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One of two surviving structures from the New York World’s Fair of 1964–1965 (the other is the New York State Pavilion), The Unisphere embodied the fair’s celebration of Space Age optimism.
Socrates Sculpture Park is the principal outdoor site for contemporary sculpture in New York City. Set on a small cove off the East River, the 4.5-acre park consists of a large open space encircled by rock gardens, specially built walls, walkways and areas of wild grasses and boulders lining the waterfront. The sculpture has the dramatic Manhattan skyline as a backdrop.
- Grounds For Sculpture
- Storm King Art Center
- Art Omi Sculpture and Architecture Park
- Opus 40
- Socrates Sculpture Park
- Another Pro Tip For Those in NYC
Hamilton, New Jersey
Called “charming, whimsical, inspiring,” and “just plain fun,” Grounds for Sculptureis like no other sculpture park I have visited. Popular in every season, this outdoor wonderland is particularly wondrous in autumn, when statues and art pieces are surrounded by foliage exploding with color. This is a place that will delight visitors of all ages, from small children to older folks.
Getting To Grounds For Sculpture
Grounds for Sculpture is about a 1.5-hour drive from New York City (and about 45 minutes from Philadelphia). The train from Penn Station in New York City will take you to Trenton or Hamilton, and then taxis, Ubers, or buses can transport you to the park from there. Check dates and times: Entry to Grounds for Sculptureis by advance timed ticket only, available online. Count on taking 2.5 to 3 hours to see everything and perhaps picnic on the grounds in good weather. Currently no wheelchair tou...
Pro Tip
Rat’s Restaurant, named for a famed Wind in the Willows character, is a charming (and expensive) restaurant that offers French cuisine and a lovely view of a Monet-inspired garden. Make reservations as far in advance as possible. The casual and moderately-priced Van Gogh Cafe(complete with real peacocks in season) is currently seating and serving outdoors only.
Cornwall, New York
Storm King Art Center, one of the leading sculpture parks in the United States, is quite different from Grounds for Sculpture. Spread over about 500 bucolic acres in the south Hudson Valley, Storm King features 100 monumental sculptures by such luminaries as Alexander Calder, Louise Bourgeois, Mark di Suvero, Donald Judd, Maya Lin, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Serra, Louise Nevelson, and others. The grounds cover several different kinds of terrain, from rolling meadows to wooded areas, on gravel...
Getting To Storm King
Storm King is an hour north of New York City by car, in the town of Cornwall, New York (Note: For GPS purposes, use the address of 1 Museum Road, New Windsor, NY). Metro-North from Grand Central Terminal in New York City has trains to Beacon station, which is about a 30-minute ride to the park via taxi or Uber. Advance ticketsare required (and go like hotcakes) for all visitors and are available online; check for changing open days and times. In decent weather, about two to three hours will s...
Pro Tip
Wheelchairs are available for use free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis and can be requested from a staff member upon arrival.
Ghent, New York
Yes, Storm King is fabulous, but only Art Omiallows visitors to cross-country ski, bring their dogs, or ride a golf cart in the parks. Even better, visiting Art Omi is free, and no tickets are required. It is open all day, every day. Situated on 120 acres in the Hudson Valley, Art Omi presents about 80 large works of internationally important contemporary artists and architects in an area called The Fields. Plan at least one hour to visit sculptures in all areas of the park, with surprise scu...
Getting There
Omi is 2.5 hours on the Taconic Parkway from New York City, a very scenic drive. There is also a train from Penn Station to the Hudson Amtrak station, with a taxi ride of about 20 minutes from there to Ghent.
Pro Tip
The Hudson Valley is prime New York State farmland, so you’ll pass roadside stands with farm-fresh groceries. Visit Love Apple Farm (for apple-picking), Kinderhook Farm (for farm-raised beef, lamb, pork, and eggs), and the Farmer’s Market at the Chatham Berry Farm, for, well, everything. There are scores of rooms, houses, studios, lofts, and farmhouses available on Airbnb in the town of Ghentand environs. Editor’s Note: For even more Hudson Valley inspiration, consider The Best Things To Do I...
