The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, located just outside the city of Grand Rapids, opened to the public in 1995. Meijer, founder of the Meijer grocery chain, and his wife Lena were instrumental in establishing the 158-acre botanical garden and sculpture park with an initial donation of over 70 acres, Meijer’s personal collection of large-scale sculpture for display throughout the park, and financial support. The park features a 15,000 square foot, five story tall tropical conservatory which houses a diverse collection of tropical plants from around the world. Other gardens within the park include a woodland shade garden, a farm garden, children’s gardens, a Japanese garden, nature trails, and a 1,900-seat terraced lawn amphitheater. Throughout the park are over 300 works of art including sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore, and Alexander Calder.
Meijer Garden’s popularity has grown rapidly since opening and today attracts over 750,000 visitors annually, the park recently welcomed their landmark 14 millionth visitor. Improvements to accommodate the increasing volume of guests were completed in 2021. The $115 million, 93,600 square foot project includes a new welcome center, transportation center, concession building and picnic pavilions. New York-based architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien reimagined the arrival sequence for visitors, alleviating crowded bottlenecks at the entrance by pushing the ticketing area behind a new light-filled arrival hall and a show-stopping space called the Garden Pavilion. The pavilion is a monumental hall lit by three pyramidally vaulted skylights, featuring the work of Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. Titled “Utopia”, the white marble reliefs create the walls of the room, acting as both art and architecture.
The Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden was established in 2015, and was designed by renown Japanese garden designer, Hoichi Kurisu. The garden is entered through a traditional architectural gateway and is traversed via a ½ mile long walking path that navigates around a striking central water feature. Elements including sculpture, waterfalls, bridges, boardwalks, and rock gardens are featured throughout and are enhanced by traditional as well as native-Michigan plantings. A traditional Japanese teahouse is a central feature of the garden. The structure was constructed by skilled craftsmen in Japan, prior to being dismantled, shipped to Frederik Meijer Gardens, and reassembled on-site using traditional tools and construction techniques.
The Lena Meijer Children’s Garden is an interactive, multi-sensory space that encourages children to engage with the environment. The garden features a replica of the Great Lakes with opportunities for water-play, treehouses that encourage running and climbing, natural areas including wetlands, sensory plantings and built environments such as an authentic log-cabin. As with the other gardens, art is an integral part of the Children’s Garden.
The Sculpture Park encompasses 30 acres and features over 50 sculptures as part of its permanent collection. The works are experienced in a variety of natural settings which are connected by paths, meadows, water features and lawns.
The fact that Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has been ranked among the most-visited art museums worldwide is not surprising – it offers renown works of art, world-class facilities, serene natural environments, and even open-air concerts. The park is open year-around and many special events and exhibits occur throughout the year. Go to www.meijergardens.org to plan your visit and get more information.