Are you a lover of street art and visiting Sacramento? Then you are in for a visual treat, because Sacramento is a treasure trove of jaw-dropping murals. I guarantee that these Sacramento murals and street art will brighten up your visit, so dive right into these post to discover 100+ such amazing murals in Sacramento that you must see, including the latest 2024 update!
SACRAMENTO MURALS: STREET ART SCENE IN CALIFORNIA’S CAPITAL
People visiting California often overlook its capital Sacramento, a mere 1.5 hours drive northeast from San Francisco which kind of feels like a world away from the Bay Area. Nestled right in the heart of California’s farmland (yes, the one responsible for your almonds, oranges and avocados), it is not surprising at all that this city has the largest number of farm to fork restaurants in the state (they even have a festival for it).
Sacramento dons many hats and being the legislative seat of power in the largest state of USA is just one of them. This underrated California winter getaway is also a dog friendly town and is close to Lake Tahoe (in the east) as well as Lodi (in the south), a tiny wine loving town is the Zinfandel capital of the world.
However, what really caught me off guard was the sheer number of murals all over the city (either hidden or in plain sight) that greeted us upon our second visit. I honestly did not know of this thriving mural scene that made my eyes pop out on several occasions-such was the scale and grandeur of Sacramento’s street art!
In this post, I am going to guide you to 100+ such stunning Sacramento murals that we managed to unearth as we zipped around the city. From iconic to Instagram worthy street art in Sacramento, this post, which has been updated for 2022, has you covered on some of the heavyweights around town.
There is a mural guide to assist you at the very end as well as some cool background on public art policy, artists information (accompanying the murals wherever possible) and tips on how to get the most out of your Sacramento murals tour.
OPEN WIDE WALLS SACRAMENTO: AN UNPARALLELED STREET ART INITIATIVE
I am not kidding when I say that as a mural lover, you gotta visit Sacramento. This city is sitting on a treasure trove of murals, either tucked away in alleys or casually adorning the walls of businesses or cheering up plain old boring parking lots with their vivid colors.
It is impossible to escape a massive piece of street art in Sacramento, and the fact that the city is huge (compared to my tiny San Francisco) with mammoth empty public walls and spaces, only makes the setting more welcoming for gigantic murals to give the city skyline some joy de’ vivre!
As a street art enthusiast, I have been on several self guided and conducted mural tours in USA and abroad. Although I loved the murals in Austin and the dazzling array of street art in Marseille, the scale of murals in Sacramento is simply mind boggling!
The murals here are large, majestic and towering-you have to crane your neck up in wonder several times during your mural hunt! Another blessing is that unlike murals in Los Angeles (and now to my utter dismay in San Francisco too), murals are not defaced by tagging. So you will still see many of the old gems intact.
As you embark on your frenzied mural tour in Sacramento, it will dawn upon you very soon that the plethora of street art beckoning you from all corners is because of a long drawn, concerted effort to beautify public alleyways and empty spaces in the city. I am talking of Sacramento’s annual mural festival aka Wide Open Walls initiative which celebrates local artists with the firm belief that art should be accessible to all.
The WOW website also has options for your own customized mural tour (they offer in-person tours too which were understandably cancelled in 2020) along with information on past murals and their locations + artists with the most recent artists lineup from the 2023 season. Their 2024 festival has not yet been announced but keep an eye out on the website to learn more.
Much like in Art Basel of Miami or even the murals in Bushwick, Brooklyn, artists can apply to paint a wall during the WOW festival to be forever part of the city (we did find murals harking back to WOW 2017 in some places). Sacramento is the proud home of many local artists, several of whom such as Raphael Delgado and Maren Conrad have multiple murals all over the city (many covered in this guide).
