Google doodles

[9A]

June 5, 2011

Richard Scarry's 92nd Birthday







I had a lot of fun working with the folks at Random House — including one of Richard Scarry's actual art directors, as well as his son, Huck — to create an original pencil and watercolor piece depicting Busytown. There is so much going on in Busytown that I thought I'd show a few closeups here as well as talk about the process.

Scarry's technique allowed him to work pretty loosely with his watercolors, and he'd frequently paint off-register, that is, not quite up to [or way beyond] the line drawing. This gave his illustrations an even more lighthearted quality. In our case, it's Richard Scarry's Best Google Doodle Ever!

[9A]

February 3, 2010


Norman Rockwell's 106th Birthday - © 1926 SEPS by Curtis Publishing







Norman Percevel Rockwell was an American painter and illustrator. His works have a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life he created for The Saturday Evening Post magazine over nearly five decades.

[9A]

May 11, 2008

Florence Nightingale's Birthday



Florence Nightingale was an English social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during the Crimean War, in which she organised care for wounded soldiers at Constantinople. She gave nursing a favourable reputation and became an icon of Victorian culture, especially in the persona of "The Lady with the Lamp" making rounds of wounded soldiers at night.

[9A]

Jan 28, 2008

50th Anniversary of the Lego Brick





Lego is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously coloured interlocking plastic bricks accompanying an array of gears, figurines called minifigures, and various other parts. Lego pieces can be assembled and connected in many ways to construct objects, including vehicles, buildings, and working robots. Anything constructed can be taken apart again, and the pieces reused to make new things.

[9A]

1 December 2022

Gerald "Jerry" Lawson's 82nd Birthday





Go behind-the-scenes of today’s Doodle below!




Today’s interactive game Doodle celebrates the 82nd birthday of Gerald “Jerry” Lawson, one of the fathers of modern gaming who led the team that developed the first home video gaming system with interchangeable game cartridges. The Doodle features games designed by three American guest artists and game designers: Davionne Gooden, Lauren Brown, and Momo Pixel.

Lawson was born in Brooklyn, New York on this day in 1940. He tinkered with electronics from an early age, repairing televisions around his neighborhood and creating his own radio station using recycled parts. He attended Queens College and City College of New York before departing early to start his career in Palo Alto, California. At the time, the city and its surrounding region had become known as “Silicon Valley” due to the explosion of new, innovative tech companies starting up in the area.

Upon arriving in California, Lawson joined Fairchild Semiconductor as an engineering consultant. A few years later, Lawson was promoted to Director of Engineering and Marketing of Fairchild’s video game department where he led the development of the Fairchild Channel F system [the “F” stood for fun!]. This was the first home video game system console that featured interchangeable game cartridges, an 8-way digital joystick and a pause menu. The Channel F paved the way for future gaming systems like the Atari, SNES, Dreamcast and more.

In 1980, Lawson left Fairchild to start his own company, VideoSoft—one of the earliest Black-owned video game development companies. The company created software for the Atari 2600, which popularized the cartridge Lawson and his team developed. Although they closed five years later, Lawson had solidified himself as a pioneer in the industry and continued to consult multiple engineering and video game companies throughout the rest of his career.

In 2011, the International Game Developers Association recognized Lawson as an industry trailblazer for his contributions to gaming. The University of Southern California also created the Gerald A. Lawson Fund to support underrepresented students who wish to pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees in game design or computer science. Lawson’s achievements are memorialized at the World Video Game Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York.

Here’s to you, Jerry!

[9A]

April 30, 2018

Levi Celerio’s 108th Birthday


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Today's Doodle celebrates prolific Filipino musical phenom, Levi Celerio. The composer and lyricist wrote over 4,000 songs, many still popular today. With his unique talent of playing music with a leaf, Celerio received international attention as the “only leaf player in the world” by the Guinness Book of World Records.

[9A]

November 30, 2016

Jagadish Chandra Bose’s 158th Birthday


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Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose was a master of scientific achievement with numerous accomplishments in various fields. Born in Bangladesh in 1858, Bose was to become known not only for his work in biophysics, but also his innovation in the world of radio and microwave sciences, ultimately inventing an early version of wireless telecommunication. As a testament to his numerous contributions to the field, a moon crater was named in his honor.

Bose’s investigations into nature included the invention of the crescograph – an instrument that measures movement and growth in plant life by magnifying it 10,000 times. He went on to demonstrate the similarities between animals and plants, particularly when it came to reactions to different environmental, electrical, and chemical influences.

[9A]

May 20, 2011

Emile Berliner's 160th Birthday


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Although he has been overshadowed in the public imagination by contemporaries Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, German-American inventor and entrepreneur Emile Berliner actually improved two inventions associated closely with those other men, the telephone and the talking machine.

[9A]

Feb 22, 2020

Carnaval de Barranquilla





In honor of Colombia’s Carnaval de Barranquilla, today’s Doodle features some of the colorful costumes and masks on display during this annual celebration of cultural heritage stemming from indigenous, African, and European traditions. Across four days, over a million people will visit Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast to watch floats, dance in the streets, and maybe take part by wearing a “Marimonda” mask as seen in the Doodle artwork.

The modern Carnaval de Barranquilla is over 100 years old and reflects the legacy of blended cultures that have shaped the city since its establishment nearly 400 years ago. At its core, festivities derive from folk traditions that demonstrate what many consider to be the definition of what it means to be Colombian.

