Franconia Sculpture Park facts for kids
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| Established | 1996 |
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| Location | 29836 St. Croix Trail, Franconia, Minnesota, United States |
| Type | Sculpture garden |
| Visitors | 180,000 annually |
| Nearest parking | On site |
The Franconia Sculpture Park is a super cool outdoor art park located in Franconia, Minnesota. Imagine a huge outdoor museum, about 50 acres big, filled with amazing sculptures! It's also a place where artists can come and create new art.
The park is open every day from 8 AM to 8 PM, and it's completely free to visit. You can see over 100 modern sculptures there, and the collection changes often. Each year, more than 180,000 people visit this unique park.
In September 2020, the park opened a new area called Franconia Commons. This space has a visitor center, a gift shop, restrooms, and special rooms for education and art exhibits. It's a great place to start your visit!
You can find Franconia Sculpture Park near Taylors Falls, Minnesota, in the beautiful St. Croix River Valley. It's at the spot where two main roads, U.S. Route 8 and Minnesota State Highway 95, meet.
Contents
History of Franconia Sculpture Park
Franconia Sculpture Park started 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 it began, 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 education space in Northeast Minneapolis. This was called Franconia in the City.
The park gets help from a group of people called a board of directors. They guide the park and help it grow. In 2009, Franconia was the only art group in Minnesota outside of the big cities to get special funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. This money helped the park continue its important work. In 2010, the park also received money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
How Artists Create at Franconia
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. Every year, Franconia supports over 40 artists as they make and show their new art. Since 1996, almost 800 artists from many different countries have been supported by Franconia.
Learning About Art
In 2013, Franconia started a program called the Rural Arts Program. This program helps young people in rural areas learn about art. In its first year, it helped over 1,200 young people connect with art and artists.
The park also offers many other ways to learn. You can take tours of the exhibits or join workshops where you can make your own art. There are also many different cultural events. More than 14,000 people learn about art at Franconia each year through these programs.
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 each month from May to October)
- The Art & Artists Celebration in September
These events make the park a lively place for everyone to visit and enjoy art in new ways.
