Skip to Main Content

Worcester, Massachusetts: The Notorious Turtle Boy

A favorite with shutterbugs, it's a sculpture of a nude boy with a satisfied grin holding a sea turtle with an alarmed expression. The positioning of the figures is unintentionally suggestive. Sculptor Charles Y. Harvey couldn't accept criticism, and killed himself.

Address:
Front St., Worcester, MA
Directions:
On the corner of Franklin and Front Sts, on the southeastern corner of the Worcester common.
Admission:
Free
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Visitor Tips and News About The Notorious Turtle Boy

Reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.

Turtle Boy.

The Notorious Turtle Boy

Strange statue with an interesting history!

[Vicky, 08/01/2021]

Turtle boy.

The Notorious Turtle Boy

The Notorious Turtle Boy. Very erotic -- a good start to our romantic holiday

[Christine, 08/07/2014]

Turtle Boy.

Turtle Boy

I visited the famous Turtle Boy on a rainy day in October of 2012.

[OSJ, 05/23/2013]

The Turtle Boy statue has more fans than most 100-year-old statues, thanks to its suggestive positioning of the Boy and the startled expression of the Turtle.

Turtle Boy Statue

In the Worcester Common, near the south side is a very strange statue of a boy and turtle. It's a local favorite because it is so weird and no one knows much about it.

[laurel, 05/21/2006]

New York sculptor Charles Harvey slit his throat with a razor in 1912 before he could complete "Boy with a Turtle." It's a crouching, nude boy holding a sea turtle just below his knees. Harvey wanted to evoke innocence and joy, but his placement of the nude boy behind the turtle, the boy's satisfied grin, and the turtle's alarmed expression, suggest that something unnatural is going on.


Nearby Offbeat Places

Wall O' WashingtonsWall O' Washingtons, Worcester, MA - < 1 mi.
Leprechaun HatLeprechaun Hat, Worcester, MA - < 1 mi.
Bancroft Tower - Castle-LiteBancroft Tower - Castle-Lite, Worcester, MA - 1 mi.
In the region:
The Boston Stone, Boston, MA - 39 mi.

Latest Tips Across Roadside America

Catch up on the latest discoveries from the road.

Explore Thousands of Oddball Tourist Attractions!

Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Use our attraction recommendation and maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Massachusetts Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings

Favorite Quirky City Sights