[9A]

15 November 2022

Hamed Gohar's 115th birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates the 115th birthday of Hamed Gahar, a renowned Egyptian scientist, marine biologist and TV host. He is considered the founding father of oceanography in Egypt and the Arab world, and hosted an educational show called “Sea World” for 18 years.

Gohar was born on this day in 1907 in Cairo, Egypt. He was a gifted student from an early age and studied medicine at Cairo University in 1925. However, he decided to pursue biology and received his master’s degree in oceanography from Cambridge University in 1931. Gohar then began researching xenia, or soft coral, along the coast of the Red Sea.

Gohar discovered that dugong, a sea mammal that was thought to be extinct in the region, still existed in the Red Sea. He continued studying underwater life for 25 years at the Hurghada marine biological station, and it’s rumored that he never ate fish due to his love for sea creatures.

Gohar made several contributions to Egyptian and Arabic marine biology. He worked with the Arabic Language Academy to create scientific dictionaries in Arabic. He also served as an adviser to the United Nations’ Secretary General and helped organize the first International Conference on Law of the Sea in Geneva.

An entire generation of Arabs know Gohar from his popular TV show, “Sea World”, which he hosted for more than 18 years. By highlighting underwater scenery and natural sea life, Gohar gifted Arabs with inspiring knowledge about marine biology, and is remembered today for his distinct voice and unending love for the ocean.

Happy 115th birthday, Hamed Gohar!

[9A]

27 November 2022

Ronit Elkabetz's 58th birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates what would have been Ronit Elkabetz’s 58th birthday, and was illustrated by Israeli guest artist Maya Shleifer. One of the most acclaimed actresses of her time, the Mizrahi star is considered an icon across Israel and France for her work on both sides of the camera.

Elkabetz was born on this day in Beersheba, Israel, in 1964. She grew up speaking Hebrew, Arabic, and French thanks to her Moroccan roots. With piercing good looks and poise beyond her years, 17-year-old Elkabetz began her career as a fashion model in Tel Aviv.

In 1990, Elkabetz auditioned for what she believed was a commercial—it was actually for the film, The Appointed. Despite having no acting training or experience, Elkabetz won the lead role that set her film career into motion. Next, she starred in Sh'Chur as the older sister in a family caught up in superstitions, for which she won her first Ophir Award [the Israeli Oscars].

In 1997, she moved to Paris to study acting at Theatre du Soleil and supported herself by working as a waitress. After completing her training, she starred in the French film Origine contrôlée. Months later, she earned her second Israeli Ophir Award for Late Marriage. Elkabetz's ability to capture emotionally rich characters made her an in-demand actress in both Israeli and French cinema.

After starring in Or, which won the Camera d’Or at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, Elkabetz became interested in other parts of the filmmaking process. In that year she worked on her debut film as a director and screenwriter, To Take a Wife, which would become the first of a film trilogy she created with her brother, director and actor Shlomi Elkabetz. The Elkabetz trilogy, an Israeli-French co-production, also includes the films Shiva and Golden Globe nominated Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem. It had a tremendous impact on Israeli society and culture, featuring the first authentic portrayal of a Mizrahi family in Israeli cinema and promoting the plight of Jewish women denied a divorce in the rabbinical court system in Israel.

Elkabetz was nominated for thirteen Ophir Awards over the course of her career. She was also awarded the French Legion of Honor for her work. Leaving behind a groundbreaking legacy of strong female leads, Elkabetz conquered complex roles and multiple art forms while popularizing Israeli cinema.

Happy birthday, Ronit Elkabetz!

[9A]

24 October 2022

Celebrating Slim Dusty




Slim Dusty was an Australian singer and songwriter who recorded over 100 albums and sold over seven million copies during a career spanning nearly seven decades. Today’s Doodle celebrates the Australian icon being awarded the Outstanding Achievement award at the ARIA music awards in 2000.

Born David Kirkpatrick in Kempsey, New South Wales, and raised on his family farm in nearby Nulla Nulla Creek, as a little boy he dreamed of being a country singer. At the age of 10, he wrote his very first song, “The Way the Cowboy Dies”, and at 11, decided his future name was to be “Slim Dusty”, much better suited to a singing cowboy.

At age 15, Slim made his first recording, paying for it himself. By sending his records to radio, and singing where he could get a hearing, he eventually signed a recording contract with Columbia Graphophone Records where he remained for the rest of his career.

He left the farm to follow music as a full-time career in 1949, performing at venues, rodeos, local concerts and eventually, in 1954, taking the big step of setting out with his small family and at times other fellow singers to tour the Australian countryside over roads good and bad. This took him to every State and Territory in Australia on what eventually became his famous Round Australia tours covering by car and caravans at least 30,000 road miles across 10 months of the year. He continued writing, collecting and recording the songs that became known as Bush Ballads, musical histories of the people and places in the Australian bush, little towns and the outback of Australia.

In 1957, he released his recording of “A Pub with No Beer”, written by his mate, Gordon Parsons. It became the best-selling song recorded by an Australian, and Slim was awarded the first Gold Record presented in Australia.

In 1983, astronauts in the spaceship Columbia beamed Slim’s voice singing “Waltzing Matilda” to earth as they passed over Australia. Slim was the first singer to have his voice sent to earth from space. He performed the same song as the closing act of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

Slim Dusty won multiple Gold and Platinum record awards and 38 Golden Guitars. Amongst numerous awards, including being voted A National Treasure by the Australian public, Slim was one of the first inductions into the Australian Recording Industry Association [ARIA] Hall of Fame. In tribute to Slim, The Royal Australian Mint issued a coin celebrating his life, and the Slim Dusty Centre and Museum in his hometown of Kempsey opened in 2015.