TIPS ON GOING ON YOUR SELF GUIDED SACRAMENTO MURAL TOUR
I know you are dying to scroll down and see all those eye catching murals, but trust me this is the last helpful section that you need to read before you jump on to your own Sacramento street art tour. Here are some useful tips to help you get the most out of your own self-guided tour of Sacramento murals:
WHEN TO VISIT SACRAMENTO
Anytime of the year except summer when it is oppressively hot. I suggest late Fall/early Winter or Spring (Feb-March). You can also tag a visit to an Almond Orchard near Woodlands or Winters to see those precious white blooms that last for a short span from mid February to mid March.
HOW TO SEE THE MURALS IN SACRAMENTO
Although Sacramento is a much bigger city compared to San Francisco, most murals are located in midtown and downtown along with North Old Sacramento which is emerging as the next big mural destination. Sacramento streets are wide enough for you to walk around easily for mural hunting.
The best way to hop from one neighborhood to another is still by car but you can also use public transit. We drove from San Francisco to Sacramento (takes 1.5-2 hrs depending on traffic) and had our own car. Parking is pretty easy in Sacramento (compared to San Francisco) with free street parking for up to 2 hours!
BEST TIME OF THE DAY TO SEE SACRAMENTO MURALS
Weekend early mornings work the best because of less traffic and obstruction by Instagram hungry crowds. Needless to say, the light is also perfect to capture the murals (nothing like a good mural being ruined by harsh shadows cast during the day).
Psst…looking for other street art posts? Then check these out!
- The ultimate guide to the most Instagram worthy street art in Austin, Texas
- Best things to do in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico: How to spend two perfect days
- The ultimate virtual tour of the best street art in Marseille, France
- Where to find the best street art in Chicago: Murals and Graffiti of Pilsen and Wicker Park Neighborhoods
- Los Angeles street art scene: Discovering DTLA and Venice murals
- A self guided tour of the best street art in Bushwick, Brooklyn
- Art from the streets: The most provocative murals from all over the world
A SELF GUIDED TOUR OF SACRAMENTO MURALS AND STREET ART (UPDATED FOR 2022)
And now, without further ado, here is the self guided tour of Sacramento murals that you’ve been waiting for. Many of these murals were painted during the Wide Open Walls festivals of the past years. I have grouped the murals of Sacramento by location (downtown, midtown etc.) for your convenience. I have also included artist information wherever possible. If you spot an honest mistake or something that I may have left out unintentionally, do let me know!
MURALS IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO
Downtown Sacramento has murals lined up along I and J streets, some on C street and all over DOCO (Downtown Commons) which is a giant open air mall. Here are some of my favorites:
LADY GAGA MURAL (2017 Wide Open Walls)
Location: 1120 7th Street (Golden 1 Center)
Artist: Christina Angelina
This iconic mural of Lady Gaga in Sacramento is to be seen to be believed! Despite the ongoing construction at the Golden Center 1, we managed to view this towering mural with bold strokes painted by Christina Angelina, a renowned graffiti artist from Venice, Los Angeles.
MOTHER AND CHILD (Wide open Walls)
Location: DOCO, 6th and L streets (above 555 Parking lot)
Artist: Raphael Delgado
Raphael Delgado is one of the most acclaimed artists of Sacramento with many of his murals scattered all over the city. His style is distinctive with clean, geometric lines and bold, vivid colors.
PSYCHEDELIC COLORS
Location: Elevator next to Estrella Patisserie in DOCO
Artist: Kristin Farr
GODDESS OF SACRAMENTO
Location: Insomnia Cookies (DOCO)
Artist: Charmaine Olivia
INTERTWINING SNAKES
Location: Alley next to Church of Scientology of Sacramento, 1007 6th St
Artist: John Pugh
John Pugh is a muralist, whose lifelike work I’ve seen in Santa Fe as well. This particular mural is named “Do No Harm” and contrary to its image, depicts the love/union between a California King Snake named Everett and Lois, a California Mountain Kingsnake.
