This sculpture parkis a botanical garden, art museum, and outdoor sculpture park located in Grand Rapids, Michigan about 64 miles west of Michigan’s capitol, Lansing. Opened in 1995, Meijer Gardens is among the most-visited art museums worldwide and named the Best Sculpture Park in the United States by readers of USA TODAY in 2023, 2024, and 2025. There are over 200 captivating sculptures located throughout the park. You will need to spend at least 2 hours to do justice to this beautiful park.
Here are some pictures of the garden and sculptures spread across the 158-acre park:
Sculpture Park – Grand Rapid Arch, made of sandstone
Sculpture Park – Japanese Garden
Sculpture Park – Waterfall
Sculpture Park, Listening to History – According to the sculptor Bill Woodrow, the placement of the head on the ground with the book tied against it and binding the eyes, suggests many possible narrative meanings – Learning from history, being blind to history, open-mindedness, closed-mindedness and so on.
Sculpture Park, Large Parrot screams color – by Jim Dine who helped define the Pop Art movement, which transformed the art world with the use of imagery from popular culture.
Sculpture Park, The American Horse – created by animal sculptor, Nina Akamu. The sculpture is inspired by a work created by Leonardo da Vinci in 15th century.Sculpture Park, Espaliered Girl – Created by Welsh artist, Laura Ford, Espaliered Girl, references the natural world and children. Espalier involves forcing branches to grow in a chosen direction.
Sculpture Park, I, you, she or he… by Jaume Plensa – This sculpture comprises a composition of three figures seated on boulders, their shells made of stainless steel letters. Faces are left unfinished to encourage the universality of the forms; visitors are encouraged to walk amid the sculptures. The composition and setting were selected by the artist, who intended it to represent a form of ongoing, silent conversation. Jaume Plensa is primarily a figurative artist and a leading international sculptor.
Sculpture Park, Neuron by Roxy Paine – Neuron reflects ideas about nature, industry and artistic processes. It is one of Paine’s most inventive forms, extending out from a central mass. It derives from his critically acclaimed Dendroid series, which closely follow the shape and form of trees. Neuron goes beyond this tradition, simultaneously calling to mind a neuron and an elevated root ball.Sculpture Park, Introspective by Sophie Ryder – Figurative artist Sophie Ryder focuses on animal imagery, in particular hares, dogs, and minotaurs, to comment on universal human emotions and relationships. This piece was created in response to the tragedy of 9/11 and the way in which many mourn.
Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory – This Conservatory, is a five-story, 15,000-square-foot facility, supporting tropical plants from around the world. The conservatory houses diverse tropical plants, including coconut palms from the Pacific, fig trees from India, exotic orchids from Central and South America, and Asiatic bamboo and banana trees.
