Soaring American Eagle is permanently placed in the north courtyard of the State Department's Harry S Truman Building in Washington, D.C. Its creation was inspired by the Great Seal of the United States; the eagle’s outstretched wings span 15 feet and rise nearly 12 feet above the bronze pedestal, which combines architectural elements with sculptural representations of air-like natural forces to convey the soaring presence of the eagle. This monument transcended its symbolic existence on the day of its installation when it quite literally flew into place, carried to the courtyard by a helicopter.