The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, located just minutes from downtown St. Paul, provides an escape from the concrete for visitors to enjoy the peace and quiet of a formal garden with gravel walks and a topiary border. It is one of the largest urban sculpture gardens in the country. Forty sculptures made of natural and man-made materials depicting the pains and pleasures of human life are found throughout the grounds. The most famous, of course, is the Spoonbridge and Cherry, the centerpiece of the garden. A lovely conservatory and memorial arbor are also on the grounds as well as a walking bridge that connects to the lakeside Loring Park, near the Basilica of St. Mary.
The Sculpture Garden is essentially a free museum in a park--a valuable economic, educational, and cultural asset for the community.
History
About 75 years ago, the area the Garden now occupies was called the Armory Gardens, which featured a large brick National Guard building and formal gardens. The building was torn down in 1933, but the elaborate garden remained under the management of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. In the late 1960s, Interstate Highway 94 severed the connection between Loring Park and the garden, and eventually the acreage in front of the Walker Art Center became a playing field. In 1988 the Walker and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board collaborated to turn that playing field into the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. In 1992 it was expanded from 7.5 to 11 acres, making it the largest urban sculpture garden in the country at the time. There are more than 40 works on permanent view. Additional temporary installations keep the Garden experience continually fresh.
Admission and Hours: Admission free. Open daily, 6 am-12 midnight.
Parking: Pay parking is available in the City of Minneapolis garage on the Walker site (entrance on Vineland Place at Bryant Avenue), in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden pay lot, and on the street (hourly and metered).
Location: Located on Vineland Place, across from the Walker Art Center.
Comments