[9A]

24 October 2015

R. K. Laxman's 94th Birthday





A humorist and illustrator with an uncommon talent, R.K. Laxman was one of India’s most celebrated cartoonists. His daily political cartoon, You Said It, ran on the front page of The Times of India for more than 50 years. Laxman was best known for his Common Man character, who he drew into his cartoons as a witness to the kinds of hypocrisies and societal inequalities Laxman wanted to silently expose.

Today’s Doodle honors R.K. Laxman for his deft artistic hand and sharp, incisive wit. Doodler Olivia When in collaboration with Local Googlers wanted to salute the legendary cartoonist by creating a Doodle that payed homage to both Laxman [making sure to capture his wild shock of hair and distinctive grin] and his most popular character, who watches in his trademark checked shirt as the beloved illustrator sketches him one more time.

[9A]

11 October 2022

João do Vale's 88th birthday



Vale was an Afro-Brazilian singer and composer who introduced northeastern music styles to communities across Brazil. Today’s Doodle celebrates what would have been João do Vale’s 88th birthday. He's remembered as a key figure in Brazil's music scene.

Vale was born in Pedreiras, Maranhão, in 1934. At a young age, he faced prejudice when he was expelled from school in order to make room for a higher-class student which made a significant impact on how he viewed the world and would later serve as a major influence in his work. He then had to turn to selling oranges at fairs to help support his family.

At 13, Vale was writing songs for a Brazilian musical group. They put on plays called Bumba-Meu-Boi, which portrayed the Maranhão culture through drama, dance, and lyrics. While it helped kickstart his lyrical passion, his involvement with the group didn’t provide enough money to elevate his family’s financial situation.

Vale left home to escape the injustice he faced in Pedreiras. He traveled to Rio de Janeiro and took up manual labor jobs like coal mining, bricklaying and construction work. In between jobs, he visited other major cities to share his melodies and poetry. Influenced by personal experiences and northeastern music genres like baião, Vale wrote songs about poverty and folk culture.

In the early 1950s, Vale get an opportunity to showcase his creation of upbeat dance rhythms at the Radio Nacional station— a radio station that influenced music tastes throughout Brazil. Since he did not know how to write, João had to commit all of his work to memory in order to present his pieces. His impressive baiãos caught the attention of the hosts and producers working there and his musical career took off! He began to work with artists who were excited to help him grow his compositions and songwriting skills.

By 1964, Vale was performing in showrooms that highlighted northeastern rhythms to working class people in southern Brazil. He wrote several musical hits​​, created two solo albums and composed songs that popularized many great names within the industry. He continued to create and share music rooted in his culture until his death in 1996.

A theater is dedicated to him in the Historic Center of São Luís and he’s honored in his hometown of Pedreiras with a memorial.

Happy 88th birthday, João do Vale!

[9A]

19 September 2022

Emil Zátopek and Dana Zátopková's 100th birthday







In the 1952 Olympics, Dana Zatopkova won a gold medal in the women's javelin throw one hour after her husband, Emil Zapotek, won the men's 5,000 meter run. Today's Doodle celebrates the Czech power couple of track and field’s shared 100th Birthday! This Doodle was created by Prague-based guest artists Ilona Polanski [illustration] and Aliona Saskova [animation].

Both Emil and Dana were born on September 19, 1922. Dana developed a passion for sports while she grew up in Karviná, Czech Republic. Before she ever threw a javelin, Dana was a talented handball player and played in college and professionally where she led her team to a Czechoslovakian handball title. The javelin throw soon caught Dana’s attention. Rumor has it she reached 34 meters the first time she gave it a try. She later became the first Czech woman to throw a javelin over 40 meters, which qualified her for the 1948 Olympic Games.

Over in Zlín, teenage Emil worked at a shoe factory. It was there that he was encouraged to run in a local race where he finished second out of a hundred participants! Emil became a private in the Czech army and trained at night by running in his combat boots while holding his breath to build up his lung capacity. His legend grew after he rode a bicycle from Prague to Berlin and won the 5,000 meter race in an Allied Occupation meet.

Emil witnessed Dana's qualifying javelin throw and congratulated her on making the Olympics. After bonding over their shared birthday, the two formed a relationship. They traveled together to the 1948 Olympic Games in London where Emil won gold in the 10,000 meter race and Dana placed seventh in the javelin throw. Shortly after, the couple married.

Dana and Emil made history at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. Emil won the gold medal in 5,000 meter, 10,000 meter and the marathon—his frist ever—breaking the Olympic record in all three races. Dana not only placed first and set an Olympic record for the javelin throw but became the first Czech woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Due to the couple’s performance that year, Czechoslovakia took home more gold medals than any country besides the United States.

They broke a combined 35 world records in a marriage that lasted 52 years. Dana received the Olympic Order for distinguished contributions to the Olympic movement. The editors at Runner's World Magazine named Emil the Greatest Runner of All Time.

Happy 100th birthday, Emil Zátopek and Dana Zátopková!

