Franconia Sculpture Park facts for kids

Franconia Sculpture Park is a cool outdoor art museum in Franconia, Minnesota. It's a huge place, about 50 acres, filled with amazing sculptures. You can explore over 100 modern art pieces here!

The park is free to visit and open every day from 8 AM to 8 PM. About 180,000 people come to see the art each year. It's not just a place to look at art; it also helps artists create new sculptures. Plus, it offers fun art programs for everyone.

In 2020, the park opened Franconia Commons. This building has a visitor center, a gift shop, restrooms, and even an education center and art gallery. It's open most of the year, so you can learn more about the park and its art.

Franconia Sculpture Park is located near Taylors Falls, Minnesota. It's in the beautiful St. Croix River Valley. You can find it where U.S. Route 8 and Minnesota State Highway 95 meet.

The Park's Story: How It Started

Franconia Sculpture Park began in 1996. A small group of artists, including Tasha Hock, John Hock, and Fuller Cowles, created it. The first park was 16 acres and located a bit east of where it is now.

In 2006, the park moved to its current, much larger 50-acre home. Since then, Franconia has become known as one of the most creative sculpture parks in the country. For several years, from 2011 to 2018, Franconia also had a gallery and learning space in Northeast Minneapolis. This allowed them to share art with more people in the city.

The park has received important support over the years. In 2009, it was the only arts group in Minnesota outside the Twin Cities to get special funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2010, it also received money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. This funding helps the park keep growing and offering great programs.

Artists at Work: Creating New Sculptures

Franconia Sculpture Park is a special place for artists. It has programs like fellowships, internships, and workshops. These programs help artists at all stages of their careers. They get to create new sculptures right there at the park!

Artists work on their new pieces from April through November. The park invites artists from all over the world to submit their ideas. Each year, Franconia supports over 40 artists. They help them create and show their new art. Since 1996, almost 800 artists from many different countries have been supported by Franconia.

Learning About Art: Programs for Everyone

Franconia is also a great place to learn about art. In 2013, they started the Rural Arts Program. This program helps young people in rural areas connect with art and artists. In its first year, it reached over 1,200 young people!

The park offers many ways to learn. You can go on tours of the sculptures. They also have workshops where you can make your own art. Plus, there are many different cultural events throughout the year. Over 14,000 people learn about art at Franconia every year.

Fun Events at the Park

Franconia Sculpture Park hosts many exciting events throughout the year. You can enjoy:

• Music @ Franconia concerts
• Film @ Franconia film series
• The Franconia 5 Minute Film Festival
• Art & Farmers Markets (held on the first Sunday of the month from May to October)
• The Art & Artists Celebration in September

These events make the park a lively place for families and art lovers of all ages.