Chicago Children’s Museum Unveils Richard Hunt “Sea Wall” Exhibit

The interactive exhibit encourages a new generation to be inspired by the tools, methods, and influences that sparked Hunt’s creative process.

CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, November 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Imagine a world-class, one-of-a-kind sculpture nearly being destroyed in a renovation, only to be saved by a forward-thinking employee who stored it in his garage for decades. “Sea Wall,” (1971) one of only two pieces world-renowned Chicago artist Richard Hunt ever made for children, was nearly lost. But, with luck, collaboration, and the support of those committed to Hunt’s legacy, “Sea Wall” has been meticulously revitalized to once again be available for children to interact with and enjoy at Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) starting November 21 and will be a permanent museum experience.

“Given that ‘Sea Wall’ was one of only two sculptures Richard ever created especially for children, it is wonderfully fitting that it now resides here at Chicago Children’s Museum,” said Natalie Bortoli, Vice President, Educational Programming & Experience Development, CCM. “We have worked to respect the original intentions of ‘Sea Wall’ by providing children with a calming and curious hands-on exploration of the sculpture, while also creating an opportunity for them to get to know Richard Hunt and his story.”

Originally created for the children’s center lobby at the former Michael Reese Hospital in 1971, “Sea Wall” housed various aquaria for children to engage with while visiting the hospital. When the hospital was being renovated in the mid-2000s, a demolition contractor started cutting up “Sea Wall” to remove it. Oscar Edmond, a hospital employee, knew of Hunt’s work and having recognized the piece, stopped them. He got permission from the hospital to salvage the piece. Edmond moved the parts to his home where he stored it until 2024 when he and his wife, Karen, began downsizing. During the process, they realized the sculpture was commissioned by the Ruttenberg family and decided to reach out to them.

The Ruttenbergs were given possession of the piece and in June 2024, the Ruttenberg family chose to bring the sculpture to CCM with the charge to restore and reimagine the piece as an interactive experience.

Now “Sea Wall” has been brought back to life for children and their families and caregivers to interact with for years to come. The newly imagined sculpture will feature multi-sensory activities inspired by the aquaria that were part of the sculpture in its original location including: Hands on activities, such as a “build your own diorama,” sand spinner, and a mystery box with aquatic animals; a miniature diorama of a water scene; and calming displays of bubbles and a digital aquarium in a nod to “Sea Wall’s” history.

Alongside the space there will be ceramic tiles featuring aquatic images and textures inspired by Richard Hunt and “Sea Wall” created in CCM’s Art Studio by Chicago children. The exhibit will also feature a panel on Richard Hunt and his legacy, as well as a tactile experience using real artifacts from Richard’s studio. Children will be able to see and touch tools Richard created by hand to serve his artistic vision, as well as explore the many ways he was inspired by the natural world.

“Hunt believed that swimming was perfectly analogous to flying, with both offering an experience of freedom,” said Jon Ott, Executive Director of the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation. “In ‘Sea Wall,’ he fashioned an underwater landscape where the sculpture recedes into an artistic backdrop, setting children free to explore, play, and imagine in a world without weight.”

Raised on Chicago’s South Side, Richard Hunt graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where he would later teach, and became one of the most influential African American abstract sculptors of the 20th century. Bringing “Sea Wall” to Navy Pier, where Hunt himself once exhibited and taught, ensures his life and art will serve as an enduring blueprint for childhood curiosity, creative freedom, and limitless aspiration.

The Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation played a critical role in providing information and artifacts for the exhibit. “Sea Wall” was also made possible by several funders including the Ruttenberg/Kagan Foundation and John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

To learn more about the “Sea Wall” exhibit at the Chicago Children’s Museum, visit:
www.richardhuntsculptor.org/sea-wall

For more information and media contacts, please visit www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/media-center

© 2026 The Richard Hunt Estate / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. Photo courtesy of Chicago Children’s Museum

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ABOUT CHICAGO CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
The mission of Chicago Children’s Museum is to improve children’s lives by creating a community where play and learning connect. CCM is a cultural institution dedicated to young children and the important adults in their lives. Playful experiences, including more than 15 interactive exhibits and daily programming, tap into how kids learn and engage to develop the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Located at Navy Pier, Chicago’s number one attraction at 700 E. Grand Ave., CCM is the final stop for CTA buses #29, #65, #66 and #124.

ABOUT RICHARD HUNT
Richard Hunt (1935-2023) was a celebrated American metal sculptor who had more than 250 solo exhibitions, more than 500 group exhibitions, and is represented in more than 130 museums worldwide. He was the first African American sculptor to have a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 1971. Hunt made the largest contribution to public sculpture in the United States, with 160 public commissions gracing prominent locations in 24 states and Washington, D.C.

ABOUT THE RICHARD HUNT LEGACY FOUNDATION
The Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that advances public awareness, education, and appreciation of the art and life of American sculptor Richard Hunt. The Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation’s vision is to ensure that future generations fully appreciate Richard Hunt by encouraging, inspiring, facilitating, educating, and supporting the public’s understanding of his work and his place in American and art history. In addition, the foundation aims to inspire the next generation of sculptors and artists.

Molly Ott
Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation
info@richardhuntsculptor.org
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Written By: EIN Presswire