[9A]

1 December 2022

Seasonal holidays 2022

[9A]

2 December 2020

December Holidays [Days 2–30]

[9A]

2 December 2021

Georges Seurat’s 162nd birthday




Today’s Doodle celebrates French painter Georges Seurat, who captured the natural qualities of light in scenes of contemporary Parisian life with his signature painting techniques known as Pointillism and Divisionism. Seurat’s innovative methods gave rise to the school of Neo-Impressionism, an avant-garde 19th century movement that forever changed the course of modern art.

Georges Seurat was born into a prosperous family in Paris, France, on this day in 1859. He began formal artistic training as a teenager and furthered his education at the prestigious fine arts institution École des Beaux-Arts in 1878. Seurat developed a fascination with the science behind art during his studies, but soon became disenchanted with the confines of academic tradition. He delved into the scientific study of color theory and optical physics to develop an original style he coined “chromo-luminarism,” later known as Pointillism or Divisionism.

After many drafts on small boards, a meeting with a 100-year-old chemist, and years of experimentation, Seurat finished the painting widely considered his masterpiece at only 26, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte — 1884,” now in the Helen Birch Bartlett Memorial Collection, The Art Institute of Chicago. An encapsulation of the Pointillist technique is recreated in the Doodle artwork. When viewed from the proper distance, the mural-sized painting tricks the observer into perceiving over 200,000 tiny brushstrokes and dabs of contrasting color on its canvas as a shimmering, cohesive scene of an island in the Seine outside of Paris.

Seurat’s obsession with color theory has prompted some art historians to hypothesize that his techniques were influenced by the atmospheric effects of the volcanic eruptions that created some of the most colorful sunsets recorded during the 1800s. Although the exact inspirations for his artistic innovations remain up for debate, Seurat has had an impact on the visual culture. His monumental work has inspired countless artists across disciplines, a Broadway musical, and has even been featured in a blockbuster film.

Here’s to an artist who never lost sight of the big picture!

[9A]

2 December 2013

Carlos Merida's 122nd Birthday





Carlos Mérida [December 2, 1891 – December 21, 1985] was a Guatemalan artist who was one of the first to fuse European modern painting to Latin American themes, especially those related to Guatemala and Mexico. He was part of the Mexican muralism movement in subject matter but less so in style, favoring a non-figurative and later geometric style rather than a figurative, narrative style. Mérida is best known for canvas and mural work, the latter including elements such as glass and ceramic mosaic on major constructions in the 1950s and 1960s. One of his major works 4000m2 on the Benito Juarez housing complex, was completely destroyed with the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, but a monument to it exists at another complex in the south of the city.

[9A]

March 14, 2012

Akira Yoshizawa's 101st Birthday



We’re excited to have Robert J. Lang here to talk about today’s doodle in honor of Akira Yoshizawa. Lang is considered one of the world’s masters of the art of origami. His design techniques are used by origami artists around the world, and he lectures widely on the connections between origami art, science, mathematics and technology. - Ed.

Akira Yoshizawa [1911–2005] is widely regarded as the father of the modern origami art form. Over the course of his life, he created tens of thousands of origami works and pioneered many of the artistic techniques used by modern-day origami artists, most notably the technique of wet-folding, which allowed the use of thick papers and created soft curves, gentle shapes and rounded, organic forms. He also developed a notation for origami that has now been the standard for origami instruction for more than 50 years.

Yoshizawa took up Japan's traditional folk art of origami in his 20s, and eventually left his job at a factory to focus full-time on his origami creations. His work came to the attention of the west in 1955, after an exhibition of his works in Amsterdam, and rapidly spread around the world. In his last decades, he received worldwide renown and invitations from all over, culminating in his award in 1983 of the Order of the Rising Sun.

I had the great fortune to meet Yoshizawa several times. In 1988, he came to New York to visit The Friends of the Origami Center of America, and spoke at a panel discussion I attended. There, he addressed a wide range of topics: one's mental attitude, the importance of character, of natural qualities, of having one's "spirit within [the artwork's] folds." Although he was the consummate artist, his work and approach was infused with the mathematical and geometric underpinnings of origami as well as a deep aesthetic sense:

“My origami creations, in accordance with the laws of nature, require the use of geometry, science, and physics. They also encompass religion, philosophy, and biochemistry. Over all, I want you to discover the joy of creation by your own hand…the possibility of creation from paper is infinite.” - Akira Yoshizawa

While there were other Japanese artists who explored their country’s folk art contemporaneously with Yoshizawa, his work inspired the world through a combination of grace, beauty, variety and clarity of presentation. To him, each figure, even if folded from the same basic plan, was a unique object with a unique character.

In 1992, I was invited to address the Nippon Origami Association at their annual meeting in Japan, and my hosts arranged for me to meet the great Yoshizawa at his home and studio. When I was ushered into the inner sanctum, Yoshizawa greeted me, grinning, and then proceeded to show me box after box after drawer of the most extraordinarily folded works I had ever seen.

[9A]

July 7, 2013

Vladimir Durov's 150th Birthday




Anatoly Anatolyevich Durov was a renowned 20th century animal trainer. He was a member of the Durov family of performers who raised the quality and prestige of the Russian circus.

[9A]

July 8, 2011

Jean de la Fontaine's 390th Birthday





Of all the fables adapted by Jean de la Fontaine, “The Tortoise and the Hare” appealed to me the most for the persistent relevance of its message. I drew stylistic inspiration from traditional storybook etchings, and also looked at some of my heroes of illustration -- Arthur Rackham and John Tenniel. Though the style is old-fashioned, the moral is still true! You go, little guy!

