Open-Air Galleries: 10 of the World’s Most Outstanding Sculpture Parks

There is something quite extraordinary about the serene yet powerful essence of the great outdoors. Romantic poets and scientists alike have been praising the benefits of nature on our general wellbeing for centuries. Open spaces and fresh air can transcend senses, inspire and ease the mind; but the dynamism and harmony of nature can be made even more inspiring when juxtaposed with incredible works of art. Sculpture parks – or gardens – have a long and rich history, but most importantly the ability to turn artists’ ambitious, large-scale visions into a reality.

Out in the open, unhindered by the traditional confines of indoor museums and galleries, sculptures are rendered even more powerful by the landscape they inhabit. More so, sculpture parks offer visitors a completely new perspective on both art and nature, as they manage to capture the harmony of their dialogue. Take a look below at ten of the world’s most incredible outdoor art centres, guaranteed to amaze and proving that enjoying art does not necessarily have to be an indoor experience.

Storm King Art Center

New Windsor, NY

Established in 1960, the Storm King Art Center holds the strongest collection of contemporary sculptures in the United States, with more than 100 masterpieces adorning a breath-taking landscape. About an hour’s drive away from Manhattan, works by Andy Goldsworthy, Sol LeWitt, and Henry Moore, among many others, are dotted around the hills, woodlands and ponds, nurturing a melodious bond between art and nature. Beyond its incredible permanent collection, the Storm King Art Center also features ephemeral exhibitions and a dynamic program, from summer camps to yoga classes.

Inhotim

Brumadinho, Brazil 

Initially destined to host founder Bernardo Paz’s personal art collection, the Inhotim Institute quickly became one of the most impressive outdoor art centres of Latin America, and a natural heritage site. The institution features a remarkable collection of contemporary art, on view within over 140 hectares of tropical forest, transforming a simple visit into a limitless exploration, where art and nature coalesce. The fabulous, exotic botanical collection contains more than 5,000 different species of plants, some extremely rare, which can be observed through Danish-Icelandic artist ‎Ólafur Elíasson’s Viewing Machine – a kaleidoscopic tunnel enhancing the stunning surrounding vegetation.

Schlossgut Schwante

Oberkrämer, Germany

Schlossgut Schwante is the ambitious project of Dr. Loretta Würtenberger and Daniel Tümpel, who endeavoured to transform a stunning 18^th century caste into a spectacular outdoor art experience. Only a 45 minutes’ drive away from Berlin-Mitte, The Schlossgut Schwante Sculpture Park opened its doors on June 19^th, 2020. The inaugural exhibition, ‘Sculpture & Nature’, features works from international artists including Ai Weiwei, Tony Cragg, and Maria Loboda, inhabiting the impressive estate and its pastoral landscape. The park will renew its program every two years, and engage with the local community through yoga and photography classes, markets, artist talks and other promising events.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park

Wakefield, United Kingdom

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is the UK’s very first permanent institution of the genre, and features one of the world’s strongest collection of sculptures. Situated in West Yorkshire, England, the park fosters a stunning collection of works by globally renowned artists such as Henry Moore, Antony Gormley, Joan Miró and Mark di Suvero, which gracefully blend in among the seasonal variation and spectacular natural elements. The YSP is also acclaimed for its cutting-edge rotating exhibitions, currently displaying works by Damien Hirst and Joana Vasconcelos. Wandering among fields, lush greenery and stumbling upon grazing sheep, a visit at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is guaranteed to be a magical and holistic experience.

Jupiter Artland

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Located in the grounds of an old manor house, just outside Edinburgh, Jupiter Artland is one of Scotland’s leading arts organisations, a stunning sculpture garden set over 100 acres of woodland and meadows. Founders and art collectors Nicky and Robert Wilson bought the estate in 1999 and decided to publicly open its grounds in 2009, creating an enchanting space where works from artists including Antony Gormley, Cornelia Parker and Anish Kapoor can be discovered dotted around an exquisite rural landscape. At the core of the park, land artist Charles Jencks created Cells of life, a splendid series of undulating hills and lakes.

The Tarot Garden

Capalbio, Italy

The Tarot Garden is a truly mesmerising and whimsical place, located in the heart of Tuscany. After visiting Antoni Gaudì’s Park Güell in Barcelona, French artist Niki de Saint Phalle was inspired to create an esoteric garden, representing the Major Arcana found in a tarot deck. The Tarot Garden epitomises an alternate world, between fantasy and reality, and is considered to be Niki de Saint Phalle’s life’s work. A number of artists collaborated on the utopian garden, such as Pierre Marie Lejeune, who created the ceramic benches adorning the area, as well as other furnishings inside the ticket office, Alan Davie, Marina Karella and Jean Tinguely. In Niki de Saint Phalle’s own words: . “I’m following a course that was chosen for me, following a pressing need to show that a woman can work on a monumental scale.”

Niki de Saint Phalle : le Jardin des Tarots

Ekeberg Park

Oslo, Norway

Opened by art collector Christian Ringnes in 2013, Ekebergparken is a 25 acres woodland located just outside of Oslo’s city centre, where exquisite sculptures can be discovered in the depth of the forest. The park has several spectacular lookout points enhancing the beauty of the Oslo Fjord, and its fascinating geological elements. Wild animals roam free amongst an incredible collection of modern and contemporary sculptures, including works from artists such as Auguste Rodin, Salvador Dalí, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Damien Hirst and Louise Bourgeois.

Gibbs Farm

Kaipara Harbour, New Zealand

Located an hour north of Auckland, Gibbs Farm is New Zealand’s most impressive sculpture park, overlooking the Kaipara harbour – one of the largest in the world. Founder Alan Gibbs strived to push the limits of the relationship between art and nature, commissioning artists to create pieces that would react to the enormous, awe-inspiring landscape. The park spreads over 1.000 acre of grassy hilltops and spectacular lakes, and is home to a number of ‘farm’ animals, including zebras and water buffalos. Gibbs Farm includes remarkable pieces from artists such as Andy Goldsworthy, Sol LeWitt, Neil Dawson, and Anish Kapoor, among many others.

Lake Ballard

Menzies, Australia