Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »
Countries
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan
Cities
  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Rose Window, St. John’s Episcopal Church
St. John's Episcopal Church
Frank & Nancy’s Marine Corps Museum
Giant Squid Museum
The Old Limestone Arch
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Michigan Grand Rapids 'Waiting for the Grwost'
AO Edited

'Waiting for the Grwost'

Outside Grand Valley State University, you'll find a bench upon which many were said to have sat according to the fictional Kcymaerxthaere, waiting for a guide of time.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

jase profile photo
Added By
jase
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  geographeratlarge / Atlas Obscura User
Front and Back of Museum of the Bench trading card depicting this bench   geographeratlarge / Atlas Obscura User
Detail of Bench text   geographeratlarge / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Kcymaerxthaere is an art project created by Eames Demetrios. A series of plaques and other markers around the world honor events that have taken place in a parallel universe that, according to Demetrios, "co-exists to some degree with ours.” Most of these installations are bronze or stone plaques inscribed with stories but some are larger, even entire buildings. As of 2021, there are more than 140 sites spread across six continents and 30 countries.

One of Grand Rapid's Kcymaerxthaereal markers concerns this excellent replica of an Aywatin Bench. It was collected early on in Park Lee Taf's development of the Museum of the Bench site.  As was his practice, though he took the original, he left behind a stunningly precise copy. Even today, fragments of the original are occasionally reported not far from the original ad hoc visitor's center of the Museum.

The history of this place was, of course, intimately related to that of the ywreng that roughly approximated the path of the river. A similar place of waiting, with more tragic consequences, can be found about a mile upriver at Forest's Rest. In general, individuals passed this particular ywreng easily, though large armies would find themselves literally decimated--in the original sense of the word.

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Know Before You Go

Off Front Avenue NW, not far from Blue Footbridgein front of John C. Kennedy School of EngineeringGrand Valley State University (Grand Rapids Campus)

Community Contributors

jase profile photo

Added By

jase

geographeratlarge profile photo

Edited By

geographeratlarge

  • geographeratlarge profile photo geographeratlarge

Published

June 23, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos

Related Tags

Kcymaerxthaere Plaques Museums Museums And Collections
'Waiting for the Grwost'
Front Avenue NW
Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49504
United States
42.964307, -85.677874
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

White House Taping System

Grand Rapids, Michigan

miles away

'Grwostlaven'

Grand Rapids, Michigan

miles away

'Erailen Gwome'

Grand Rapids, Michigan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids

Michigan

Places 10

Nearby Places

White House Taping System

Grand Rapids, Michigan

miles away

'Grwostlaven'

Grand Rapids, Michigan

miles away

'Erailen Gwome'

Grand Rapids, Michigan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids

Michigan

Places 10

Related Stories and Lists

Geo-in-Residency Interactive #1: Atlas Obscura Kcy-ravan

kcymaerxthaere

By Eames Demetrios

Geo-in-Residency Interactive #1: Atlas Obscura Kcy-ravan

kcymaerxthaere

By Eames Demetrios

Related Places

  • Memorial plaques to Tycho and Jim, V&A Museum.

    London, England

    V&A Dog Memorials

    Hidden in the courtyard of the Victoria and Albert Museum is a little-known tribute to two celebrity pooches.

  • Rhyolite's District of Shadows

    Beatty, Nevada

    'Rhyolite's District of Shadows'

    A land of debatable treasure.

  • This can be under 10 meters of snow in the winter.

    Shintotsukawa, Japan

    'The Next Step'

    A museum in Hokkaido is housed in a former high school. On its grounds a marker shares the awakening of a man who longs to be reunited with his soulmate in the fictional world of Kcymaerxthaere.

  • Hastings prides itself on its status as the birthplace of Kool-Aid.

    Hastings, Nebraska

    The Hastings Museum Kool-Aid Exhibit

    The home for all things Kool-Aid offers everything except a chance to actually enjoy the drink.

  • A display of historical radio technology.

    Huntington, West Virginia

    Museum of Radio & Technology

    Step into a converted schoolhouse packed with radios, ham gear, and a century of broadcasting history.

    Sponsored By West Virginia Department of Tourism
  • Museum welcome sign

    Neah Bay, Washington

    Makah Cultural & Research Center Museum

    A museum displaying an impressive collection of pre-contact Makah artifacts.

  • One of the diaries displayed

    Pieve Santo Stefano, Italy

    Piccolo Museo Del Diario (Little Museum of Diaries)

    A museum dedicated to highlighting the extraordinary in ordinary lives.

  • "Yo Soy el Buen Pastor Ego Sum Pastor Bonus" by Bernardo Ramonfaur.

    Monterrey, Mexico

    Museo Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacro (Archdiocese Sacred Art Museum)

    Its collection features not only Christian-themed art but also works made by members of the clergy.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.