Posted by Sophia Foster-Dimino

[9A]

May 7, 2010

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 170th Birthday









To celebrate Tchaikovsky's birthday, the doodlers and I decided to collaborate with the San Francisco Ballet! This is the first time we used real people to pose for a doodle and, thanks to a group of well organized and talented dancers/staff, everything went swimmingly! A single day of photography was all we needed before I took a compilation of individual/pair photos and pieced them together to make our final logo. You can take a peek at some behind the scenes work on YouTube.

[9A]

May 9, 2020

Celebrating Frank Soo







Today’s Doodle celebrates British footballer and coach Frank Soo, a fearsome half-back and inside forward who broke racial barriers playing for the English national team during World War II. On this day in 1942, Soo made his international debut in a match against Wales, becoming the first person of non-European descent—and only ever of Asian heritage—to represent the country’s team at the highest level.

Frank Soo was born on March 8th, 1914 in Derbyshire, England and raised in Liverpool. He quickly earned a reputation as one of the best youth players in the city. At just 18 years old, he was scouted by Stoke City F.C., becoming the first professional player of Chinese ancestry in the English Football League.

Renowned for an artful playing style, dignified ball control, and precise passing, the charismatic Soo was named team captain at age 27 and rose to a level of national celebrity. In 1940, following the outbreak of World War II, Soo enlisted in the Royal Air Force and continued his legacy as the captain of its football team. Though England’s Football Association deemed its wartime matches unofficial, Soo went on to represent his country in nine such international fixtures by 1945.

Soo retired from playing in 1950 and moved on to a successful international coaching career that lasted over three decades. His legacy lives on in the increasingly diverse English team that plays today.

Thank you, Frank Soo, for showing the world the unifying power of sport. ​

[9A]

May 9, 2011


76th Birthday of Roger Hargreaves











Charles Roger Hargreaves under pen name Roger Hargreaves, was an English author and illustrator of children's books. He was best remembered for the Mr. Men and Little Miss series, intended for young readers. The simple and humorous stories, with brightly coloured, boldly drawn illustrations, have been part of popular culture since 1971, with sales of over 85 million copies worldwide in 20 languages.

[9A]

October 7, 2012

Niels Bohr's 127th Birthday








Our love for all that is nerdy in all shapes and sizes shines through in our doodle for Neils Bohr. Some of the biggest contributions to science aren't big at all, sometimes they're as small as an atom.

A Danish physicist, Bohr earned a Nobel prize in 1975 for his work. Amongst his studies on the shell model of the atom, the correspondence principle, and the liquid drop model of the atomic nucleus, Bohr's more recognizable work is that which bares his own name: the Bohr model. This theory poses that the electrons of the atom travel in orbits around its nucleus. The doodle is depiction of the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom, which, though simple, is still the introduction of quantum mechanics for many students.

[9A]

19 Nov 2022

Celebrating Enrique de la Mora





Today’s Doodle celebrates Enrique de la Mora y Palomar, a Mexican architect who shaped the image of contemporary cities in Mexico, and was illustrated by Mexico-based artist Julian Ardila. De la Mora experimented with hyperbolic paraboloid shell roofs, also known as saddle roofs, to create structurally efficient buildings with a modern aesthetic. On this day in 1946, Enrique de la Mora received the Premio Educación Pública award from the Administrative Commission of the National Prize for Arts and Sciences for his Purísima Concepción Parish design.

De la Mora was born on November 19, 1907 in Guadalajara, a city in Western Mexico. His father, Manuel de la Mora y del Castillo Negrete, was a prominent engineer and architect.

Following his father’s footsteps, the young De la Mora attended the National School of Architecture and graduated in 1933. A year later, he launched his career by designing the El Puerto de Liverpool department store in Mexico City.

De la Mora went on to design more than 100 architectural projects over the next two decades, including major university buildings and churches. His building designs focused on optimizing structures with symmetrical curves such as hyperbolas, parabolas, vaults and arches.

His most notable work was Iglesia La Purísima, the first Mexican church with a modern architectural design. The structural innovation behind the church’s parabolic vaulted ceilings won him a National Architecture Award in 1946.

His other major works include the master plan for the Monterrey Institute of Technology, the Mexican Stock Exchange, and the School of Philosophy and Literature [Facultad de Filosofía y Letras] at the National Autonomous University of Mexico which later became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Today, De la Mora is remembered as an important figure in the structural expressionism movement. We can find his exceptional work and influence across major Mexican cities.

[9A]

19 November 2019

200th Anniversary of Museo del Prado




Today’s Doodle celebrates the 200th anniversary of Madrid’s Museo del Prado. Opened on this day in 1819, the museum is home to thousands of Spanish paintings from the 12th century to the 20th century, including masterpieces by El Greco, Francisco Goya, Diego Velázquez, amongst other European masters.

Designed in 1785 by architect Juan de Villanueva, the building was repurposed by King Ferdinand VII and Queen Maria Isabel de Braganza from a center for the natural sciences to a public gallery in 1819. Originally called the Royal Museum, it was later named Museo Nacional del Prado. With a collection of over 5,000 pieces, the museum pursued an expansion project that increased public access and reduced crowding in the main building.

The nearby Jerónimos Cloister was restored and incorporated to create the Museo del Prado Campus, allowing the museum to showcase the masterpieces of a new era. The Bicentenary exhibit, “A Place of Memory,” pays homage to the museum’s history through some of its darkest periods and offers a glimpse into how the museum has transformed into the institution it is today.

