The Sculpture Park in New Jersey | Grounds for Sculpture

A park like no other, the perfect combination of nature and contemporary sculpture, this sculpture park in Hamilton, New Jersey, was the brainchild of its founder Seward Johnson, a New Jersey-born artist and philanthropist.

"I want my works to disappear into the landscape and take the viewer by surprise. After they recover from the shock of being tricked, it becomes an emotional discovery. Then they become the owner of the sculpture. People often revisit their favorites. They become like friends." –Seward Johnson

This is exactly the feeling that a visit to this place called Grounds for Sculpture generates, and now we understand why so many people like to go back again and again...to visit their "friends."

Our question was whether it would be interesting for children or if it would be better for an adults-only visit. I'm so glad we decided to go as a family because it's ideal for all ages.

Before starting the tour and after picking up our passes (obtained for free through our local library), we entered the exhibition halls located inside the Seward Johnson Center for the Arts building. We simply loved it!

In the excitement of being there, we forgot to take a map of the place, so we decided to follow the paths in front of us. In fact, I recommend that you bring a map with you to find the locations of the sculptures. There are more than 270 of them, and while I don't think you can see everything in a few hours, at least you can take what you've already seen into account for future visits.

As we walked, we began to discover, one by one, the works of art created by different artists. Some were visible, others were hidden, and others seemed so real that we had to go back to make sure it was something that had been put there on purpose.

We passed by ponds, waterfalls, and streams, surrounded by beautiful flowers, trees, and an endless variety of plants. While the kids felt like they were on Easter Sunday searching for eggs, only this time they were sculptures, we adults just enjoyed a moment of relaxation; the atmosphere was perfect.

After two and a half hours, we had to end our walk, promising to return soon and finish what we didn't get to see. In fact, Grounds for Sculpture earned a spot on our list of "favorite places to visit in New Jersey».

If you want to know more about prices, time and directions, you can visit the page of Grounds for Sculpture.