PRINCESS LEIA (2018, Wide Open Walls)
Location: 710 J Street
Artist: Pixel Pancho (Instagram)
If you’re a mural enthusiast, chances are that you’ve seen at least one of Pixel Pancho’s work, i.e. gigantic murals depicting his love for sci-fi with human elements and pop culture. Here is the complete works of this celebrated Italian artist, beautifying empty walls all over the world with his quirky art.
HAPPY DOG (2019 Wide open walls)
Location: 730 I street (side wall)
Artist: Megan Flaherty
This was such a happy mural! I loved this goober face and the pink background that gave a much needed a pop of color to an otherwise drab wall of another downtown building
MURALS BETWEEN J AND I STREETS (Wide Open Walls)
Location: 917 7th Street (7th Street and Improv Alley)
There are some brilliant murals between J and I streets along the wall of Seventh Street Exchange and beyond.
Themes extend from Civil Right Icon John Lewis with his arms locked in Black Panther style (artist: Lee Mccormick), Mommy Orangutan with baby depicting the destruction of Palm forests (artist: Artur Bordalo), Lady amidst butterflies and flowers (artist: Madelyne Joan Templeton-we drove by her other mural in Sacramento), Ladies jiving to music (artist: Brandon Alexander) giant bugs dueling it out (artist: Phlegm) and The Falconer by San Francisco’s very own Mel Waters who painted the famous Carlos Santana mural in the Mission district, one of the best photo spots in San Francisco.
Location: 629 J Street
Across the street stands “The Bank” a food court which looks very much like its namesake, aka a bank, but with some amazing murals on its front and side walls and a very quirky banana sculpture taped to its exterior. The Rabbit with a Martini along with the playful racoon bandits by Southern California based artist Brett Crawford where fun but the one on Mental Health by Norman Ayles struck a chord with me.
SACRAMENTO MASONIC TEMPLE MURALS (Wide Open Walls)
Location: 1123 J street
Artists: Maren Conrad, Tavar Zawacki, Jorit Agoch (Italy), Michelle Murtaugh
Whatever you do, do not miss these four larger than life murals by celebrated muralists from USA and Europe. Maren Conrad and Tavar Zawacki’s murals face the street but you should not stop there. Walk down into the plaza and towards 921 11th street to see the other two stunning murals in Sacramento.
IRUBIEL MORENO MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location: 731 K street (next to MJ Doyle Watchmaker)
Artists: Irubiel Moreno (Mexico)
SHARED ABUNDANCE MURAL
Location: 732 K Street (Koja Kitchen)
Artists: Franceska Gámez and Shaun Burner
One of the rare murals in Sacramento that is not part of the Wide Open Walls collective, this mural was sponsored by the California Rice Commission, a non profit organization in Sacramento. It depicts California’s ecosystem and is a treat for the eyes.
FINTAN MAGEE MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 801 14th Street
Artist:Fintan Magee
This ethereal mural by Australian Street artist Fintan Magee is high up on the Memorial parking garage wall right above Mike’s Bikes and best viewed from across the street.
IF I DON’T REVOLT MURAL
Location: Parking lot across Mike’s Bikes
Artist: Unknown
This eye catching mural is plastered on the wall of the parking lot right across from Mike’s bikes and is hard to miss.
POPPIES MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 15th and L street (Residence Inn Marriott lobby entrance
Artist: Anthony Padilla (Kinetik Ideas)
MABEL VICENTEF MURAL (WIDE OPEN WALLS)
Location: Parking lot behind Avis car rental 510 12th street
Artist: Mabel Vicentef
This is one of the most beautiful murals that we saw in Sacramento in 2024, sitting quietly and so unassumingly in the parking lot of a quiet neighborhood. Loved it to bits!
EAGLE AND SNAKE MURAL
Location: parking lot next to 619 12th street
Artist: Raphael Delgado
ESSENTIAL HEROES MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2020)
Location: parking lot of KOLAS Sacramento on 1215 G Street
Artist: Madelyne Joan Templeton
This beautiful mural painted by Madelyne Joan Templeton is located in the parking lot KOLAS, the premier cannabis dispensary and delivery service in Sacramento and also the major sponsor for 2021 Wide Open Walls!