The museum is looking to the future on its 200th anniversary, taking time to ensure that diversity is embraced at the dawn of its third century. Throughout the year, the collection exhibited artists from Latin America such as Matrimonios de Martín de Loyola con Beatriz Ñusta y de Juan de Borja con Lorenza Ñusta de Loyola, an extraordinary example of the viceregal painting, coming from the Pedro de Osma Museum in Lima, Peru, and women in A Tale of Two Women Painters: Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana and Twelve Photographers. Guests should be able to see most of the museum in a couple of hours, but they might lose track of time trying to unpack the scenes in Hieronymus Bosch’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights.”

Happy two centuries, Museo del Prado!

[9A]

4 Dec 2019

Professor Rapee Sagarik’s 97th Birthday



Today’s Doodle celebrates horticulturalist and botanist Professor Sagarik on the 97th anniversary of his birth in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand—a country that is home to nearly 1,300 native species of orchid.

Widely known as the “father of Thai orchids,” Professor Sagarik was also later president at Bangkok’s Kasetsart University and also served on the Faculty of Agriculture at Maejo University in the northern city of Chiang Mai. He is widely considered Thailand’s foremost expert in the breeding and conservation of these delicate, beautiful plants.


Once considered an exclusive pastime for the wealthy, orchid-growing became more accessible thanks in part to Professor Sagarik’s research and education efforts. He founded the Orchid Society of Thailand in 1957 and later became a regular speaker at the World Orchid Conference. In 1984, he organized the first Asia Pacific Orchid Conference. Thanks to Professor Sagarik’s efforts, Thailand’s first orchid library opened In December 1993.

Thailand is now the world's foremost exporter of orchids, and many of the most popular varieties were bred from wild Thai orchids.

“These flowers are not like the ones you see every day, which blossom and then wither away,” Professor Sagarik once observed. Because the beauty of orchids is passed onto future generations, he called the flowers “love in humankind.”

S̄uk̄hs̄ạnt̒ wạn keid, Professor Sagarik!

[9A]

5 Dec 2019

Celebrating Wellies



On the anniversary of the rainiest day in the history of the U.K., today’s Doodle celebrates Wellington boots, or “wellies,” a rainy day staple for centuries. Over the course of 24 hours on this day in 2015, an area of the northwestern county of Cumbria, England, recorded over 34 centimeters [[13 inches) of rain. What better way to commemorate this deluge than to pay homage to the wellie, for keeping feet warm and dry during the heaviest downpours?

Conceived by Arthur Wellesley, the First Duke of Wellington, in the early 1800s, wellies evolved from modified military issue Hessian boots. By asking his London shoemaker to make a shorter boot that would be easier to wear with trousers and to switch from polished to waxed calfskin leather, a stylish waterproof boot was created.

Named after the Duke, the Wellington boot was further revolutionized with the arrival of vulcanized rubber in the mid-19th century. Rubber’s waterproof capabilities made the wellie a must-have for the typical British weather and its popularity soon spread across the world.

Today the wellie sparks joy in the hearts of children as they think about all the puddles they can jump in, and can be found in all the colors of the rainbow to make the grayest days bright and cheerful. Hopefully, not as gray and rainy as it was in Cumbria on that record-setting day.

Rain or shine, have an O so lovely time!

[9A]

3 Dec 2013

Carlos Juan Finlay's 180th Birthday



Carlos Juan Finlay was a Cuban epidemiologist recognized as a pioneer in the research of yellow fever, determining that it was transmitted through mosquitoes Aedes aegypti.

[9A]

4 December 2013

Gae Aulenti's 86th Birthday



Gaetana "Gae" Aulenti was an Italian architect and designer who was active in furniture design, graphic design, stage design, lighting design, exhibition and interior design. She was known for her contributions to the design of important museums such as the Musée d'Orsay in Paris [in collaboration with ACT Architecture], the Contemporary Art Gallery at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the restoration of Palazzo Grassi in Venice, and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco [in collaboration with HOK Architects].

Aulenti was one of only a few women architects and designers who gained notoriety in their own right during the post-war period in Italy, where Italian designers sought to make meaningful connections to production principles, and influenced culture far beyond Italy. This avant-garde design movement blossomed into an entirely new type of architecture and design, one full of imaginary utopias leaving standardization to the past.

[9A]

3 December 2014

Anna Freud's 119th Birthday




Take a peek inside the mind of psychoanalyst Anna Freud for her 119th birthday. As the daughter of famed neurologist Sigmund Freud, Anna followed her father’s footsteps into the field and is recognized as the founder of psychoanalytic child psychology.

[9A]

3 December 2010

World Cup 2022 - Qatar

[9A]

6 Dec 2011

Finland National Day

[9A]

22 September 2021

Bunpheng Faiphiuchai’s 89th birthday






For those looking to understand the heritage of Thailand’s northeastern Isan region—the nation’s largest territory that is home to over 22 million people—no other artistic phenomenon reflects its identity more than the poetic style of folk music known as Mo Lam. Today’s Doodle celebrates the 89th birthday of the Thai singer crowned the “Queen of Mo Lam,” Bunpheng Faiphiuchai.

Born on this day in 1932 in Ubon Ratchathani Province of Isan, Thailand, Bunpheng Faiphiuchai began performing Mo Lam at a young age. Mo Lam performances were uncomplicated during this era—one male and one female vocalist brought stories from Isan literature to life by holding a musical “debate” accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of the khaen [a bamboo mouth organ depicted in the Doodle artwork].

