Why the Big Duck?
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum is preparing to celebrate its 20th Anniversary Weekend, July 24-26, 2026. We're marking this milestone with a big birthday celebration on Saturday, July 25, and by welcoming the World's Largest Rubber Duck to MMAM's campus all weekend long. Together, these festivities celebrate the people, art, and community that have shaped MMAM over the past 20 years.
So why, you might ask, is a 61-foot-tall rubber duck taking up residence in our gardens for the weekend?
Beyond the sheer delight the World's Largest Rubber Duck brings to staff and visitors alike, there's a meaningful connection between the duck, one of our current exhibitions, and MMAM's ongoing commitment to expanding the definition of marine art.
Our literary arts exhibition, Splish, Splash, Story: Selections from The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (on view through Sunday, July 26, at 5p) features original artwork from 30 celebrated illustrators, including beloved author and illustrator Eric Carle. Among the stories highlighted in the exhibition is the remarkable true tale of a shipment of bath toys that fell from a cargo ship into the Pacific Ocean in 1992 while traveling from China to the United States.
Swept into the ocean's currents, thousands of rubber ducks began an unexpected journey around the globe. Scientists tracked their travels, using them to better understand how ocean currents move across the world's seas.
This fascinating real-life event later inspired Eric Carle's book 10 Little Rubber Ducks, and original illustrations from the book are featured in Splish, Splash, Story. Welcoming the World's Largest Rubber Duck to MMAM felt like the perfect way to celebrate this exhibition while reminding us that even the smallest objects can make a big impact. Like the rubber ducks that drifted across the world’s oceans, the Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s first 20 years is a story of unexpected connections carried far beyond where they began. It also reflects MMAM's mission to explore the many ways water inspires art, storytelling, science, and discovery, and continue to push the boundaries of what marine art can be.
And, of course, there's something undeniably joyful about a giant rubber duck. Sometimes celebrating a milestone calls for a little whimsy, a lot of smiles, and a reason for people of all ages to gather together.
To learn more about the World's Largest Rubber Duck's visit to MMAM and to view the full schedule of 20th Anniversary Weekend events, visit mmam.org/duck.
