New Jimmy Buffett statue to be installed at National Maritime Museum

A statue of iconic singer and Coastal Alabama native Jimmy Buffett will soon stand in front of the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf in Mobile.

The city along with members of the Buffett family have selected nationally renowned sculptor Ben Victor to create a 7.5-foot-tall statue of Buffett which will be installed outside the museum on the downtown riverfront.

The statue is expected to depict Buffett in a classic pose, playing a guitar and gazing over the water. It is expected to be unveiled in September 2026.

“Jimmy Buffett’s music has long celebrated the beauty and spirit of the Gulf Coast. 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.”

Karen Poth, Executive Director of the Maritime Museum

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.

The 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.”

“I want to thank everyone who helped us find the right artist for this project, as well as Maritime Museum Executive Director Karen Poth, who is doing an exceptional job leading the effort to highlight Jimmy’s lasting impact on Mobile. The unveiling of Ben Victor’s statue in September 2026 will coincide with the opening of an immersive exhibit at the Maritime Museum showcasing Jimmy Buffett’s life and musical career. The Jimmy Buffett Experience will be a love letter to his millions of fans, and a fitting tribute to the man who sailed the world over but always called Mobile home.”

Sandy Stimpson, Mayor mobile

Jimmy Buffett exhibit

The sculpture 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.

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. The exhibition will feature numerous artifacts from his life, along with unreleased recordings, videos, and behind-the-scenes footage captured throughout his career.

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