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12 musical, light-up seesaws coming to Downtown Norfolk during holiday season

"Impulse" seesaws. Flickr photo, Andy Blackledge

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A dozen glowing, musical seesaws will light up Downtown Norfolk this holiday season.

It’s a free, interactive exhibit called “Impulse.” You can climb onto it at MacArthur Center Green from Nov. 16 to Jan. 19.


The 12 large seesaws are fitted with LED lights and speakers and come alive when visitors climb on them. It’s designed to add metaphorical warmth to cold winter days.

The art installation is a collaborative venture between MacArthur Center and the Downtown Norfolk Council.

Impulse debuted in 2015 at the Place des Festivals in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles winter event and was created by Lateral Office and CS Design.

Now, it travels around the world and has made stops in cities such as London, Brussels and Chicago.

The exhibit will be open seven days a week with special hours so it can be enjoyed during the day and in the evening when the seesaws are most illuminated.

Hours are Sunday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.