Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

In the early 1980s, the West Michigan Horticultural Society, a non-profit organization in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was searching for a nearby site in order to establish a botanical garden and conservatory. As early as 1986, a member of the Horticultural Society approached Frederik Meijer, (founder of Meijer grocery megastores), to request the donation of a parcel of land. The Gardens provided an outlet for Fred Meijer's growing collection of large-scale sculpture from Marshall Fredericks and for Lena Meijer's love of plants and flowers. Three areas of the park reflect the interests of Lena Meijer: a tropical conservancy and a children's garden (each named in her honor), and a replica of the family farm on which she was raised in Amble, Michigan. Meijer Gardens first opened to the public on April 20, 1995. The mission of Meijer Gardens is to support horticulture and sculpture in order to encourage appreciation of the natural environment and fine art. In 2017 the organization began significant renovations and additions of new spaces. The expansion was designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. The expansion featured a new Welcome Center and more exhibition spaces, allowing for larger and more diverse art installations. In 2025, Meijer Gardens welcomed their 16 millionth visitor. == Horticulture ==

Conservatory The Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory, a five-story, facility, supports tropical plants from around the world. The conservatory houses diverse tropical plants, including coconut palms from the Pacific, fig trees from India, exotic orchids from Central and South America, and Asiatic bamboo and banana trees. Additional indoor gardens include a carnivorous plant house, an arid house for cacti and desert vegetation, and an area with a Victorian theme. the Lena Meijer Children's Garden was also inspired by and named for Lena Meijer. As with much of the larger park, this garden contains a number of sculptures. Included among the areas designed for children within the Lena Meijer Children's Garden are a log cabin, a labyrinth, and a rock quarry where kids can dig for buried fossils. Kurisu's garden contains several contemporary sculptures by major international artists selected especially for the location. The Japanese Garden includes a ten-foot work in granite by contemporary artist Anish Kapoor. is a paved path that winds through a forested section of the property. The trail presents various native ecosystems of West Michigan and provides sites for bird watching along areas of natural prairie and wetlands. It is connected to the Frey Boardwalk. The Peter M. Wege Library, which holds reference books and periodicals on horticulture and sculpture, is also named for Peter Wege. landscape designer James van Sweden, known for his painterly approach to garden and landscape design, and an English Perennial & Bulb Garden from designer Penelope Hobhouse, an award-winning garden designer, lecturer and author. In 2003, two additional aspects of the garden were completed and opened to the public. The Michigan Farm Garden, with heirloom vegetables, orchards, and figurative animal sculptures, provides families with the opportunity to experience the context of a 1930s farm complete with a 100-year-old barn and replica farmhouse from Lena (Rader) Meijer's childhood, and the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater, an outdoor musical and theatrical venue with a covered stage and tiered lawn seating for 1,900 persons. Past musicians featured in the Amphitheater include Harry Connick Jr., B.B. King, Sheryl Crow, the Steve Miller Band, and Wynton Marsalis. == Sculpture ==

: The American Horse'' by Nina Akamu. Bronze, l in height|alt= Meijer Gardens includes a outdoor sculptural park, which opened on May 16, 2002. The museum has exhibited the work of world-renowned artists including Jonathan Borofsky, Alexander Calder, Tony Smith, Anthony Caro, Antony Gormley, Mark di Suvero, Anish Kapoor, Jenny Holzer, Richard Hunt, Joan Miró, David Nash, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Keith Haring, Laura Ford, and Kenneth Snelson among others. Permanent collection Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park primarily collects the work of sculptors. It also contains drawings, provided they were created by artists who identify as sculptors. It features works by prominent British and American sculptors including Claes Oldenburg, Louise Bourgeois, Richard Serra, Barbara Hepworth, and Henry Moore, in addition to major works by the international artists Coosje van Bruggen, Ai Weiwei, Beverly Pepper, and Jaume Plensa. Fred and Lena Meijer purchased another large work by glass artist Dale Chihuly in 2009 as an addition to the permanent collection. In 2016, the museum acquired the archives of sculptor Beverly Pepper, over 900 works on paper. The collection contains numerous outdoor monumental sculptures throughout the property and also indoors in the conservatory, specialty gardens, and gallery. Among the many highlights for visitors is The American Horse, sculpted by Nina Akamu as a homage to the original commission to Leonardo da Vinci of the Duke of Milan, as well as works by Auguste Rodin and Degas in the Victorian Conservatory. Temporary exhibitions The Sculpture Program of the Gardens features temporary exhibitions. Featured exhibitions have included works by Andy Goldsworthy, Tom Otterness, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Yinka Shonibare, Jim Dine, and George Rickey. == Seasonal events ==

Meijer Gardens supports two large seasonal exhibition events, both started in 1995 when the facility first opened: The Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming, and the Christmas and Holiday Traditions. Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming is held annually in the Lena Meijer Conservatory from March 1 through April 30; it is one of the largest temporary butterfly exhibits in the nation, with thousands of tropical butterflies from Central America, South America, and Asia. The butterfly exhibit is well attended and popular with visitors of all ages. Christmas and Holiday Traditions takes place from November through the first week of January. The Gardens' annual event includes the display of holiday items and symbols of more than 40 nations and cultures. == Gallery ==

File:MeijerAridRoom.jpg|Arid room cacti 2006 File:Meijer Gardens October 2014 25 (Michigan's Farm Garden).jpg|Michigan's Farm Garden File:Meijer Gardens October 2014 44 (Sculpture Park).jpg|Meijer Gardens, 2014 File:Meijer Gardens October 2014 24 (Woodland Shade Garden).jpg|Gwen Frostic Woodland Shade Garden File:Meijer Gardens October 2014 09 (Children's Garden).jpg|Boardwalk and wetlands File:Meijer Gardens October 2014 07 (Children's Garden).jpg|Children's Garden File:Meijer Gardens October 2014 06 (Children's Garden).jpg|Children's Garden == Management ==

David Hooker was the President & CEO at Meijer Gardens from 2006 to 2022. Charles Burke was appointed as Hooker's successor, starting in 2023. In 2022, Meijer Gardens announced the hire of Suzanne Ramljak as Chief Curator. == Architecture ==

The Lena Meijer Conservatory was designed by Cox, Medendorp and Olson, In May 2019, the New York partners Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects were selected to re-envision and expand the facilities at Meijer Gardens, with the assistance of local partners Progressive AE and Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. The expanded and updated 69,000 square foot welcome center, designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, displays a large relief sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa carved from four white marble slabs, each at 19 feet in height. == See also ==