Ashton Heights in Arlington in Arlington County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Spielschiff, 2007
Artist: Bonifatius Stirnberg
Title: Spielschiff, 2007
Materials: bronze and stainless steel
Info:
Spielschiff (Play Ship in German) is an interactive play sculpture with parts that can be repositioned,swiveled, peered through, and explored. Children can imagine they command a magical vessel either from the lower level's revolving hull, or in the crow's nest, equipped with kaleidoscopes and a weathervane. Stirnberg recast Spielschiff from molds he used in 1979 to create an identical piece for Aachen, Arlington's German sister city. Here, a medallion on the upper level is cast with the word Arlington on one side, and Oche (Aachen in dialect) on the other, representing the sister-cities relationship.
Born in 1933, Stirnberg trained as a wood sculptor and carpenter, and earned his sculpture degree from Kunstakademie Dόsseldorf where he studied under renowned German artist Joseph Beuys. Stirnberg has operated his studio and adjacent foundry in Aachen since 1973 and has created over 100 public artworks worldwide.
Spielschiff was developed in conjunction with Planet Arlington, a year-round cultural initiative designed
this page online
Erected by Arlington County, Virginia; Planet Arlington.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Peace. A significant historical year for this entry is 2007.
Location. 38° 52.884′ N, 77° 6.129′ W. Marker is in Arlington, Virginia, in Arlington County. It is in Ashton Heights. It is on North Monroe Street south of Wilson Boulevard, on the left when traveling south. The marker and interactive sculpture stand on the grounds of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Arlington. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington VA 22201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area and in Northern Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Untitled, early 1930s, restored 2004 (within shouting distance of this marker); Maury School (within shouting distance of this marker); Mario's Pizza House (approx. 0.2 miles away); Carvel🍦 History (approx. 0.2 miles away); Old Ball Family Burial Ground (approx. 0.3 miles away); Korean War Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Arlington County War Memorial (approx. half a mile away); Ballston (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arlington.
Additional commentary.
1. Sister City Relationship between Arlington and Aachen
Arlington and Aachen became sister cities in June 1993.
— Submitted August 26, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 26, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 26, 2026, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