After years of training, Faiphiuchai became known for her witty philosophical responses to her male counterparts and soon landed a job as a Mo Lam performer. By 1955, Faiphiuchai recorded more full-length albums than any other woman in the genre. She complemented her illustrious singing career with philanthropic endeavors such as promoting infectious disease prevention, environmental initiatives, and other forms of Thai performance art.

Faiphiuchai was named a Thai National Artist in 1997 for her outstanding cultural contributions and passed down this unique Mo Lam expertise to numerous students throughout her life. Today, many of her pupils are well-known performers of Mo Lam which remains a foundational aspect of Thailand’s rich cultural heritage.

Happy Birthday, Bunpheng Faiphiuchai! Thank you for fostering the next generation of Mo Lam performers!

[9A]

22 September 2019

Junko Tabei’s 80th Birthday




“Do not give up,” said Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei, when asked for advice. “Keep on your quest.”

Born on this day in 1939, Tabei was raised in Miharu, a small town in Japan’s Fukushima Prefecture. She discovered the joy of climbing at age 10 during a class trip to Mount Nasu. Though she was the first woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest, Tabei once said she preferred to be remembered as the 36th person to climb the world’s highest mountain peak.

“I did not intend to be the first woman on Everest,” she explained. Still, it's undeniable that the 4-foot-9 [[144.8 centimeter) mother of two made history in 1969 when she founded Japan’s first Ladies Climbing Club, defying the traditional notion that women should stay at home and clean the house.

The Everest expedition started in the spring of 1975 with 15 climbers and 6 sherpas. At an elevation of 9,000 feet [2,743.2 meters], their camp was buried by an avalanche. After 3 days of recovery, Tabei continued with the climb, reaching the summit on May 16, 1975, accompanied only by the sherpa Ang Tshering.

After returning from the summit, she received congratulations from Japan’s Emperor, Crown Prince, and Princess, among others. “It took two months until I could settle at home,” she recalled. “My three-year-old daughter was scared of all the cameras."

Excited more by mountain climbing than media attention, Tabei continued to scale new heights, including the “seven summits”—the highest peaks on each continent—as depicted in today’s Doodle. Even when battling illness, she continued climbing.

Tabei eventually reached mountaintops in 76 different countries.

Happy Birthday, Junko Tabei!

[9A]

5 December 2022

Father's Day 2022 [Thailand]

[9A]

5 December 2017

Veronika Dudarova’s 101st Birthday




In today’s Doodle, Google-hued lights shine on a group of musicians led by Veronika Dudarova, the first Russian woman to conduct an orchestra.

Born in 1916, Dudarova spent her formative years studying piano and musicology in the company of some of Russia’s most renowned musical talents. In 1947, she graduated from the Moscow Conservatory, joining the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra as a junior conductor. She spent 13 years in that role before taking over as principal conductor in 1960. In 1991, Dudarova formed the Symphony Orchestra of Russia, which she led until 2003.

One of the very few female conductors in the world, Dudarova holds the Guinness World Record as the only woman to lead a major symphony orchestra for more than 50 years. During her career, she won the State Russian Music Award, was named the People’s Artist of the USSR, and even had a minor planet named after her.

On what would’ve been Dudarova’s 101st birthday, we honor the conductor’s dramatic style as she leads the Google letters in a passionate, homepage-worthy performance.

[9A]

5 December 2013

Fyodor Tutchev's 210th Birthday




Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev was a Russian poet and diplomat. Tyutchev is one of the most memorized and quoted Russian poets. Occasional pieces, translations and political poems constitute about a half of his overall poetical output.

[9A]

5 December 2014

Lina Bo Bardi's 100th Birthday






Lina Bo Bardi, born Achillina Bo was an Italian-born Brazilian modernist architect. A prolific architect and designer, she devoted her working life, most of it spent in Brazil, to promoting the social and cultural potential of architecture and design. While she studied under radical Italian architects, she quickly became intrigued with Brazilian vernacular design and how it could influence a modern Brazilian architecture. During her lifetime it was difficult to be accepted among the local Brazilian architects, because she was both a "foreigner" and a woman.

She is recognizable for the unique style of the many architectural illustrations she created over her lifetime, along with her tendency to leave poignant notes to herself. She is also known for her furniture and jewelry designs. The popularity of her works has increased since 2008, when a 1993 catalog of her works was republished. A number of her product designs are being revived, and exhibitions such as her 1968 exhibition of glass and concrete easels have been recreated.

[9A]

5 December 2010

St Nicolas' Eve 2010






Sinterklaas is a legendary figure based on Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children. Other Dutch names for the figure include De Sint ["The Saint"], De Goede Sint ["The Good Saint"] and De Goedheiligman ["The Good Holy Man"]. Many descendants and cognates of "Sinterklaas" or "Saint Nicholas" in other languages are also used in the Low Countries, nearby regions, and former Dutch colonies.

The feast of Sinterklaas celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas on 6 December. The feast is celebrated annually with the giving of gifts on St. Nicholas' Eve [5 December] in the Netherlands and on the morning of 6 December, Saint Nicholas Day, Belgium, Luxembourg, northern France [French Flanders, Lorraine, and Artois], and Hungary. The tradition is also celebrated in some territories of the former Dutch Empire, including Aruba.

