You there, with the clever eyes, have found it: a tiny bear, too cool for school, hiding out in a loop on the ledge of South Hall. Now, the real question is: Can you find the rest?
Whether camouflaged in shrubbery or stylized in bronze handles, bears shape and surround the UC Berkeley campus — from Sproul Hall to Strawberry Creek to the Berkeley Post Office. And no matter how many I Spy books you’ve conquered, you probably haven’t seen them all.
So how about a tour? Below is a guide to the 23 places where we’ve spotted bears on or near campus, starting at the Campanile — where you’ll find two cubs jostling on its grandest bell (which faces the bear-shaped Ursa Major constellation) and, at its base, two bears atop a memorial bench, heads bowed in mourning. Or download this PDF and take it along on your adventure!
At base of Sather Tower. Re-installed at present site 1958. Designed by Lionel Pries. Sculpted by Joseph Jacinto Mora. Gift of the Class of 1920.
The largest bell in the Campanile. Bas-relief sculpture of young bears by Ruth Asawa based on drawings by John Zane, 1984. Gift of Jerry Chambers.
Small bear sculpture in second-floor railing of east side of South Hall. Sculpted by Michael H. Casey. Installed 1997.
Upper Sproul Plaza, hanging outside east entrance.
Ornaments on Sproul Hall’s iron balcony railings, circa 1940.
Twelve bronze bear door handles at Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union, 1959.
Ornamental castings in white garlands at the top of the building at the southeast corner of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue. Sculpted by Michael H. Casey. Installed 1995.
Wood carvings on second-floor balcony at 2517 Durant Avenue, half a block off Telegraph Avenue.
Lower Sproul Plaza. Sculpted by Tom Hardy. Installed 1980. Gift of the Class of 1929.
By Strawberry Creek, across from Cal Band headquarters. Sculpted by Raymond Puccinelli. Installed 1955. Gift of O.J. Woodward II, Class of 1930.
Outside north entrance to Alumni House.
Inner south wall of track field. Painted by Dale Bogasky, 1933. Gift of UC Track and Field, dedicated to the Sports Grounds Maintenance Crew.
Interior mural, Berkeley Main Post Office, 2000 Allston Way. Painted by Suzanne Scheuer, 1936-37.
On second-floor sign at 64 Shattuck Square, half a block off University Avenue.
Northeast entrance to University Hall, corner of University Avenue and Oxford Street. Sculpted by Tomoko Ono. Installed 1993.
Between McLaughlin and Bechtel Halls. Sculpted by Edmund Schulte Beckum, 1915. Installed 1987; recast 2001. Gift of Anselmo Giovanni (John) Macchi.
Seventh floor of Davis Hall. Sculpted by Ron Smith. Installed 2000. Gift of Professor Jerome Thomas and the Freshman Seminar Series in Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Near east entrance to Haas School of Business. Sculpted by Dan Ostermiller. Installed 1991. Gift of William and Janet Cronk.
Outside northwest corner of California Memorial Stadium. Sculpted by Douglas Van Howd. Installed 1996. Donated by alumni.
Strawberry Canyon Recreational Area, southwest end of rugby field, 1990s.
East end of first-floor corridor of Boalt Hall. Sculpted by Beniamino B. Bufano. Installed 1955. Donated by the Class of 1948 in memory of classmate Martin Bordon.
Six ornamental bears above entrance to apartment building at 2709 Dwight Way, off College Avenue.
Standing outside entrance to The Bear House student housing at 2521 College Avenue.