Saugerties, New York
Opus 40, a sculpture park and museum, is a simply amazing place and space. Herem Harvey Fite, the visionary artist, worked 40 years to create ramps, pools, and fountains from millions of pieces of stone — not to mention a nine-ton monolith emerging from the center of the bedrock. Surrounding the piece is a 6.5-acre park with a lodge, studio, blacksmith shop, and museum.
Getting There
You have to go about 2.5 hours north of New York City on I-87 to reach Opus 40. Trailways bus servicewill drop you off about 11 miles from Opus 40 in Kingston, south of the site. From there, you can flag an Uber or taxi. Due to COVID restrictions, guided tours are only available by registration for groups of five or fewer. Make arrangements by emailing info@opus40.org. Wheelchairs and walkers are not permitted on the sculpture, nor is it recommended that those with vision or mobility issues v...
Pro Tip
Places to stay near Opus 40 include the rustic luxury of Barn on the Pond in Saugerties, with space for up to 12 guests; Diamond Mills in Saugerties, with an upscale Tavern featuring all-day meals and a special brunch; and the boutique Herwood Innin Woodstock. There are also many Airbnb choices. Editor’s Note: If you make your way to Woodstock, consider these 10 places to visit in the Catskills for a Woodstock weekend getaway.
Queens, New York
Close to Manhattan — just a quick ferry ride across the East River — the quirky, inspiring (and free!) Socrates Sculpture Parkis in Astoria, Queens (especially known for its great array of Greek restaurants). Built from an abandoned landfill in 1986, the park is largely populated with works of emerging artists from all over the world. With the Manhattan skyline on the horizon and the Harlem and East Rivers steps away, you can wander amidst the five acres of sculptures there and return again a...
Getting There
Driving to Socrates is probably the most challenging way to reach the park, especially since there is no local street parking. There is a subway station eight blocks away (the N/W Broadway Station), along with several bus routes, but the easiest and most scenic way to arrive is by NYC Ferry’s Astoria Landingstop, about a five-minute walk from the park.
Pro Tip
Make it a full day of great art by taking the two-minute walk south on Vernon Boulevard to visit the Noguchi Museum, which features both indoor and outdoor sculptures by the famous and elegant Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi.
If you are staying in New York City, make sure that you make your way to iconic Central Park near the 66th transverse to see the latest sculpture addition: the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monumentby Meredith Bergmann. It portrays three activists at work: Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Installed in August of 2020, it is t...
- Howard Halle
- MoMA Sculpture Garden. Museums. Opened in 1953, MoMA’s outdoor courtyard is a classic of midcentury modern design, the brainchild of Philip Johnson working in tandem with landscape architect James Fanning.
- Socrates Sculpture Park. Attractions. Parks and gardens. Astoria. The largest outdoor space in New York City dedicated to exhibiting sculpture, Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City was created 30 years ago by sculptor Mark di Suvero, whose studio was nearby.
- The Noguchi Museum. Museums. Art and design. Astoria. price 1 of 4. As the name implies, this institution is dedicated to the work of Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988).
- Storm King Art Center. Opened in 1960, this sprawling 500-acre open-air museum near Storm King Mountain in upstate New York is the largest of its type in the country, with a collection of postwar and contemporary sculptures by the most renowned names in the medium.
People also ask
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Socrates Sculpture Park is located atop the mouth of the buried Sunswick Creek.: 97 In 1986, American sculptor Mark di Suvero created Socrates Sculpture Park on an abandoned landfill and illegal dumpsite in Long Island City. The four-acre (1.6 ha) site is the largest outdoor space in New York City dedicated to exhibiting sculpture.
- 1986
- 89,000 (annual)
5 days ago · 1. Long House Reserve, East Hampton, NY. Photo Courtesy of Richard Lewin. Next: #2 Nassau County Art Museum Sculpture Garden. View all on one page. LongHouse Reserve was created by the late Jack ...
Mar 13, 2020 · The Vessel is a 150-foot-tall climbable sculpture in New York City's new $25 billion Hudson Yards neighborhood, which is now the city's priciest neighborhood. The sculpture cost an estimated $200 ...
