The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a unique art experience in Michigan. Guests who visit this park can check out year-round gardens, as well as both indoor and outdoor sculptures by artists from around the world. The park is an example of what happens when one combines natural beauty with man-made creations.
There are more than 160 permanent pieces in this collection, as well as a number of revolving temporary exhibits and special pieces on loan from other museums. The Meijer Gardens is known as one of the most significant sculpture museums in the United States, with works dating back to the late 1800s. Most of the sculptures are located in Sculpture Park, an area that covers 30 of the 125 acres of gardens and woods. There are three other main sculpture areas - the Gallery, the Garden Trails, and the Conservatory.
The Gallery Collection, along with the pieces in Sculpture Park, mainly focuses on works by representational, abstract, and non-objective artist. In Sculpture Park, guests can see works by famous names such as Rodine, Degas, and George Segel. Inside, visitors can enjoy more delicate sculptures from the same era.
The Garden Trails and Conservatory are mainly focused on animal-inspired artwork, primarily in the representational style. The sculptures are displayed in a way to enhance the natural beauty of the gardens around them. As a part of these collections, visitors can enjoy the Lena Meijer Children's Garden, which features family-friendly artwork spread over five acres. In the Children's Garden, guests of all ages can experience Tree House Village, as well as nine other themed areas including the Butterfly Maze, the Story-Telling Garden, the Great Lakes Garden, and the Log Cabin. Kids can enjoy these areas with guides that show children interesting plants, tell stories, and allow them to play with shovels, boats, and other items to help them learn.
While the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has many pieces of artwork, they also help tourists enjoy natural art. Their horticulture collection has hundreds of species, and guests are encouraged to spend at least four hours on site to see all of the plants in their glory. Along with their acres of flowers and trees outside, which include an amphitheatre garden for concerts during the summer, the park has a number of indoor gardens, like their Arid Garden, a collection of cacti and other plants that like dry weather. They also have a tropical conservatory, a Victorian Garden, and a plant house especially for carnivorous plants. The Carnivorous Plant House is the only of its kind in the country and has over 550 plant species, such as the Venus Fly Trap.
The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park hosts a number of popular annual events, including Foremost's Butterflies are Blooming, the largest temporary tropical butterfly show in the United States. During March and April, guests can see over 6000 butterflies from all over the world. The park receives butterflies already in their chrysalises (cocoons), and visitors can watch through windows as the different species hatch. They are then released into the Conservatory, where guests can walk around for up-close views of these creatures as they fly around and enjoy the flowers.
While the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is open year-round, it is important to keep in mind that Michigan's winters limit the time of year guests can enjoy the exterior sculptures and gardens. They are open seven days a week, though, and visitors can call 888-957-1580 for more information.
