Tour Downtown Palo Alto’s Hidden Public Spaces

Next date: Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM

Some of Downtown Palo Alto’s public spaces are hiding in plain sight. Join artist Lisa Van Dusen for a walking tour and participatory public artwork exploring hidden Privately Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS).

Created as public benefits through agreements between the City and developers, these plazas, pathways, and gardens were intended for public use, yet many remain unknown and underused.

Part walking tour and part public artwork, participants will playfully activate these overlooked spaces while exploring what they reveal about public life and imagining what they could become.

This is the final tour of the season for Public Benefit: Pop-Ups in the POPOS, a citywide series of site-specific activations by Lisa Van Dusen, funded through the Palo Alto Public Art Program’s ArtLift Grant Program.

Free, accessible, and open to all ages.

RSVPs are encouraged but not required. Day-of walk-ins are welcome.