Entry No. 30 — the Washington, D.C. file — filed under: public art

Dark Star Park

Five dark concrete spheres, two reflecting pools, and steel poles fill a two-thirds-acre plaza that artist Nancy Holt built specifically so its shadows would only line up with painted marks on the asphalt once a year — 9:32 a.m. on August 1, the anniversary of the date the land was first purchased in 1860. Holt called the spheres "stars that have fallen to the ground — they no longer shine."

The move: Show up before sunrise on August 1 for Dark Star Park Day to watch the shadows lock into their marks at 9:32 a.m., or just wander the plaza after dark any other night when it's a quiet, strange pocket park a block from Rosslyn's office towers.

• 📍 Rosslyn, Arlington, VA
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: N Fort Myer Dr & Wilson Blvd, Rosslyn, Arlington, VA 22209

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

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · rosslynva.org

last checked: 2026-07-19