Ascension at Scioto Audubon: Columbus's Most Climbed Public Sculpture
A free-standing steel climbing sculpture on the west side of Columbus's Scioto Audubon Metro Park, Ascension is a 62-foot-tall structure designed specifically for public use — visitors are encouraged to scale it by hand, making it one of the most physically interactive pieces of public art in the city.
What It Is and Where to Find It
Built by artist and architect Michael Beaman, Ascension was installed at Scioto Audubon Metro Park, located at 400 W. Whittier Street in the Schumacher Place neighborhood, just south of Downtown Columbus. The sculpture sits at the southern end of the park near the restored Scioto riverbank, and on clear days climbers at the top have an unobstructed view of the Columbus skyline to the north.
The structure is made of galvanized steel tubing arranged in an irregular, lattice-like form that tapers as it rises. It is not a ladder or a staircase — the route to the top requires navigating an open framework, choosing handholds and footholds as you go. This means two different visitors can climb the same sculpture in entirely different ways.
Who It Suits and Who It Doesn't
Ascension works well for adults and older teenagers who are comfortable with heights and moderate physical exertion. The climb is not technically demanding in a rock-climbing sense — no gear or experience is required — but reaching the upper third does require upper body strength and a tolerance for exposure, since there are no walls or barriers on the way up.
Young children can engage with the lower sections, which start just a few feet off the ground, but the full climb is not well-suited for anyone with limited mobility or a strong fear of heights. Dogs are welcome in Scioto Audubon Metro Park but cannot climb the sculpture.
Parents who have brought kids to the Topiary Park in the Italian Village neighborhood, or the more passive public art installations along the Short North Arts District's High Street corridor, will find Ascension a noticeably different experience — one that requires participation rather than observation.
How a First Visit Typically Goes
Parking is available in a small lot off Whittier Street at the park entrance. The park itself is free and open daily. The sculpture is visible from the parking area and takes only a short walk to reach along a flat path.
There is no sign-in, waiver, or attendant. Visitors simply walk up and climb. Most people who complete the full 62-foot ascent spend 10 to 20 minutes on the structure, depending on pace and how long they linger at the top. The surrounding park — which includes restored wetlands, a bird observation area, and a paved riverside trail — adds another 30 to 60 minutes if you extend the visit.
Because the sculpture is made of open steel tubing, it heats up significantly on direct summer afternoons. Early morning visits in July and August are noticeably more comfortable than midday.
How It Fits Into Columbus's Public Art Landscape
Columbus has a growing inventory of public art through the Greater Columbus Arts Council's public art program, which tracks installations across the city. Most of those works are visual rather than interactive: murals in the Short North, bronze sculptures along the riverfront, and large-scale installations inside civic buildings.
Ascension sits apart from that inventory in a practical way. You cannot interact with Aminah Robinson's granite memorial stones near City Hall or Inside/Outside at the Columbus Museum of Art's exterior the way you can with this structure. The only comparable experience in scale and physical engagement is the climbing elements at some Columbus parks, but those are conventional playground equipment. Ascension is the only piece in the city's public art collection that is both gallery-scale in ambition and fully open to be climbed by any visitor who shows up.
The Franklin Park Conservatory, about two miles east in the Olde Towne East neighborhood, offers a different kind of art-and-nature pairing through its Dale Chihuly glass installations and outdoor sculpture garden, but that experience costs $22 for adults and is entirely hands-off. Ascension costs nothing and is intentionally hands-on.
Practical Notes
Scioto Audubon Metro Park is managed by Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks. The park is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is free. The Whittier Street parking lot fills up on warm weekend mornings, particularly when the Scioto Trail draws cyclists and runners simultaneously. Arriving before 9 a.m. on weekends generally avoids the crunch. The address for navigation is 400 W. Whittier Street, Columbus, OH 43215.
