Renowned sculptor to create Jimmy Buffett statue on Mobile waterfront

Renowned sculptor to create Jimmy Buffett statue on Mobile waterfront

Sep 18th, 2025

Posted in: Press ReleaseNational Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico

- September 18, 2025 -

For Immediate Release

Renowned sculptor to create Jimmy Buffett statue on Mobile waterfront

Mobile, Ala. - The City of Mobile, the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf, and members of the Buffett family have selected nationally renowned sculptor Ben Victor to create a lifelike statue of Jimmy Buffett on Mobile's downtown riverfront.

The 7.5-foot-tall statue will depict the iconic singer and Coastal Alabama native in a classic pose, playing his guitar and gazing out over the water that inspired him during his early life and career. The sculpture is scheduled to be unveiled in September 2026 on the city's downtown waterfront outside the Maritime Museum. It is one of many ways the community will continue to honor the lasting musical and cultural impact of Jimmy Buffett, who spent much of his early life in Alabama's Port City.

In partnership with the Mobile Arts Council, a local committee worked with multiple members of the Buffett family to evaluate submissions by more than 30 sculptors from around the world. These artists were tasked with creating a statue that captures the spirit that made Jimmy Buffett such a beloved figure in the world of music and beyond. After an extensive review process, sculptor Ben Victor was selected for his exceptional skill, experience, and distinct artistic vision for the project.

"Jimmy Buffett's music has long celebrated the beauty and spirit of the Gulf Coast," said Karen Poth, Executive Director of the Maritime Museum. "We are thrilled that Ben Victor will bring this vision to life, creating a tribute that will inspire music lovers, tourists, and Mobilians for generations to come."

Victor has been internationally recognized for his public sculptures. He has an extensive portfolio that includes expressive and lifelike representations of historic and cultural figures, including a statue of country musician Merle Haggard in Muskogee, Oklahoma. At age 26, Victor became the youngest artist ever to have a sculpture in our Nation's foremost collection, the National Statuary Hall in the United States Capitol. He is the only living artist to have four sculptures in Statuary Hall.

More information about Ben Victor and examples of his work are available at benjaminvictor.com.

Jimmy Buffett spent his formative years in Mobile and graduated from the McGill Institute (now McGill-Toolen) in 1964. Though he lived in and wrote about communities across the Gulf Coast, Mobile was a place Buffett always called home. As part of an ongoing riverfront revitalization, the city will also be commemorating Jimmy Buffett's legacy with an immersive exhibit at the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf, which will open in September 2026 in coordination with the unveiling of the new statue.

"The Jimmy Buffett Experience" will be a one-of-a-kind exhibit showcasing Buffett's life and musical career as well as his impact on the Gulf Coast. Thanks to partnerships with the Buffett family and Jimmy's longtime collaborators, the exhibition will feature numerous artifacts from his life, along with unreleased recordings, videos, and behind-the-scenes footage captured throughout his career.