Beyer Panels at Des Moines City Hall

Beyer Panels

Contemplate our region's past, present, and future through the Beyer Panels—a striking series of cedar bas-relief sculptures created by renowned artist Richard Beyer (1925-2012). Originally commissioned in 1982 and reinstalled by the Des Moines Arts Commission in 2011, these panels are a visual and narrative journey that celebrates the cultural and historical evolution of the Puget Sound region in four panels that each depicts a different era: Long Ago, Not So Long Ago, Within Our Time, and Forever More.


About the Artist

Richard Beyer (1925–2012) was one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved public sculptors, known for his whimsical and thought-provoking figurative works. With popular works like the controversial Big Catch in Des Moines and Waiting for the Interurban in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, Beyer used sculpture as a way to tell stories and bring communities together. His work often incorporated humor, history, and local culture, and can be found in towns and cities across Washington State.