This mural commissioned by Dignity Health of Sacramento depicts healthcare workers as our true heroes, one who steered us through the pandemic with their relentless dedication and perseverance. As a scientist in healthcare, this really struck a chord with me.
The parking lot is LOCKED (at least on a weekend), but thanks to my powerful 35mm lens (which is also tiny as heck), I could get a pretty decent shot of the mural to share on my blog. You can come in on a weekday and try your luck if you cannot finagle a shot from outside.
TATS CRU MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location: 1401C Street
Artist: TATS CRU
This mural is a tribute to the brave firefighters of Sacramento who lost their lives trying to save others on Sep 11, 2001 when the twin towers went down in NYC. The number 343 on the firetruck represents the number of brave souls lost.
Laurelin Gilmore Mural (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location: 1236 C Street
Artist: Laurelin Gilmore
The area around C street is a little rough on the edges, but is brightened up considerably thanks to a row of murals just less than 2 blocks away from the TATS CRU mural. Of the many on that row adoring the walls of Northstar Holistic Collective (a cannabis dispensary), two really stood out to me.
The first is the Laurelin Gilmore mural which represents the artists love for the trees in Sacramento. The trees are represented by California wildflowers while the residents are depicted as jumping hares. This also happens to be her very first mural in Sacramento!
M.P. Young Mural (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location: 1236 C Street
Artist: Micah Young (M.P. Young)
Right next to the jumping hares is Sacramento native M.P. Young’s whimsical creature mural painted completely using aerosol paint!
BEETS AND TOMATOES MURAL
Location: 1425 C Street
Artist: Anthony Padilla (Kinetik Ideas)
This was one of the many murals of Sacramento native Anthony Padilla, aka Kinetic Ideas that we got to admire during our visit. This mural was commissioned on the wall of a building designated to be a food incubator/food factory in Sacramento- a dedicated space for food entrepreneurs trying to launch their own brands and businesses.
Next to this mural, are two more colorful busts-dog and man (artist: Senkoe)
LAUREN YS MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2019)
Location: 1804 14th street
Artist: Lauren YS
Lauren YS is a Los Angeles based artist whose murals echo their Asian-American heritage strongly! This is one of their two murals that I discovered in Sacramento and is located in a parking lot. It is a giant mural of their interpretation of the iconic American symbol of Rosie the Riveter.
KIRI LEIGH JONES MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2019)
Location: 1804 14th street
Artist: Kiri Leigh Jones
This Bay Area artists mandala mural is right next to Lauren YS’s art in the same parking lot.
JEKS MURAL (Wide Open Walls)
Location: 1730 12th Street (Parking lot behind the Twisted Track Gallery)
Artist: Jeks One
This mural features notable Sacramentans, such as Levar Burton, Joan Didion, Russ Solomon, & Wayne Thiebaud.
BULLDOG MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location: 1211 R Street
Artist: Patrick “Kane” McGregor
This stunning bulldog mural by Patrick Kane McGregor across from 1200 R apartments is a stunner and was one of our favorite finds of our latest trip in 2022.
FLORAL BEAST (Wide Open Walls 2017)
Location: 12th and R street (wall of Bottle & Barlow)
Artist: Alegria del Prado (Mexico)
We somehow missed this mural in 2021 but stumbled upon it this time after we walked down a wee bit further from the Bulldog mural. Such an intricate mural and we loved that its skin tone matched that of Gunda’s fur! (Gunda is our furbaby adopted in April 2021 after our pup Babu passed away).
LORA ZOMBIE MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2017)
Location: 1301 R Street/1729 13th St
Artist: Lora Zombie (Russia)
GIRL WITH BEAR CUBS
Location: R street (across from Lora Zombie)
Artist: Hera + Akut /Herakut (German duo)
Known for their gigantic murals worldwide depicting tender images of children and animals to showcase the plight of humanity, this eye catching mural of a little girl surrounded by bear cubs has a poignant quote by Nelson Mandela next to it which is: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children”.