Sinterklaas is one of the sources of the popular Christmas icon of Santa Claus

[9A]

11 Dec 2010

Carlos Gardel's Birthday







Carlos Gardel was a French Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor, and the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was one of the most influential interpreters of world popular music in the first half of the 20th century. Gardel is the most famous popular tango singer of all time and is recognized throughout the world. He was notable for his baritone voice and the dramatic phrasing of his lyrics. Together with lyricist and long-time collaborator Alfredo Le Pera, Gardel wrote several classic tangos.

[9A]

1 Dec 2010

55th Anniversary: Rosa Parks refuses to move



Famous for an act of civil disobedience, Rosa Parks made history when she refused to give up her seat and move to the back of a bus in Montgomery, Alabama. This simple act rendered her an icon for equal rights in America. We wanted to celebrate the spirit of equality.

posted by Jennifer Hom

[9A]

1 December 2017

Romania National Day 2017




Romania observes December 1st as Unification Day or Great Union Day. It was on this day in 1918 that representatives from Transylvania, Banat, Crişana, and Maramureş came together in Alba Iulia to merge with the Romanian kingdom under Ferdinand I. Military parades and cultural celebrations commemorate the occasion.

Today’s Doodle by Romanian illustrator Aitch depicts the country’s rich heritage against the backdrop of a traditional Romanian rug. In it, you can spot national emblems such as the lynx, the hip rose, and the oak. You’ll also find references to deer, mountains, and forests, symbolizing Romania's vibrant landscapes and abundant resources. The country is also famous for its traditional pottery [present on the "L"], such as the red ceramics of Horezu or the burnt clay artifacts from Marginea.

Finally, the moon is an integral aspect of Romanian folklore and ballads. In the Doodle, the sun and moon appear as well as a traditionally dressed couple reaching out for a kiss.

Happy National Day, Romania!

[9A]

1 December 2018

Maria Walanda Maramis’ 146th Birthday




Today’s Doodle honors Maria Walanda Maramis, a National Hero of Indonesia who fought tirelessly for the advancement of women in her home country at the beginning of the 20th century.
Born in a small village in North Minahasa Regency on this day in 1872, Maramis was the youngest of three children. Orphaned at an early age, she was raised by an uncle along with her siblings. Maramis and her sister were offered only basic schooling because of their gender.


After moving to Manado, the capital city of North Sulawesi province, she began writing an op-ed column in a local newspaper, Tjahaja Siang. Her writings emphasized the importance of mothers as caretakers of their family’s well-being, health care, and education.

Based on these principles, she founded the organization PIKAT, an Indonesian acronym for “Percintaan Ibu Kepada Anak Turunannya,” which translates as “The Love of a Mother Toward her Children.” PIKAT members learned essential household skills like cooking and sewing and caring for their children’s health. The organization expanded as far away as to Java where local women organized their own branches.

Turning her attention to politics, Maramis fought for women’s right to vote in choosing their representatives. Her efforts paid off in 1921 when the government allowed women to participate in elections. PIKAT’s work went on, aided by Maramis’ daughter Anna Matuli Walanda.

In 1969, in appreciation of her accomplishments on behalf of Indonesian women, the government decreed Maramis a National Hero. Her work towards the emancipation of women is celebrated on her birthday and a statue stands in her honor in the village of Komo Luar.

Happy Birthday, Maria Walanda Maramis!

[9A]

16 Dec 2010

Jane Austen's 235th Birthday






Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism. Her use of biting irony, along with her realism, humour, and social commentary, have long earned her acclaim among critics, scholars, and popular audiences alike.

[9A]

20 Dec 2010

Mehmet Akif Ersoy's Birthday







Mehmet Akif Ersoy was an Ottoman-born Turkish poet, writer, academic, politician, and the author of the Turkish National Anthem. Widely regarded as one of the premiere literary minds of his time, Ersoy is noted for his command of the Turkish language, as well as his patriotism and role in the Turkish War of Independence.

A framed version of the national anthem by Ersoy typically occupies the wall above the blackboard in the classrooms of every public as well as most private schools around Turkey, along with a Turkish flag, a photograph of the country's founding father Atatürk, and a copy of Atatürk's speech to the nation's youth.

[9A]

Sep 4, 2010

25th Anniversary of Buckyball







Who doesn't like the buckyball? They're super strong, compact, nerdy, and fun! Named after Buckminster Fuller, the buckyball is a bit of science gold that all nerds can get behind-- buckyballs are cool. The structure is so strong it appears in architecture around the world, athletes also deemed it a sound shape for the football [or American soccer ball]. Science, however, sees its potential in display technology, medicine, and security!

[9A]

Jun 29, 2010

Antoine de Saint-Exupery's 110th Birthday







I've always loved the imagery from The Little Prince, written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, but I must confess that until I was assigned this doodle, I had never actually read the book. This was pretty much sacrilege on my part, as I come from working in kids books! My mother-in-law was quick to set me on the right path, lending me her translated copy [claiming it was the best, most poetic translation], and warned me to read the book with a pack of tissue. I followed her advice, finding a very quiet spot on the Google campus to read the book with a pair of sunglasses.

Cover to cover and an empty tissue pack later, I felt an even greater sense of responsibility to portray this beloved character as genuinely as possible. I painted the character in watercolor and ink, knowing there was no way the digital medium could capture the innocent, naive quality of Mr. Saint-Exupery's artwork. When the doodle finally launched, I was able to read user comments about how this doodle brought them joy, or how they recalled a passage from the book with a tear. It was such a wonderful feeling to emotionally connect with so many people at once and is probably one of the most rewarding experiences I've had as a doodler and illustrator.