Duluth Unveils Skywalk Photo Gallery, Honors 'Astro Bob'

The public art display celebrates Duluth's seasons and quality of place, featuring photos by local photographers.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 6:39pm

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Destination Duluth has unveiled a 12-window 'Life Up North: A Gallery of Place' photo gallery in the skywalk at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, showcasing photos by local photographers that highlight Duluth as a destination. The organization also honored longtime Northland photographer Bob King, known as 'Astro Bob,' during its sixth annual Celebration of Photographers on Monday.

Why it matters

The photo gallery aims to celebrate Duluth's seasons and quality of life, showcasing the work of local photographers and highlighting the city as a destination. Honoring 'Astro Bob' recognizes his significant contributions to photography and astronomy in the Northland over his four-decade career at the Duluth News Tribune.

The details

The photo gallery features images selected from thousands of photos featured on Destination Duluth's social media over the past year, with each window representing one month of the year and capturing the rhythm of life, land, water, light, and community in the Northland. More than 100 local photographers were honored at the event, and special recognition was given to former News Tribune photo chief Bob King, who retired in 2018 after 39 years with the newspaper.

  • The photo gallery was unveiled on Monday, January 27, 2026.
  • Bob King retired from the Duluth News Tribune on December 6, 2018.

The players

Destination Duluth

A local organization that promotes Duluth as a destination and celebrated the work of local photographers with the unveiling of the 'Life Up North: A Gallery of Place' photo gallery.

Bob King

A longtime Northland photographer, known as 'Astro Bob,' who was honored by Destination Duluth for his contributions to photography and astronomy during his 39-year career at the Duluth News Tribune.

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What’s next

The photo gallery will remain on display in the Duluth skywalk for one year, and Destination Duluth plans to make this an annual showcase celebrating Northland photographers and the spirit of 'Life Up North'.

The takeaway

The unveiling of the Duluth skywalk photo gallery and the recognition of 'Astro Bob' highlight the city's vibrant arts and photography community, as well as the ongoing efforts to showcase Duluth's natural beauty and quality of life to visitors and residents alike.