WOMAN WITH FLYING HAIR MURAL
Location: 1807 13th Street
Artist: David de la Mano (Uruguay)
CASA DE ESPAÑOL MURALS
Location: 1101 R Street
Artist: JM Knudsen (Frida mural)
This language school and art gallery features two stunning murals-one is the Frida mural at the entrance and other is on the side wall. Both are colorful and vibrant and a must see.
MOLLY DEVLIN AND SV WILLIAMS MURAL (WIDE OPEN WALLS)
Location: 1724 11th Street (parking lot)
Artist: Molly Devlin and SV Williams
BEATNIK STUDIOS MURAL
Location: 723 S Street
Artist: Jose di Gregorio
SAVE OUR WATERS MURAL (WIDE OPEN WALLS)
Location: 830 S Street
Artist: Amanda Lynn
CARLY EALY MURAL (WIDE OPEN WALLS)
Location: 830 S Street
Artist: Carly Ealey
MAN PULLING WALL
Location: Alley next to building at 1512 14th street
This was a completely unexpected find and a whimsical treat for the eyes. This street leads to California State Capitol Park and Rose Garden and is close to the delicious Magpie Cafe.
CONVERSE SNEAKERS MURAL
Location: 1322 V street (wall adjacent to Urban Roots Brewery and Smokehouse)
Urban roots brewery has its very own super fun mural sprawling across its white wall on the patio. The mural is by Lily Therens, an art director, designer and illustrator based in Sacramento.
DANCE GAVIN DANCE MURAL
Location: 2130 16th street
This mural is an ode to Sacramento’s very own rock band by the same name. I legit thought it had something to do with California’s Governor Gavin Newsom (hahaha).
MIDTOWN SACRAMENTO MURALS
Midtown is right next to downtown and is brimming with some of the best, brightest and largest murals in Sacramento. I’ve tried to group them as much as possible for easy navigation because many of these Sacramento street art are next to each other. Here are some of my favorites:
LADY BIRD MURAL
Location: Avis Rental (901 16th street)
Artist: Maren Conrad
Just another run of the mill tiny car rental office in Sacramento is home to one of the most Instagram worthy murals in Sacramento, i.e. Lady Bird by artist Maren Conrad based on the movie by the same name set in this city. The mural draws inspiration from the movie poster with a stylistic take on Saoirse Ronan’s side profile and some blackbirds for company.
SKELETON MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2019)
Location: 1918 16th Street (NUG Retail)
Artist: Alexis Diaz
TIGER MURAL
Location: Parking lot across from Sacramento Memorial Auditorium (1515 J Street)
This is actually a long stretch of three murals, but I liked the bright red tiger the most
ANDY WARHOL/FRIDA KAHLO MURAL
Location: Parking lot wall next to business at 1624 J Street
Again, there are three colorful busts here, but the parking lot was closed, and besides Frida Kahlo, all I could recognize was Andy Warhol’s blank stare.
SLEEPING GIRL WITH ADORABLE PANDAS MURAL
Location: Burgers and Brew Parking lot (1616 J street)
Some of the best murals of Sacramento are right on K Street! Here are my absolute favorites that you must seek out when you visit Sacramento.
EDWARD SCISSORHANDS MURAL
Location: Wall of Mosaic Salon and Spa, 2212 K Street
Artist: JM Knudsen
JM Knudsen strikes again with this extremely fun and playful mural of Edward Scissorhands adorning the back wall of Mosaic Salon! The mural is in the alley on the back end of the salon and can be a bit hard to find.
ALLEY MURALS
Location: alley next to Jimmy’s Barber Garage 1017 24th street
Artist: JM Knudsen (Amy Winehouse)
There are at least three eye catching murals in this alley right next to the funky barber shop, the most arresting one being JM Knudsen’s Amy Winehouse mural as you walk further down the alley.
