Albany, New York
Get to know the dog on the skyline, then meet his colorful counterparts on a self-guided walk through downtown Albany.
Published estimates include access-dependent stops; the guided route may vary.
Location was not available. You can still open the tour.
Nipper began as a real dog in nineteenth-century England. Artist Francis Barraud painted him listening to a gramophone in His Master’s Voice. That curious head tilt became a familiar image in recorded music, including RCA’s advertising.
Albany’s 28-foot Nipper arrived at 991 Broadway in 1958. Built in Chicago and shipped in five sections, he was lifted onto the roof of RTA, a distributor of RCA appliances. Decades later, he is still one of the city’s most recognizable sights.
In 2017, the Downtown Albany BID brought Nipper down to street level with Downtown is Pawsome. Local artists transformed the familiar dog into individual works of public art. Look closely: the shared shape is only the beginning.
Explore the painted Nippers with a walking route and each stop’s story together on your phone. Follow the route, pause to look around, and continue when you’re ready.
Some sculptures are indoors or temporarily unavailable. The guide includes access notes for each stop.
Scan to open the walking tour.
Open the walking tour albanywalks.com/tours/nipper/Walk details