Barbie Pond on Q Street

Every new holiday, locals and visitors of Washington, D.C.’s Logan Circle neighborhood are excited to get a look at the ever-changing installation of Barbie dolls in front of one of the buildings. They’re rarely disappointed by the rows of nude Barbies that seem to grow out of the dirt.

Despite its slightly misleading name, the curious collection is actually located on Q Street NW. There, you’ll find dolls doing anything from hanging out in pumpkins to dancing on record players, all while wearing seasonally appropriate (or sometimes inappropriate) clothing.

Their anonymous curator doesn’t shy away from politics either. During the 2016 election, several Barbies holding “VOTE” signs watched as a Barbie candidate gave a speech from the podium. And its scope is unlimited. The pond celebrates Gay Pride and disco dancing as well as St. Patrick’s Day and Easter.

While the Instagram account with over 7,000 followers boasts that Barbie Pond is “bringing Logan Circle property values down since 2014,” many people love the elaborate installations. Elaina Plot wrote about the pond in 2016, noting her adoration for the pond and the artist’s desire to remain anonymous: “The Barbie Pond may be a model for a life well-lived, but it is also an oasis of mysteries.”

In September 2017, a neighbor who was about to move away left the gift of a Barbie and Ken set and a note that begins “After 8+ years in this neighborhood I’m moving out of D.C. I wanted to leave you with a little something to say thank you for all of the joy you have brought me.”

The pond continues to inspire, and has even inspired rivals.