One Copy of 1984 Per Child.” It mimics a trick-or-treat setup but swaps candy for political commentary.
14. By Darion Fleming — Brooklyn, New York
Mural by Darion Fleming at 108 St. Edwards Street in Brooklyn, created with WXLLSPACE. It shows a young girl holding a box of school supplies and a stack of books supporting a globe. On top sits a teddy bear wearing a graduation cap with a pigeon perched above. The mural celebrates education featuring book titles such as “Unity Makes Strength” and “The Woman’s Hour.”🔗 Follow Darion Fleming on Instagram
More: When Street Art Meets Nature (40 Photos)
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11 Public Book Spots We Love (Do it Yourself?)
Content warning: Which one is your favorite?
From seaside coves in Italy to quiet backstreets in Japan, books have found their way into every corner of the world—not in shelves, but on wheels, in boats, in birdhouses, and even inside bronze sculptures. On this World Book Day, we’re celebrating the creative ways communities across the globe have made reading accessible, visual, and beautifully public. Here are 11 imaginative public book spots that combine charm, art, and the joy of sharing stories—no library card needed.
More birds!: 10 Street Art Masterpieces That Will Make You Fall in Love with Books Again
The Boat Library in Puglia, Italy
A flipped fishing boat becomes a coastal bookshelf along the Adriatic Sea in Southern Italy. Bright green and red, it invites visitors with painted phrases encouraging reading, love, and peace. The bottom reads, “Take a book, leave a book.”
Biblioteca Mini
This minimalist mini-library stands directly on the beach sand, shaped like a white house with blue windows and a red roof. The word “Biblioteca” is clearly visible, welcoming sunbathers to read.
Bibliomoto in Basilicata, Italy
Known as “Il Bibliomotocarro”, this three-wheeled mini-truck is a mobile library covered with glass panels and bookshelves, topped with a tiled roof. It travels to remote villages, bringing books to children and elderly readers.
Lakeside Sculpture Library
A sculptural bronze-like lighthouse stands by a lake—its interior packed with books. The weathered patina gives it a historic feel, blending public art and literature seamlessly.
Wagon Library
Mounted on red wooden wheels, this bright red wagon is packed wall-to-wall with books. Located in a public park, it blends rural nostalgia with literary abundance.
Jimbocho Book Alley in Tokyo, Japan
Stretching along a quiet alley in the heart of Tokyo, rows of bookcases filled with second-hand Japanese literature form a literary corridor in this famous bookstore district.
Little Library
This mini library near a lake blends perfectly with its wooded surroundings. Blue trim and shingled roof give it a cozy, handcrafted vibe, inviting quiet book exchanges.
Free Books Box in the UK
Simple but powerful, this cardboard box labeled “Free Books – Help Yourself” rests casually on the sidewalk, filled with thrillers and novels for anyone to grab.
Children’s Library
This dollhouse-like “Cherry Tree Children’s Library” is filled with colorful children’s books and tiny doll furniture. A literal storybook home.
Forest Edge Library in Nova Scotia, Canada
Nestled in a piney landscape, this deep-blue book hut holds everything from cookbooks to comics. It’s part of the global Little Free Library network.
Little Free Library
This wooden, house-shaped box with a natural finish and black trim is a classic example of a registered Little Free Library. Tucked among green shrubbery, it blends perfectly into its leafy surroundings.
On World Book Day, these public bookshelves remind us that literature doesn’t just belong in formal libraries—it thrives in wagons, beaches, alleys, and handmade wooden boxes. Each one carries not just stories in their pages but the spirit of community, sharing, and freedom of access. Wherever you are in the world, there might be a book waiting for you around the next corner.
More: Cutest Bookstore on Wheels (7 photos)
Which one is your favorite?
11 Beautiful Artworks That Seem to Grow From Nature
Some artworks don’t just sit in nature—they become part of it. Around the world, artists are crafting sculptures and murals that seamlessly merge with their surroundings, using trees, vines, and landscapes as living elements of their work. These 11 pieces don’t fight against nature; they grow with it.
From giant figures emerging from forests to street art that transforms urban greenery into playful illusions, these eight stunning creations prove that art and nature can exist in perfect harmony.More: 8 Inspiring Sculptures Seamlessly Integrated with Nature
1. “Sleeping Child” by El Decertor (Imbabura, Ecuador)
A mural by El Decertor in Imbabura, Ecuador, depicting a young child sleeping against a concrete wall, with creeping ivy blending into the painting as a natural blanket.
2. “UMI” by Daniel Popper (Illinois, USA)
“UMI” by Daniel Popper at the outdoor tree museum The Morton Arboretum in Illinois, USA—an intricate wooden sculpture of a woman with tree roots weaving through her body, set in a green landscape.About and more photos: “UMI” Sculpture by Daniel Popper in Lisle, Illinois
3. Street Art by David Zinn (Ann Arbor, USA)
A street art piece by David Zinn in Ann Arbor, USA, featuring a small green character with a real grass mustache blending into the pavement.More!: Street Art by Happiness Maker David Zinn (21 Photos)
4. Flower Street Art by Fabio Gomes Trindade (Goiás, Brazil)
A mural by Fabio Gomes Trindade in Goiás, Brazil, featuring a girl’s face with a real tree forming her vibrant pink afro hairstyle.More by Fabio Gomes: How Fábio Gomes Turns Trees into Hair: Stunning Murals in Trindade
5. Sidewalk Flower Experiment
A beautiful example of accidental nature-inspired art—kindergarten children dropped seeds into sidewalk cracks, leading to a spontaneous floral pathway.More photos and about: Kindergarten children dropped seeds in the crack of the sidewalk to see what would happen
6. “Nature Rings” by Spencer Byles (Deep Forest, France)
A series of woven circular sculptures by Spencer Byles made from natural branches, blending seamlessly with the surrounding forest.
7. Willow Archer by Anna & The Willow (UK)
A woven willow sculpture of a female archer by Anna & The Willow, set against a wooded path.
8. Wire Mermaid by Martin Debenham (UK)
A wire sculpture by Martin Debenham of a mermaid sitting on a rock, with the intricate metalwork mimicking flowing water.
9. Snake in the Green — Hyères, France
A plain gray cinderblock wall in a hidden grove was completely transformed into a lifelike snake by street artist Rest4. The viper, rendered in vibrant greens, blues, and yellows, emerges from the shadows of the forest floor. The before-and-after framing reveals the power of imagination to awaken forgotten spaces.
10. Fluentem Colos — Little Milford, Wales
Land artist Jon Foreman created this delicate, wave-like gradient in a woodland clearing using carefully arranged leaves. Starting in green and fading to deep orange, the sculpture blends with the forest floor in color, shape, and motion—appearing to ripple like wind through grass. More by Jon Foreman: 9 Leaf Sculptures That Stir the Soul in the Forest (Art by Jon Foreman)
11. Florinda Camila — “WA” Marko Franco Domenak in Lima, Peru
This creative mural cleverly incorporates a real bougainvillea bush as the hair of a painted woman. A monarch butterfly completes the peaceful scene, adding movement to this blend of paint and nature.🔗 Follow WA on Instagram
More: When Street Art Meets Nature (40 Photos)
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