DISABILITY RIGHTS MURAL (Wide Open Walls)
Location: 1831 K Street (Disability Rights California Office)
Artist: Raphael Delgado
This beautiful Sacramento mural by Oxnard born artist Raphael Delgado was commissioned by Disability Rights California with an aim to design and create a mural representing the disabled community and can be seen on their Midtown office wall. Read more about the genesis and importance of the mural here.
MONALISA MURAL (#SACMONA)
Location: 2220 K St
Artist: JM Knudsen
Sacramento is filled with murals by Johnny-Michael Knudsen, an artist from New York City. This was the first of many that we saw during our 2024 trip on the wall of Trade Coffee & Coworking.
FRIDA KAHLO MURAL
Location:2323 K Street
Artist: John S. Huerta
This vibrant mural is right next to the popular vegetarian restaurant Mother (has outdoor seating too) and is hard to miss.
SLEEPING TIGER MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 1730 L St
Artist: Nosego
WOMAN AND WATERFALL
Location: 1730 L street (opposite the Nosego mural)
Artist: Anthony Padilla (Kinetik Ideas)
GARLIC POD MURALS
Location: parking lot of 2131 Capitol Avenue
We chanced upon this fun mural on the wall of a parking lot that looks like two garlic pods locking fingers.
ADNATE MURAL
Location: 2131 Capitol Avenue
Artist: Adnate
This stunning street art in Sacramento is right behind the garlic pods mural on 22nd street and Liestal Alley. The muralist is an Australian artist Adnate who takes pride in representing indigenous people and has murals all over the major cities in Australia.
JOHNNY CASH MURAL
Location: Public House Downtown (1132 16th Street)-best viewed from the parking lot across the street
Artist: Shepard Fairey
Contemporary American artist Shepard Fairey earned lifelong fame with his iconic poster of President Obama titled “Hope” which became a symbol of his presidential campaign in 2008. Since then Fairey has moved on to paint many a bold and beautiful murals and political street art, including those of famous figures. San Francisco is lucky to have several of his murals, including that of Cesar Chavez in Hayes Valley.
This gigantic 15 storey Sacramento mural of Johnny Cash towering over downtown was created by Fairey in 2018 to commemorate 50th anniversary of the singer’s “At Folsom Prison” album.
KUMBAYA MOMENT MURAL
Location: 1814 28th street (parking lot wall)
Artist: Bryan Valenzuela
PLANTS AND FLOWERS MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 2820 R street
Artist: Raphael Delgado
MLK Mural (2020)
Location: 1419 18th Street (on the wall of Peace Market at the corner of 18th and Q streets)
Artist: JM Knudsen
This colorful Sacramento mural imagining Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as an astronaut was an unexpected find and such a delight to see. The artist is Seattle born JM Knudsen who has nearly 40 murals in Sacramento alone!
LADY WITH A VASE OF FLOWERS (Wide open Walls)
Location: 1403 19th St
Artist: Shonna McDaniels
DOUBLE SKULLS MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 1517 21st St
Artist: Lin Fei Fei
GIRLS MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 1517 21st St (go behind the skulls mural to see this one)
Artist: Paola Delfín (Mexico City)
CALIFORNIA BEAR AND STAR (Wide open Walls)
Location: 1413 21st St
Artist: Raphael Delgado
The famous California bear is the symbol of our state and adorns our state flag. I loved this mural and its geometric appeal.
BETTY INADA MURAL
Location: 2011 I street
Sacramento’s very own Betty Inada (1913-2001) moved to Japan with aspirations to be an actress after realizing that she couldn’t be so in her own country due to her ethnicity (a problem that still continues to haunt a very whitewashed Hollywood). Turns out that her move was a solid cause, as she became the most famous pre-World War II female jazz singer in Japan.
PSYCHEDELIC FACES MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 2020 I street
Artist: John Horton
The opposite wall has a mural of a wide-eyed woman with flowers, the signature creation of Ursula Young whose murals can be seen all over San Francisco.
