Griffis Sculpture Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Griffis Sculpture Park |
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Sculptures by Larry W. Griffis Jr at Griffis Sculpture Park's Rohr Hill Road section
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| Type | Sculpture park |
| Location | 6902 Mill Valley Road East Otto, New York |
| Area | 425 acres (1.72 km2) |
| Created | 1966 |
| Operated by | Ashford Hollow Foundation for the Visual and Performing Arts |
| Open | May to October |
Griffis Sculpture Park is a super cool outdoor art museum located in New York! It's between Ashford Hollow and East Otto in Cattaraugus County. Imagine a huge park, about 425 acres (1.72 km2) big, filled with amazing sculptures. This park was started in 1966 by an artist named Larry W. Griffis Jr. It was actually the first sculpture park in the whole United States!
You can find over 250 artworks here, made by more than 100 different artists. Besides being an art museum, it's also a nature preserve. It has about 10 miles (16 km) of trails for you to explore. The park is open from May to October each year. About 35,000 people visit it every year! You can pay a $5 admission fee using QR codes (PayPal or Venmo) near the entrance. The park also gets help from donations and fundraisers.
The Park's Story
The idea for this awesome outdoor sculpture park came to Larry Griffis when he was traveling in Italy with his family. He noticed something special while his kids were playing on the old ruins of Emperor Hadrian’s villa. Griffis realized how much fun art could be when you can touch it and explore it outdoors.
His son, Simon Griffis, remembered his dad saying, "Look at my kids! I've taken them to the best museums, but they've come alive here. They can interact with the art and smell the flowers."
When Larry Griffis came back to the United States, he looked for the perfect spot. He wanted a place with valleys, woods, a lake, and open areas. He looked at other places like Kissing Bridge Ski Resort and ArtPark, but they weren't quite right.
In 1966, Griffis bought 100 acres (0.40 km2) near Ashford Hollow. He placed 15 of his own huge 25 feet (7.6 m) steel sculptures on a hillside. Later, the Ashford Hollow Foundation bought another 325 acres (1.32 km2). This allowed even more sculptures to be added to the park.
Amazing Artworks
More than 100 artists from all over the world have created art for Griffis Sculpture Park. Many of the sculptures are by members of the Griffis family. Other artists include Bolinski, Bellavia, Dwain, Gerst, Hatchett, Patterson, Mehrdad Hadighi, and Lauren Scime.
The sculptures are made from different materials like bronze, welded steel, aluminum, and wood. They are grouped into twelve themes. These themes include giant animals and insects, life-size people, or cool sets like castles and submarines. It's like a treasure hunt to find them all!
