Iconic Silver Spring Penguin Mural To Return To Original Location

SILVER SPRING, MD — The iconic penguin mural that inspired the look of Silver Spring street signs and the Veterans Plaza ice rink is coming back to Silver Spring after 11 years, according to reports.

The 100-foot, 25-panel mural designed by local artist Sally Callmer shows penguins using the Metro system, holding briefcases and sitting on trains. The mural was installed below the rail system bridge on Colesville Road in 1989, and was taken down in 2006 when construction started on the Silver Spring Transit Center.

Now, Montgomery County and Metro officials are coordinating to install a replica of the mural under the bridge near the Metro station, Bethesda Magazine reports.

County spokesman Patrick Lacefield said the county made an exact replica of the mural on aluminum because they didn't want to risk re-installing the original mural in fear that it would continue to deteriorate from bad weather. The original mural started to peel and was in need of refurbishing when it was taken down.

When the mural was installed in the 1980s, it was only supposed to be on display for a year in the underpass at the Silver Spring Metro station. But its popularity with commuters prompted the Washington Transit Authority to buy it for permanent display.

“The penguin is the symbol of Silver Spring and the little kids just absolutely love it,” resident Carla Kijak told MCM. “My grandkids come and they ice skate with penguins and there’s a penguin on the corner over here, there’s penguins throughout the city.”

Read the full Bethesda Magazine article here.