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Now that Seattle is in the sculpture park game we’re paying more attention to world class sculpture parks. We’ve put together a roster of 5 modern sculpture parks not to be missed in the United States. While there are many extraordinary sculpture “hardscapes” in North America such as the Pulitzer Foundation by Tadao Ando we are defining Sculpture Parks by a simple method: in addition to being outdoors and modern, it’s gotta have grass. We’re sure there are more out there; let us know what we missed.

Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle
2901 Western Avenue Seattle, WA 98121 206.654.3100
Admission is free

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The site transforms a nine-acre industrial site into open and vibrant green space for art. This new waterfront park gives Seattle residents and visitors the opportunity to experience a variety of sculpture in an outdoor setting, while enjoying the incredible views and beauty of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.

The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens, New York
PepsiCo campus 700 Anderson Hill Road Purchase, NY 10577 914.253.2000
Admission is free

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Monumental works, including pieces by Alexander Calder, George Segal, Isamu Noguchi, Claes Oldenburg, Louise Nevelson, Jean Dubuffet, and David Smith. 20th-century sculptures set within 168 landscaped acres surrounding the world headquarters of PepsiCo


Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden, Lost Angeles
UCLA campus 10899 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90024 310.443.7000
$5 Admission

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The park occupies 5 acres in UCLA’s North Campus. The Sculpture Garden features over seventy sculptures by artists such as Jean Arp, Alexander Calder, Claire Falkenstein, Barbara Hepworth, Gaston Lachaise, Jacques Lipchitz, Henri Matisse, Henry Moore, Isamu Noguchi, Auguste Rodin, David Smith and Francisco Zuñiga.

Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis
12580 Rott Rd Sunset Hills, MO
Admission is free

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The park expands the context of contemporary sculpture beyond the traditional confines of a museum. It is Laumeier’s mission to initiate a lifelong process of cultural awareness, enrich lives and encourage creative thinking by actively engaging people in experiences of sculpture and nature simultaneously.

Walter De Maria Lighting Field, New Mexico
Southwestern New Mexico
Reservations required + Admission fee, see website

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A work of Land Art situated in a remote area of the high desert of southwestern New Mexico. It is comprised of 400 polished stainless steel poles installed in a grid array measuring one mile by one kilometer. The poles—two inches in diameter and averaging 20 feet and 7½ inches in height—are spaced 220 feet apart and have solid pointed tips that define a horizontal plane. A sculpture to be walked in as well as viewed, The Lightning Field is intended to be experienced over an extended period of time, and visitors are encouraged to spend as much time as possible in it alone, especially during sunset and sunrise. In order to provide this opportunity, Dia offers overnight visits during the months of May through October.