Entry No. 11 — the San Diego file — filed under: giant-sculpture

"Bear" by Tim Hawkinson (Stuart Collection, UCSD)

Eight boulders of local granite, stacked 23.5 feet tall and weighing 180 tons total, engineered into the unmistakable shape of a child's teddy bear — using a construction method the artist himself called "unknown in the construction world." Students routinely put Valentine's heart-glasses, crew uniforms, and Harry Potter costumes on it.

The move: Walk the engineering courtyard between Atkinson Hall and the CSE building to find it looming between glass-and-steel research labs, then grab coffee at one of the campus cafes and see if it's currently costumed for some student prank.

• 📍 La Jolla (UC San Diego campus)
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093 (academic courtyard, Jacobs School of Engineering)

Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Official site

last checked: 2026-07-19