The Secret Bench of Knowledge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Secret Bench of Knowledge
Canada
The Secret Bench of Knowledge
Used for those deceased {{{use_dates}}}
Unveiled	May 1, 1994
Location	near  Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Designed by	Lea Vivot
in braille

The Secret Bench of Knowledge is a special sculpture created by Canadian artist Lea Vivot. It was first called Secret Bench, Lost Paradise. Many copies of this sculpture have been made.

One of the most famous copies is in Ottawa, at the entrance to Library and Archives Canada on Wellington Street. It was first put there in 1989 by the artist herself. A year later, Lea Vivot took it away. But four years later, in 1994, a new copy was put in its place by Eugene Boccia from Toronto.

Discovering the Sculpture's Story

This beautiful sculpture was officially shown to the public on May 1, 1994. About 3,000 people came to see it that morning. The bench has many important messages carved into it. These messages were written by school children. They are all about how important and fun reading is.

Where Else Can You Find the Bench?

You can find other copies of The Secret Bench of Knowledge in different places. Some are in cities across Ontario, like Sarnia. You can also find them in Montreal (since June 1989) and even in New York City.

A Special Unveiling Moment

The new statue in Ottawa was unveiled by Lea Vivot herself. She had help from a young boy named Gabriel McBride. Gabriel was blind and came from Spruce View, Alberta. He even added his own message to the sculpture, written in Braille. Braille is a special system of raised dots that blind people can read with their fingertips.