Since Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park opened “Chihuly: A New Eden” on April 30, more than 347,000 guests have explored the 132-acre campus to see thousands of pieces of hand-blown glass by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly. The exhibition will close at the end of October.

Red reeds

In honor of Meijer Gardens' 15-year anniversary, the exhibition features 15 installation sites as diverse as the indoor tropical conservatory, hillsides, ponds, wooded wetlands, and the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden.

Red reeds behind the Butterfield Horse 

We've written about Meijer Gardens many times here on Wandering Educators - just do a search up in the corner search box and you'll find confirmation of that fact! But we could not resist sharing our latest photos with you - from the Chihuly Exhibit, ending in a few weeks. We love Dale Chihuly's work, and often find some when we seek out art museums while we travel. 

One of the best parts of this exhibit has been seeing these amazing glass sculptures situated in nature - often in or near water. Since we're water people, this was just wonderful - and magical - to see.

A favorite throughout the exhibition has been The Groves and Heckman Pond site. Suspended above the surface of Heckman Pond is “Blue Moon,” a starburst of clear white and blue glass. Floating in the water are approximately 50 onion-shaped “Walla Wallas” and “Yellow Boat,” a wooden rowboat overflowing with an array yellow, green and black shapes.

The outdoor galleries of the Sculpture Park provide a seasonal experience for the mind and eye. Even before entering the Sculpture Park, the majestic Rose Crystal Tower, welcomes you. You can see The Sun and all its glory in the Cultural Commons and The Moon in the neighboring Groves.

Rose Crystal Tower

The Sun

“Horticulture and sculpture are fully unified in this exhibition. The landscaping incorporates our natural terrain in addition to large-scale expression of bold colors, textures and patterns complimentary to Chihuly’s work,” said Steve LaWarre, director of horticulture at Meijer Gardens. “Among the most beautiful discoveries that visitors will find is how ‘A New Eden’ will change between April and September. Color, light, and shadows will delicately evolve with plants and glass as we move from spring and summer into autumn.”

herons

This exclusive exhibition at Meijer Gardens is one of Chihuly’s largest and most comprehensive displays to date. The artist designed “A New Eden” specifically to respond to the horticultural focus and natural conditions of each of the respective sites. Seeing the 15 installations sites through the end of October will provide a vibrant autumn backdrop much different from the view at the start of the exhibition. Even within the conservatory, the shades of autumn and the outdoors influence the glass.

Disability Accommodations: Meijer Gardens has free push wheelchairs available. All of the exhibits except for The Sun are on accessible paved paths.

About Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
One of the world’s most significant botanic and sculpture experiences, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park serves more than a half-million visitors annually. Meijer Gardens was recently named one of the world’s 30 “Must-See Museums” by Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before you Die.

The 132-acre grounds feature Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory; one of the largest children’s gardens in the country; arid and Victorian gardens with bronze sculptures by Degas and Rodin; a carnivorous plant house; outdoor gardens; and a 1750-seat outdoor amphitheater, featuring an eclectic mix of world-renowned musicians every summer.

The internationally acclaimed Sculpture Park features a permanent collection including works by Rodin, Oldenburg, Moore, Bourgeois, and Plensa among others. Indoor galleries host changing sculpture exhibitions with recent exhibitions by Picasso, Degas, di Suvero, Borofsky and Calder. For more additional information, please visit www.MeijerGardens.org

Meijer Gardens is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

All photos courtesy and copyright Dr. Jessie Voigts

Note: We received media passes to attend this exhibit. Thank you, Meijer Gardens!