Midtown Sacramento is not only known for its murals but also good eats and an amazing craft brewery scene. These particular murals are pretty close to each other at and around the MARRS building and can be seen in one go.
FEW AND FAR WOMEN MURAL (Wide open Walls, 2019)
Location: 930 20th street
Artists: Ursula Young, Nico, Beth Emmerich and Avana
We women still have a long way to go (with few and far women breaking the glass ceiling in society) but this badass mural screamed Boss Lady and was had the building in wraps.
MAREN CONRAD MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 1050 20th St (side of MARRS building)
Artist: Maren Conrad
This is one of the most Instagram famous murals of Sacramento and is massive! Arrive early to avoid pesky Instagram hungry crowds.
WOMAN WITH FEATHERS MURAL
Location: Across from Ips printing house which is on 2020 K street (I could not find out the artist for this mural)
This stunning mural is on the white wall bordering the parking lot across from Ips printers.
GIRL AND WOMAN MURALS
Location: 2000 K street (parking lot behind Faces nightclub)
PORCH RESTAURANT AND BAR MURALS (Wide open Walls)
Location: 1815 K street
Artists: Leticia Mandragora, Ilse Valfre, Roy Gonzalez
You have to see these three fantastic Sacramento murals filled with color and whimsy!
LUCY (Wide open Walls 2020)
Location:2800 S street (on the wall of Honest Engine Japanese Automotive Experts)
Artists: Cheyenne Randall
This black and white mural by celebrated Native American artist and muralist Cheyenne Randall depicts Lucille Ball and her husband Desi Arnaz as Lucy and Ricky from “I Love Lucy”, which is one of my favorite sitcoms of all time. You can catch the movie “Being the Ricardos” starring Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem based on the lives of this power couple in showbiz.
On our third visit to Sacramento in 2024, we ventured a bit out of midtown and downtown to see more of the Eastern Sacramento neighborhoods. Here we found a treasure trove of murals, some of them literally being in the middle of nowhere, such as the one right below. Here are my favorites:
RACHEL WOLFE-GOLDSMITH MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 6779 Q Street
Artist: Rachel Wolfe-Goldsmith (she is based out of Oakland!)
NDEBELE WOMEN (Wide open Walls)
Location: 3217 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Artist: Shonna McDaniels
Another beauty by Shonna MCDaniels can be see on a wall in the beautiful Oak Park neighborhood.
RYAN “PAWN” RHODES MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location:3522 Stockton Blvd (parking lot of Colonial theatre at the intersection of 11th Avenue and Stockton Blvd)
Artists: Ryan “Pawn” Rhodes
This mural is located in the slightly offbeat part of Sacramento, in the Colonial Heights neighborhood. But if you are stopping by to get your fill of Kombucha in Oak Park, I recommend driving down a bit further to see this mural by Ryan “Pawn” Rhodes who is a California born and bred artist.
SNARLING WOLF MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 6800 Folsom Blvd
Artists: Sonny Sundancer
This snarling wolf mural is extremely intricate and visually arresting despite its menacing look.
TAHOE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MURAL (Wide open Walls)
Location: 3110 60th Street
Artists: Max Sansing
SACRAMENTO WATERFRONT MURALS
We saw three beautiful murals adorning the walls of the California Automobile museum on Front street (2200 Front street). One was a long California mural, with each alphabet of the state name created by a separate artist (as part of the Wide Open Walls initiative). The other two were vintage automobile themed. I especially liked the pop artsy mural featuring the vintage cars.
EAST SACRAMENTO MURALS
Location:3223 Folsom Blvd
We did not find a lot of murals in East Sacramento and were disappointed to find the one that we were keen to see being totally covered by a parklet/outdoor seating area. However, we did chance upon three beautiful murals on the wall of Archival Gallery, one of which was that of an adorable cat named Loki that was in the process of being painted by his owner (this was also her very first mural!).
