So if you live in Charlotte, you already know that the #1 destination for tourist photos and selfies in the QC is on the sidewalk in front of The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.  

It is here that the Firebird outdoor sculpture (affectionately named “Disco Chicken” by many locals) calls home.

Some Friday fun facts compiled by the Croixstone Consulting team that every Firebird aficionado should know…

  • The sculpture was created in 1991 by French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002).
  • It was purchased by museum patron Andreas Bechtler specifically for placement in front of the museum.
  • Andreas Bechtler loved the sculpture and found it to be “joyful, uplifting and engaging” and stated that “it makes you feel that life is good” (don’t we all feel this way on Fridays?).
  • Firebird is adorned with 7,500 mirror mosaics over polyester on steel armature and stands over 17 feet tall.
  • The sculpture weighs 1,443 pounds.
  • It gets restored three to four times a year at an annual cost of $5,000 to $8,000. The process largely involves replacing cracked mosaic mirrors.  It is believed that “nocturnal skateboarders” are largely responsible for required restoration work.