4 Must-See Sculpture Gardens in the USA

You don’t have to wait for April showers to enjoy blooming flowers. Sculpture gardens and parks offer an early chance to relish the outdoors well before spring officially begins. Most remain open all year long.

Nearly every major U.S. art museum features a sculpture garden. While some have just a few statues on a lawn, others, like the renowned National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., stand out. The best ones leverage their outdoor spaces—like the open-air Storm King Art Center in New Windsor, New York—showcasing artworks that transform with the time of day or changing seasons.

This list highlights exceptional options that may not be as well-known for various reasons. Enjoy a cultural experience amidst nature. Parks adorned with art provide a fun, inviting way for families to appreciate the outdoors. Plus, nearly all of these locations are free to explore.

The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

The Besthoff Sculpture Garden in New Orleans is an absolute must-visit. However, in a city known for its exceptional food, drinks, music, and rich history, it often goes unnoticed. Getting there is simple: hop on the Canal Street Line streetcar marked "City Parks/Museums" for a short ride from downtown.

What sets the Besthoff apart from many sculpture gardens is its 11 acres nestled within the expansive City Park, which is nearly double the size of Central Park in New York City. This means you'll be surrounded by mature trees—like magnolias and live oaks draped in Spanish moss—framing two picturesque lagoons. Artworks are integrated into the trees and water. The garden’s tagline—“Art and nature in harmony”—captures its serene atmosphere. It emphasizes contemporary art, featuring pieces like Pablo Casals’s Obelisk, a striking tower of bronze cellos by Arman, alongside 19th-century works such as Diana by Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

Just before the pandemic struck, the Besthoff Sculpture Garden expanded, now showcasing over 90 pieces. Alongside renowned artists like Maya Lin and Anish Kapoor, you’ll encounter Mississippi Meanders by Elyn Zimmerman. This vibrant glass and metal bridge is one of several pathways in the garden. Notable pieces in the international collection include several that reflect local history, including tributes to Hurricane Katrina.

Visiting Information

The Besthoff Sculpture Garden welcomes visitors seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to September, and until 5 p.m. during the winter months. The grounds are accessible for wheelchair users. Admission is free, though donations are appreciated.

Laumeier Sculpture Park

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Established in the late 1970s, this St. Louis park spans over 100 acres and showcases around 70 sculptures. It’s just a 20-minute drive west of the iconic Gateway Arch. Opening at 8 a.m., it’s perfect for an early visit. The artwork here is wonderfully diverse: some pieces are vibrant and whimsical, while others feature geometric forms made of metal or wood. There’s even an augmented reality app, Time Fork by Van McElwee; at dusk, the bright message of Laumeier Lamps by T. Kelly Mason lights up with an LED transformation. Overhead, you’ll find a massive Eye by Tony Tasset watching over the park.

As with many art venues, a hands-off approach is typical here; however, Laumeier offers a guide to 20 works that visitors can walk or sit on (though climbing is not allowed). Among these are interactive pieces like Tom Huck’s two Bugs and Vito Acconci’s Face of the Earth #3 that invite engagement.

In 2023, the visiting artists in residence, Lanka Clayton and Phillip Andrew Lewis from Pittsburgh, are crafting a kite.

Visiting Information

The Laumeier Sculpture Park is open every day from 8 a.m. until 30 minutes after sunset. Admission is free, and dogs are allowed as long as they’re leashed.

If you plan to visit this spring, don’t miss the temporary indoor exhibit, Narcissus Garden by Yayoi Kusama (February 11–May 14). Additionally, there’s an annual art fair during Mother’s Day weekend; in 2023, it will take place on Friday evening, May 12, with doors opening at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 13th and Sunday the 14th. The admission fee for the fair is $10 for visitors aged 11 and older.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan’s second-largest city, proudly refers to itself as “Beer City USA” due to its many craft breweries. However, it is also home to the Frederik Meijer Gardens, one of the finest sculpture parks in the country. The park boasts over 200 artworks in its permanent collection, displayed both indoors and throughout its expansive 158-acre grounds. The outdoor collection features 50 works ranging from the mid-19th century to contemporary pieces, showcasing artists from Auguste Rodin to Ai Weiwei. Notable names include Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Louise Nevelson, Jim Dine, Alexander Liberman, and Chakaia Booker, who creatively incorporates recycled tires into her two sculptures here.

Tram tours are available, offering a scenic ride around the sculpture park as well as the expansive Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden, which debuted in 2015. Unlike many traditional Japanese gardens, this one features several large sculptures, including the granite Existence by Masayuki Koorida, the steel and copper Long Island Buddha by Zhang Huan, and Giuseppe Penone’s bronze piece, It Will Continue to Grow Except at That Point, depicting a tree trunk and a human hand.

Visiting Information

The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park welcomes visitors daily (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day). Operating hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Tuesdays until 9 p.m. Sunday hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission fees are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $10 for children ages 3 to 13.

Special Note: Until March 26, be sure to see the indoor exhibits by two MacArthur Fellowship-winning sculptors, Mel Chin and Elizabeth Turk.

Lynden Sculpture Garden

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

If you head west along Lake Michigan from Grand Rapids, you'll arrive in Milwaukee, a city renowned for its breweries and a delightful park brimming with sculptures.

Lynden features around 50 artworks, both figurative and abstract, spread across its 40 acres that include a lake and woodlands. The collection showcases both U.S. and international artists, with notable contributions from Barbara Hepworth, Linda Howard, and Ernest C. Shaw, whose works are prominently represented. Most pieces date from the 1960s to the late 20th century.

Originally, the grounds were a flat farmland estate owned by Harry and Margaret Bradley. In the 1930s, they employed a gardener to transform their cornfields and 13 oak trees into rolling hills adorned with about 4,000 diverse trees. The addition of large-scale art pieces began in the 1960s, and in 2009, the Bradley Family Foundation made the estate accessible to the public.

How to visit

The Lynden Sculpture Garden welcomes visitors daily, except Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Guests can explore the grounds at their leisure, as there are no designated trails; guided group tours led by docents are available for $12 per person.

Bonus: For just $10, join a monthly 90-minute full moon walk in the park. If you're eager for more daytime adventures, the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center is just three miles away along the Lake Michigan shore. It offers abundant birdwatching and six miles of trails through its 185 acres. (Fun fact: This site was once home to the draft horses of Schlitz Brewery.)