NATIONAL HARBOR, MD — It's hard to believe National Harbor opened 16 years ago.
When developer, Milt Peterson built National Harbor he wanted it to be a destination for people of all ages.
This also meant including outdoor spaces for people to explore. This is how J. Seward John's "The Awakening" sculpture found its way to National Harbor.
The sculpture was for sale at Hains Point, in East Potomac Park, to National Harbor.
If you haven't seen it, it's a 72-foot statue. It depicts a giant that is embedded into the Earth.
While the statue has only been at National Harbor since 2008, it's 43 years old and is in need of a bit of a makeover.
The National Harbor will do $70,000 in repairs to the statue this summer, "The Awakening is a signature piece of our outdoor art here at National Harbor that we want to make sure visitors can enjoy for years to come,” said Kent Digby, EVP Asset Management, Operations, and Marketing. “Many visitors come to National Harbor just to see this sculpture. Milt loved watching children engage with The Awakening.”
The Seward Johnson Atelier, the late sculptor’s foundation, will do the repairs.
A leg, set to be replaced, is currently in a cast with restoration expected in June.
The replacement process should take about a week to complete, during that time the statue will be closed to the public.
