See what’s going on online and IRL at five sculpture gardens in the United States.
Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas, Texas
With plans to open on August 20th, the Nasher Sculpture Center has been keeping visitors engaged with many digital initiatives. If you can’t wait until the 20th, Nasher has a slew of virtual tours including a “Build Your Own Tour” focused on educating viewers about specific works from their collection, or a “Nasher Garden playlist” with views of their park throughout the seasons. And if that is not enough, their digital project Shelf Life is an archive of what just some artists have been watching/reading/listening to during their quarantine to keep sane.
deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, Lincoln, Massachusetts
Though the buildings are closed, deCordova’s sculpture park is open for strolling. Use the museum’s mobile site to take a self-guided tour of the grounds. For those more comfortable with digital viewing, deCordova has virtual visits, a collection of discussions with artists and curators about their work and practice.
Storm King Art Center, New Windsor, New York
Open for outdoor experiences only, Storm King Art Center is allowing visitors to roam their grounds (at a specified time!) and take in the sights. Tickets are required, and sell out fast so make sure to book your trip ASAP! If you can’t make it in time, Storm King is has an online exhibition Site Ecology: Land, Leadership, Artshowcasing the history of the center’s grounds. They also have a Vimeo page with “check-ins” with artists, creative DIY projects, and views of past and present installations at the park.
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
The Walker is fully open, with COVID-19 restrictions. Take a self-guided, socially distanced tour of the gardens with this helpful map, or schedule a timed ticket to wander the galleries. You can also browse the pages of the museum’s magazine Walker Reader right from your couch!
Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana
The sculpture garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art has been open since July 8th with the standard COVID-19 restrictions. Potential visitors can schedule a visit through the museum’s website. As part of the Google Arts & Culture initiative, NOMA’s collection has been fully digitized and can be viewed online. The page boasts 16 digital exhibits, with high quality images and in some cases, a visual of how the exhibition was positioned at the museum. You can also take a virtual tour of NOMA’s galleries and take a looks at some of the building’s historic architecture.