The other two murals were San Francisco artist Robert Bowen’s “Sting” (for Wide Open Walls 2019) painted using spray paint and acrylic on stucco and “Spirit of California” by Miles Hermann painted in 2020 using acrylic on Stucco (depicting our beautiful state, its unending bounty and the California Bear). Loki was being brought to life using acrylic as well.
WELSED MURAL (Wide open Walls 2023)
Location: 4840 2nd Ave (Inside the UC Davis Health Campus)
Artists: Wel Sed
NORTH OLD SACRAMENTO MURALS (DEL PASO BOULEVARD)
North Old Sacramento is not one which sees tourists and even locals area bit wary of venturing here because of its not so stellar reputation. But there is a strong push to develop this neighborhood and the beautification of Del Paso Boulevard running through this area is the first of many steps.
If midtown and downtown Sacramento can feel too crowded, Del Paso Boulevard presents itself as a vast empty canvas, ripe for numerous murals calling it their home. We found many amazing Sacramento murals here (mostly from 2021 Wide Open Walls) and enjoyed their beauty. Just one suggestion: arrive early morning to click photos when the light is not that harsh. Also, it is a bit empty here on the streets so keep an eye on your surroundings and stay alert at all times.
SLUMBER MURALS (Wide open Walls 2021)
Location:2125 Del Paso Boulevard
Artists: Miles Toland
SHANE GRAMMER MURALS (Wide open Walls 2020)
Location:2020 Del Paso Boulevard (Wells Fargo parking lot wall)
Artists: Shane Grammer
TONGA (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location:1442 Del Paso Boulevard (wall of Choyce Law Firm), mural is behind a closed fence
Artists: Joshua Lawyer (Bay Area native of Tongan heritage)
This was my favorite mural of Del Paso Boulevard but also the most difficult to photograph since it is on a wall behind a closed gate. Sriram (my husband) had to stand on the outside grating of the gate and snap this photo! It depicts a piece of the artist himself, i.e. the memory of home-the beautiful island of Tonga.
GREGORY SHILLING MURAL (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location:1830 Del Paso Boulevard
Artists: Gregory Shilling
ELVIS
Location:1524 Del Paso Boulevard
Artist: Cheyenne Randall
ALICIA KEYS (Wide open Walls 2021)
Location:1442 Del Paso Boulevard (wall of Choyce Law Firm), mural is behind a closed fence
Artist: Cheyenne Randall
BRUCE LEE (Mural for Graffiti for Good)
Location: 1124 Del Paso Boulevard
Artists: Kone Lathipanya
FRIDA AND DIEGO (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location: 1001 Del Paso Boulevard
Artists: Rigo the Artist
WE BUILT THE TRACKS (Wide Open Walls 2021)
Location: 1115 Fee Drive
Artist: Lauren YS
In the middle of nowhere stands this powerful mural by Lauren YS, which is an homage to her Asian heritage and a reminder of how the Asians, i.e. the Chinese laborers toiled day and night to build the California train tracks that served as the backbone of the state’s prosperity during and after the gold rush. As an Asian immigrant, I felt so moved seeing this mural and its message.
Despite the rise of hatred against Asian Americans in recent years, we still continue to work hard towards making this state and nation prosperous (with our talents and skills). Thank you Lauren for representing us so powerfully via this medium of art!
SACRAMENTO MURALS MAP FOR A SELF GUIDED STREET ART TOUR
As promised, here is the handy murals map (updated for 2024) of Sacramento street art for your self guided tour of these 100+ dazzling murals. Enjoy responsibly and thank you so much for reading this post on finding the best murals in Sacramento. This list will keep on growing with future visits, so please keep an eye on this space.
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How do I get the guide? I see a map with pinpoint locations, but I do not see an option for downloading ‘A SELF GIUDED TOUR OF THE BEST MURALS IN SACRAMENTO, USA [MURAL MAP INCLUDED!]’