Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park features one wow moment after another. Whether a 24-foot horse or a 3-foot garden-fountain sculpture, the artifacts in the Grand Rapids, Mich., attraction are stunning.
As attendees meander on quiet walkways, they highly anticipate what is just around the corner for the next sculpture. Just when they thought they’ve seen it all, another one grabs their fancy.
The 30-acre outdoor sculpture park features a variety of natural settings connected by waterways, lawns, and meadows. A tram is available for those who don’t want to use the walkways.
The 24-foot “The American Horse” by Nina Akamu is a family crowd pleaser. The work was inspired, in part, by a work created by Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci for the Duke of Milan in the late 15th century.
The 8-foot-tall “Figure on a Trunk” displays a bronze headless figure. The inspiration by artist Magdalena Abakanowicz is to show persistence of spirit and strength despite tragedy; she witnessed first hand the horrors of World War II.
“Male/Female” by Jonathan Borofsky is one of the most recognizable works in the park. The 23-foot-tall aluminum sculpture represents the male and the female coming together to create a stronger whole.
Pop Art icon Jim Dine delivers the awe-inspiring “Large Parrot Screams Color. The 12-foot-tall sculpture features a radiant bronze parrot atop the artist’s trademark heart.
The 13-foot-long “Lying Man” by Sean Henry showcases the artist’s detailed imagery of a human in modern dress but much larger in scale. You can’t help but stare at it for what seems to be hours.
“Plantoir” is a 24-foot-tall spade inspired by garden settings for artists Claes Oldenburg & Coosje van Bruggen. It’s Pop Art at its finest.
Tom Otterness is a famous name for art in public spaces, and his 10-foot-tall “Mad Mom” is a cheeky and whimsical homage to how moms have the best way of showing their approval or, in this case, disapproval.
“Water Lilies” by Bessie Potter Vonnoh is a great example that size doesn’t matter. The small bronze is only 2 1/2 feet tall but fits perfectly in its water-garden setting.
The fact that works by Auguste Rodin and Edgar Degas are included in the sculpture garden and I haven’t even mentioned them yet speaks volumes about this sculpture park.
The sculpture park is only part of the equation at the southern Michigan attraction. A tropical conservatory spotlights more than 500 species from five continents as well as varieties of tropical birds. There is a Japanese garden, amphitheater garden, grennhouse, and shade garden. Indoor installations include chandeliers and more by the one and only Dale Chihuly.
There is construction work occurring for even more indoor space, which doesn’t detract from the current experience and instead makes you look forward to the future. It doesn’t seem possible, but once construction is completed, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids will be even grander.
