Recently I made a trip to Grounds For Sculpture something I had wanted to do for a while! I never actually made plans to go through, so when I had someone who agreed to go with me I was excited… that was in February, exactly a week before the Corona Virus hit the United States. Being so we had to cancel our day at Grounds for Sculpture. Thankfully Grounds For Sculpture is open again to the public, so I couldn’t wait to go.
While the buildings that hold sculptures were closed as not to have enclosed crowds, the grounds and gardens are open to walk around and view all the outdoor sculptures. Sculptures ranged from wax-looking people to modern silver creations and everything in between all made from different materials. Some sculptures in essence crept up on you as you rounded a corner and hadn’t noticed them before. The gardens are not huge but it wasn’t crowded, even on a Saturday, overall it’s a good size to see within one day. I imagine if all the buildings were open it would take a few more hours, but I think it’s fair to say you could still see everything in one day.
General Info On Grounds for Sculpture
Grounds For Sculpture is located at 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, New Jersey 08619
The grounds contain nearly 3000 sculptures
It was founded by artist and philanthropist Seward Johnson and opened in 1992 with a goal to have a sculpture garden and museum for the public.
More than 700 artists have featured their work
The land formally housed the original NJ State Fairgrounds
The Grounds For Sculpture was originally an extension of The Johnson Atelier, a place where artists work and study at.
Grounds For Sculpture holds events such as weddings, family meditation, and more.
There are peacocks that roam freely on the grounds! This was my favorite part as I LOVE peacocks.
To eat at their on-site restaurant RATS make sure you make a reservation ahead of time.
They also have on-site cafes, with the Van Gogh Cafe being the only one open at the time, as it has seating outside. If you want to eat picnic-style somewhere in the park, ask the staff at the Van Gogh Cafe for the Picnic in the Park menu. For around $60 they will pack what you order, plus a bottle of wine, in an insulated bag so you can eat in the park.
Tickets for Grounds For Sculpture must be bought online ahead of time and tickets are timed.
Let me know if you’ve been to, or if you plan to visit Grounds For Sculpture in the comments and on social media! But while you’re here please subscribe! – T.S.
What do you think?