Laumeier Sculpture Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Laumeier Sculpture Park |
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Jonathan Borofsky's "Man with Briefcase at #2968443" (1986), in the park's eastern woodland
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| Type | County Park |
| Location | 12580 Rott Road, Sunset Hills, Missouri, United States |
| Area | 105 acres (0.42 km2) |
| Created | 1975 |
| Operated by | St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Department |
| Visitors | Approximately 300,000 per year |
| Website | http://www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/ |
Laumeier Sculpture Park is a huge outdoor museum in Sunset Hills, Missouri, close to St. Louis. It's a special place where art meets nature! The park covers 105 acres and is filled with over 60 amazing outdoor sculptures.
You can explore the park on a 1.4-mile walking trail. There are also fun educational programs for all ages. Inside, you'll find an art gallery and a beautiful old stone house. This house, built in 1816, used to be the home of Henry and Matilda Laumeier.
Laumeier Sculpture Park is a recognized museum, getting about 300,000 visitors every year. It works together with the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Department to bring art to everyone.
Contents
Park History: How Laumeier Began
The Land's Early Days
The land where Laumeier Sculpture Park now stands has a long history. It became part of the U.S. in the 1830s through land grants. In 1835, a farmer named James C. Sutton bought 143 acres. He was also an inventor, known for his "Sutton Plow."
This plow was so important that its image is on the official seal of St. Louis County today! A part of Sutton's land later became Laumeier Sculpture Park.
In 1916, a man named Roland L. Kahle bought 47 acres of this land. He was part of a family known for making stoves. In 1917, Kahle started building a stone house on the property. He later added a stone garage and a gatehouse.
The house was designed by Ernst C. Janssen, a famous architect. He designed many buildings for German-American families in St. Louis.
Henry and Matilda Laumeier's Gift
After Roland Kahle passed away, Henry Laumeier bought the property in 1940. Henry married Matilda Cramer in 1941. They worked together to fix up and expand the house and its beautiful grounds.
Henry died in 1959. Matilda loved the land and wanted it to be used for everyone to enjoy. In 1963, she met with Wayne C. Kennedy, who was looking for land for the St. Louis County park system.
Matilda wanted the land to stay natural, not for sports fields. She hoped it would be used for things like gardens and special trees. When she passed away in 1968, Matilda gave the land and buildings to St. Louis County. This gift was in memory of her husband, Henry.
The park officially opened in 1975 with 76 acres. It became much more popular in 1976. That's when a St. Louis artist named Ernest Trova donated about 40 of his sculptures. Later, the park gained another 20 acres of woods. This new area is perfect for large outdoor sculptures. One famous artwork there is Pool Complex: Orchard Valley by Mary Miss.
Growing as a Non-Profit Art Park
Laumeier Sculpture Park became a non-profit organization in 1979. Dr. Beej Nierengarten-Smith was the first executive director for 22 years. During her time, the park grew a lot!
It received many grants to help fund its operations and art projects. These grants came from groups like the National Endowment for the Arts. The park featured sculptures by many famous artists, including women artists.
Dr. Nierengarten-Smith also created fun events for families. These included the Contemporary Arts and Crafts Fair and Safari Camp for kids. Park attendance grew from a few hundred to 500,000 visitors each year. The park also earned special museum accreditation twice.
After Dr. Nierengarten-Smith retired, other directors continued to lead the park. Today, Laumeier is known around the world. It works closely with St. Louis County Parks and Recreation. Many groups help support the park's projects and programs.
New Spaces for Art and Learning
In 2015, Laumeier finished a big project called Sculpting the Future. This project updated the park's buildings. The old 1917 Estate House was turned into the Kranzberg Education Lab. This new lab has classrooms and spaces for learning.
They also built the Aronson Fine Arts Center. This center is used for art shows, programs, and events. Inside the Aronson, you'll find the Emerson Visitor's Center. There's also Gracie’s Shop, the park's gift shop.
Many items in Gracie's Shop are made by local artists. You can find their work there, especially from winners of the Gracie's Shop Featured Artists' Award. These awards are given out during the annual Laumeier Art Fair. This fair happens every Mother's Day weekend.
The Aronson also has the 3,280-square-foot Whitaker Foundation Gallery. This gallery hosts new art exhibitions each year. It shows works by artists from the region, the country, and even around the world.
Next to the old Estate House is the Siteman Carriage House. This building is used for managing the park's art collection. It has offices for the Curator and a library focused on art.
The Park's Amazing Art Collection
Laumeier Sculpture Park is home to more than 70 large outdoor sculptures. These artworks are spread across its 105 acres. You can see pieces by famous artists like Alexander Liberman, Mark di Suvero, and Niki de Saint Phalle. The park's website has a full list of all the artworks on display.
The Way: A Giant Sculpture
One of the most famous sculptures at the park is The Way. Artist Alexander Liberman finished it in 1980. This huge artwork is made from eighteen old steel oil tanks.
The Way is 65 feet tall, 102 feet wide, and 100 feet deep! It weighs a massive 55 tons and is painted a bright red color. The park describes it as a modernist artwork. It's meant to make you feel the same wonder as ancient Greek temples.
The sculpture was built right in a clearing that is now called "Way Field." It was restored in 2011 with a fresh coat of paint. Many people in St. Louis see The Way as a symbol of both the park and the city.
Other Notable Sculptures
- "Face of the Earth #3" (Vito Acconci, 1988)
- "La Libellule" (Arman, 1996)
- "Eclipse" (Charles Arnoldi, 1990)
- "Donut No. 3" (Fletcher Benton, 2002)
- "Java" (Anthony Caro, 1976)
- "Knots" (Cosimo Cavallaro, 1996)
- "Sugabus" (Robert Chambers, 2004)
- "Bombius" (Mark di Suvero, 1985–87)
- "Laumeier Project" (Jackie Ferrara, 1981)
- "Four Shades" (Ian Hamilton Finlay, 1994)
- "Crete" (Charles Ginnever, 1976–78)
- "Twins" (Joseph Havel, 2007)
- Ten plaques from "Living Series" (Jenny Holzer, 1980–82)
- "Untitled" (Donald Judd, 1984)
- "Intricate Wall" (Sol LeWitt, 2001–04)
- "Ball? Ball! Wall? Wall!" (Donald Lipski, 1994)
- "Not Without My Dog" (Tea Mäkipää, 2011)
- "Aurelia Roma" (Manuel Neri, 1994)
- "This area is under 23 hour video and audio surveillance" (Ahmet Ögüt, 2009)
- "Alpha" (Beverly Pepper, 1974)
- "Cromlech Glen" (Pepper, 1985–90)
- "House of the Minotaur" (Tony Rosenthal, 1980)
- "Leelinau" (Alison Saar, 1997)
- "Ricardo Cat" (Niki de Saint Phalle, 1999)
- "American Heartland Garden" (Judith Shea, 1992)
- "Public Goddess" (Shea, 1992)
- "St. Louis Bones" (Robert Stackhouse, 1987)
- "Flooded Chambers Maid" (Jessica Stockholder, 2009–10)
- "Eye" (Tony Tasset, 2007)
- "Falling Man" (Ernest Trova, 1969)
- "Gox No 3" (Trova, 1980)
- "Abstract Variation Lozanger No. 3" (Trova, 1980)
- "Untitled" (David von Schlegell, 1966)
See also
