Find A Park > Central Park > Monuments > Group of Bears

Central Park

Back to Monuments List

View all monuments in NYC Parks, as well as temporary public art installations on our NYC Public Art Map and Guide.

Group of Bears

History

This text is part of Parks’ Historical Signs Project and can be found postedwithin the park.

This bronze sculpture by Paul Manship (1885–1966) depicts a group of three bears on a circular stepped pedestal. Located at the Pat Hoffman Friedman Playground at Fifth Avenue and 79th Street, the piece was a gift from Samuel N. Friedman in memory of his wife, Pat. The piece was cast in 1960 and unveiled on October 11, 1990 at the playground’s dedication.

Smaller versions of the piece are featured on part of the William Church Osborn Gates (1952) and the elaborate Paul J. Rainey Memorial Gates (1933) found at the Bronx Zoo, and in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Manship’s most famous work is the gilded Prometheus (1934), located at the west end of the lower plaza of Manhattan’s Rockefeller Center.

 

Click map for directions

Group of Bears Details

  • Location: Pat Hoffman Friedman Playground, 5th Avenue and 79th Street
  • Sculptor: Paul Howard Manship
  • Architect: Bruce Kelly / David Varnell
  • Description: Group of three on integral, graduated plinth on circular pedestal with five steps; plaque
  • Materials: Group and plaque--bronze; Pedestal--granite
  • Dimensions: Group H: 7'4" W: 6' D: 4'8"; Pedestal H: 1' Diameter: 20'; Plaque H: 1'4" W: 9"; Weight: 1,500 pounds
  • Cast: 1989
  • Dedicated: October 11, 1990
  • Foundry: Paul King Foundry
  • Donor: Samuel N. Friedman
  • Inscription: Signed on base:
    PAUL MANSHIP, SCULPTOR /

    Plaque mounted on pedestal:
    GROUP OF BEARS / PAUL MANSHIP 1885-1966 / ORIGINAL BRONZE CAST 1932 / THIS BRONZE CAST 1989 / A GIFT BY SAMUEL N. FRIEDMAN / IN MEMORY OF HIS BELOVED WIFE / PAT HOFFMAN FRIEDMAN /

Please note, the NAME field includes a primary designation as well as alternate namingsoften in common or popular usage. The DEDICATED field refers to the most recent dedication, most often, butnot necessarily the original dedication date. If the monument did not have a formal dedication, the yearlisted reflects the date of installation.

For more information, please contact Art & Antiquities at (212) 360-8163

Check out your park's Vital Signs

Clean & Safe

91
Park Condition Score
$70.7M
Recent Investment

Green & Resilient

12.3K
Mapped Trees
74
Acres of Natural Areas

Empowered & Engaged Users

238
Recent & Future Events
Yes
Volunteer Engagement

Share your feedback or learn more about how this park is part of a Vital Park System

Know Before You Go

Ice Skating Rinks
Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)
The Harlem Meer Center is closed in order to rebuild the facility to increase access to nearby communities and enhance year-round programming. For more information, visit Central Park Conservancy's Rebuilding Harlem Meer Center page.
Anticipated Completion: Spring 2024
Outdoor Pools
Harlem Meer Center
The Harlem Meer Center is closed in order to rebuild the facility to increase access to nearby communities and enhance year-round programming. For more information, visit Central Park Conservancy's Rebuilding Harlem Meer Center page.
Anticipated Completion: Spring 2025

Partner Organization

Central Park Conservancy

Contacts

Central Park Information: (212) 310-6600
Central Park Information (for the Hearing Impaired): (800) 281-5722
Belvedere Castle, The Henry Luce Nature Observatory: (212) 772-0210
The Charles A. Dana Discovery Center: (212) 860-1370
The Dairy Visitor Center and Gift Shop: (212) 794-6564
North Meadow Recreation Center: (212) 348-4867
Loeb Boathouse (Bike rentals, boat rentals & gondolas): (212) 517-2233
Carousel: (212) 879-0244
Fishing at Harlem Meer (Catch & Release): (212) 860-1370
Harlem Meer Performance Festival: (212) 860-1370
Horseback Riding - Claremont Stables: (212) 724-5100
Metropolitan Opera (Performances on the Great Lawn): (212) 362-6000
New York Philharmonic (Performances on the Great Lawn): (212) 875-5709
Shakespeare in the Park - The Public Theater at the Delacorte Theater: (212) 539-8655
Central Park SummerStage: (212) 360-2777
Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater: (212) 988-9093
Tennis: (212) 280-0205
Weddings, Ceremonies and Photography at the Conservatory Garden: (212) 360-2766
Wildlife Center & Tisch Children's Zoo: (212) 439-6500