The sculpture of “Eternal Vigilance” that has sat front and center ahead of the stairs of the Erie Art Museum for decades has been moved to make way for a more accessible entrance.
The sculpture, located at the Erie Art Museum’s Customs House at 411 State St., sits at the front of the museum steps on State Street.
The sculpture known as “Eternal Vigilance” sits at the steps of the Erie Art Museum’s Customs House at 411 State St. On May 14, 2026, the sculpture was moved temporarily for a restoration and ADA compliant project with the Customs House steps.
On the morning of May 14, Erie Art Museum representatives announced that to complete a project to preserve and make the front stairs to the museum more accessible, the bronze sculpture has been relocated.
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What will happen to the ‘Eternal Vigilance’ sculpture?
The sculpture is moving, but it isn’t going away.
This stage of upgrades are expected to take a month to complete, and “Eternal Vigilance” will remain covered during construction and is being moved to a temporary position for the duration of the work.
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The new location, according to Erie Art Museum representatives, will be to the right side of the stairs.
Once the project is completed, the sculpture will be moved to the mid-point of the stairs.
The “Eternal Vigilance” sculpture, which sat at the steps of the Erie Art Museum’s Custom House at 411 State St., was moved May 14 while crews work on restoring the stairs and making them more ADA compliant.
Erie Art Museum to add ADA compliant staircase
The Customs House staircase at the Erie Art Museum is undergoing restoration by Fiske and Sons Inc.
Erie Art Museum officials say the project has been underway for about eight months and entered the final stage on May 14.
The project, with funding help from Thomas Hagen, is to preserve the stairs for another 100-plus years.
Crews work on preserving the stairs at the Erie Art House’s Customs House at 411 State St.
In the final stage, the project will include an ADA-compliant railing fabricated by Gene Davis Sales and Service.
The Customs House and its steps were built in 1839 originally serving as a branch of the Bank of Pennsylvania. It was designated a Historic Place by the City of Erie’s Planning Commission and City Council in 1972.
The Erie Art Museum acquired the building in 1983.
Contact Nicholas Sorensen at Nsorensen@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Art Museum relocates ‘Eternal Vigilance’ during stairs project
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