Come Find Staunton’s Murals and Outdoor Art 

The daffodils are up, and the days are starting to smell like spring. If you’re itching for a hike, but not sure you’re ready to hit the mountain trails just yet, how about a walk through downtown Staunton? Not only will you find shops and restaurants, but murals and other outdoor art bring life and color to the urban spaces. The art is fun to look at, pose in front of, and photograph. Here’s our guide to Staunton’s murals and other outdoor art.

Murals

• Crucible Coffee Roasters provides excellent coffee and a very cool seating area that looks into the roasting room. There’s also space to chat with friends outside at picnic tables or Adirondack chairs overlooked by one of Staunton’s newer murals.

• The newly-opened Shabby Hippie Boutique carries cute and comfortable clothing, jewelry, and accessories for women. The mural outside celebrates Virginia with vibrant pink and white dogwood blossoms.
• Just down the road, the SAW Habitat for Humanity ReStore displays a mural dedicated to construction energy. If you’re inspired, head inside to look for treasures and materials to update and decorate your home. Additional paintings around the parking lot are the collaborative work of SAC art students.

• Marino’s Lunch is set to reopen in late March or early April. Get pumped for the upcoming food and music by checking out the mural of musicians silhouetted against the Blue Ridge at sunset.

• Jones Community Garden connects our community with fresh produce at low prices. It also “targets abandoned, forgotten, or overlooked areas within local communities to transform into vibrant edible oases.” The garden space features a collaborative mural created by local artists. Stop by to see it and dream about the garden’s summer bounty.

• The building housing Fluff and Fetch Dog Grooming has a groovy flower mural on the corner. Treat your pup to a new hairdo and pose for some pics.
• Christy Baker’s You Belong Here mural on the corner of Beverley and North Central welcomes residents and visitors alike with its positive message. Staunton’s largest mural, made possible by a Virginia Tourism Corporation grant includes a pair of cardinals (Virginia’s state birds) against a mountain backdrop. 
• Baker also dreamed up the mural on the Black Dog Bikes building. It celebrates community-centered, family-friendly active lifestyles and depicts hikers, bikers, walkers, runners, and more. Inspired? Head inside to pick out your next ride.

• Big, bright sunflowers bring life to the brick building at the corner of Coalter and Greenville. Stop for gas at the Citgo and grab your snapshots.

• Strolling through the Mary Baldwin campus? Look for the mural in the courtyard of the Spencer Center for Civic and Global Engagement at the corner of Market and Hunt.

Indoor Murals

• An enormous tree against a background of mountains and a colorful sky decorates Redbeard Brewing Company’s taproom walls. The mural includes playful details like a robot Redbeard and robot squirrel. Beer goes well with art, so sip a pint while you study the painting.
• A mural of downtown Staunton at dusk decorates the Pampered Palate’s dining area. Find all your favorite places as you enjoy your favorite salads, soups, and sandwiches.
• Even if you live in Staunton, it’s worth stopping at Tru By Hilton to see the mural in the lobby. It showcases Staunton adventures and notable buildings like the Clocktower and The Manse at Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum.

Sculpture and More

• You can’t miss the giant watering can at the railroad underpass. Ferguson Metal Fabrication created this as well as many other large carbon steel flower pots, nuts, books, eyeglasses, crutches, and shoes for the city and area businesses. They bring a surprising touch of whimsy to the urban landscape.

• The Mevluda Tahirovic Memorial Garden is a hidden garden behind the RR Smith Center. Plants and sculpture decorate the urban green space.
• Staunton’s historic Thornrose Cemetery was built during the 1800s movement to make cemeteries park-like. Thornrose is landscaped with dramatic features like a tower and footbridge, and visitors can find lots of statuary tucked in unexpected places.

Murals Beyond Staunton

• For more nearby murals, visit  Waynesboro’s Street Arts Trail and Harrisonburg’s Downtown Art Walk.
• Attend the annual Virginia Street Arts Festival in Waynesboro to watch artists in action, talk to the artists, take walking tours, and view exhibits.