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Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden under construction, 1/28/87

The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden opens in 1988

Before it became the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the land had a long and colorful history. Click here to view a video or read the text of the Minneapolis Sculpture Graden history (video requires Quicktime). Former Walker Art Center Director Martin Friedman and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board spent many years planning before the garden could be built.

They commissioned architect Edward Larrabee Barnes to design an urban, public park. All of the sculptures came from the Walker Art Center. But the Walker also commissioned many artists to create new sculptures for specific sites within the garden. After many years of planning, the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden opened in 1988 with music, marching bands, and 10,000 balloons. It was the result of teamwork - collaboration - among city and museum officials, architects, landscape designers, and artists.