Entry No. 27 — the St. Louis file — filed under: giant-sculpture
The Awakening II
A dramatic, 70-foot-long cast-aluminum sculpture depicting a bearded giant struggling to emerge from the earth, set within the peaceful grounds of Chesterfield Central Park.
The story
Out in the manicured calm of Chesterfield Central Park, just off Lydia Hill Drive, a 70-foot bearded giant is fighting his way out of the dirt. Cast in raw aluminum, five distinct fragments of his body—a screaming head, a raised knee, a foot, and a colossal palm—erupt through the grass like he was buried alive beneath suburban St. Louis.
Known as *The Awakening II*, the sculpture brings a weird, surreal panic to an otherwise quiet park surrounded by lake walks and retail developments. Standing right next to his open, subterranean-gasping mouth, the contrast is immediate: quiet suburban strolls on one side, and a titanic, 17-foot-tall struggle against the mulch right at your feet.
What it's like
Drive into Chesterfield Central Park near the mall area and look for the metallic limbs thrusting out of the lawn. This isn't velvet-rope art—you are allowed to get right up on the 17-foot hand or scale the knee for photos, though the raw aluminum bakes fast in mid-summer heat. Go on a quiet weekday evening when the local families clear out; in the twilight, the titan genuinely looks like he's pulling himself out of the earth.
The move: Climb onto the giant's massive 17-foot-tall hand for a dramatic photo op, then take a peaceful stroll around the park's scenic lake and stream walks.
- 📍 Chesterfield, MO
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 16365 Lydia Hill Dr, Chesterfield, MO 63005
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- FLOAT STL (Maryland Heights) — Trade climbing over a 70-foot metal giant for total sensory deprivation and weightlessness eight miles away in Maryland Heights.
- The Sound Spa — Follow an outdoor encounter with colossal public art with a restorative, mattress-bound sound session in nearby St. Peters.
- St. Louis Antique Mall — Shift from one massive outdoor sculpture in Chesterfield to browsing 21,000 square feet of indoor maximalist oddities in St. Ann.
Good to know
Where is the sculpture located?
It's set within Chesterfield Central Park at 16365 Lydia Hill Dr in Chesterfield, Missouri, near Chesterfield Mall.
Can you climb on the giant?
Yes, it functions as interactive public art. Visitors regularly climb onto the 17-foot hand and raised knee, though the metal gets hot under direct midday sun.
How large is the entire installation?
The cast-aluminum sculpture spans 70 feet long in total, made of five separate pieces emerging from the park grounds.
Is there an admission fee?
No, it is located in a free public city park accessible during regular operating hours.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: chesterfield.mo.us · Atlas Obscura · Reddit · abiggercamera.com
last checked: 2026-07-21