Where Sculpture and Nature Meet

This outdoor sculpture display features 500 acres of lawn, woodlands, and field. Instead of museum walls and doors, this space is defined by the natural surroundings of the sky and the ground. The grounds, which include the rolling hills of the Hudson Highlands, make for a dramatic and appropriate backdrop to this modern sculpture collection. Both the natural light and the weather have an effect on the art and no matter where you look, with each passing moment and subsequent visits, the exhibits are different. This is because nature interacts with the sculptures, creating a new work of art from moment to moment.

The display is an effort to encourage people to enjoy both art and nature, and to spend time moving through the countryside exploring the art. There have been recent expansions in the park including a new wooded grove, the North Trail, and the restoration of several walking paths leading through the park and to and around the art.

Important to the Storm King Community is creative farming. The 500 acres around the sculptures were part of a farming community for more than 200 years. During the latter part of the 20th century the Hudson Valley became harder to sustain. In 1997 there was a program created to reintroduce native wildflowers and grasses into the fields of the 500 acres. So far the endeavor is going well and growing in the area is buckwheat, oats, and alfalfa. Walking through the sculpture center now means strolling among these native grasses that are in full bloom.

During the winter months the center is closed. It typically opens in early April and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 am until 5:30 pm. There are Saturday evening hours and the center remains open until 8 pm. Admission is $8 to $10 and there is a discount offered for seniors and children. Visits usually last several hours and involve a lot of walking, although it is not strenuous. Visitors are welcome to bring picnics with them and eat and drink on the premises. There are tables available in designated picnic areas. You can also dine at Woody's Cafy at Storm King. The feature drinks, snacks, and light lunch items.

Tours of Storm King are available and they highlight the collection of sculpture. Led by docents, this walking tour is great for individuals who would like to learn more about the collection. Tours typically last about an hour. Tram tours are also available and they run throughout the day beginning at 11 am. These tours meet at the elevator and are free with your cost of admission. The Acoustiguide tours allow you to self-guide a tour led by audio narrated by the Chairman, Director and Curator of Storm King. The cost of this tour is $4 for members and $5 for non-members.

Group tours are available and feature discounted admission for groups of 15 or more people. These group tours are docent led. In order to receive the reduced fee for the group tour, reservations must be made at least two weeks prior to the date you would like to tour.

For a unique outdoor sculpture art experience, visit Storm King Art Center.