This Family-Friendly New Jersey Sculpture Park Features Gorgeous Gardens And Lifelike Artwork

The first place you would think of to get a dose of uplifting and inspiring art would undoubtedly be a gallery like the Museum of Modern Art in New York or the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. However, when the weather is good, who wants to traipse around a crowded art gallery? Thankfully, there are plenty of great outdoor art experiences out there that can scratch the itch, such as the iconic Storm King Art Center in New York's Hudson Valley and, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the best-rated sculpture park in the United States, The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

But a less-known 42-acre sculpture park located in Hamilton, New Jersey, called Grounds for Sculpture, has long been known as an art lover's outdoor paradise while also winning plaudits for its sumptuous and vibrant gardens. A winner among daytrippers as well as local visitors who make use of its annual memberships, the sculpture park also boasts several eateries and a museum shop.

Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey, is home to nearly 300 outdoor sculptures tastefully curated and arranged, some of which tower over visitors like relics from another world. In total, 150 artists are represented in the outdoor collection, including Clement Meadmore, Anthony Caro, Beverly Pepper, Kiki Smith, George Segal (a New Jersey native), and Magdalena Abakanowicz. Many of the artists with work on display here also studied their art at the Grounds for Sculpture atelier, as it's a non-profit focused on incubating artistic talent.

The site also contains an extensive indoor collection, home to changing themed exhibits throughout the year, through which around 700 artists are represented. Through these exhibits, both indoors and out, Grounds for Sculpture has established itself as an important resource for artists and art lovers since first opening its doors to the public in 1992.

Many of these can be explored in the site's exquisitely landscaped gardens, many areas of which boast fabulous rare tree and plant varieties that will captivate you just as much as the art on display. Highlights include the butterfly-friendly wildflower meadow, numerous ponds and reflecting pools, and a winter garden populated by a diverse range of deciduous shrubs and trees.

Grounds for Sculpture isn't just about providing a space to enjoy static works of art outdoors. The site is also home to countless special and recurring events every year, any of which might serve as the ideal focal point of your visit depending on your interests and flexibility in terms of visiting times.

Some events are related to the exhibitions. For example, Colette Fu's "Noodle Mountain," a huge and enormously intricate pop-up book, is scheduled to be opened once a month until August 2025. Other events include family-friendly workshops, including sculpture classes for infants and children, and gardening-related lessons, nature walks, and seasonal celebrations. Grounds for Sculpture is typically open every day except Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is recommended to reserve timed tickets before you arrive, as the park's popularity means it sometimes sells out.

Looking for somewhere even more off the beaten track? Learn about this unique and unsung Kansas destination that's often called one of America's best small art towns.