Calder Gardens is a show-stopping new museum in downtown Philadelphia dedicated to The Barnes Foundation‘s large collection of Alexander Calder works. It’s a small complex on a neglected building site between the highway and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The architects at Herzog & de Meuron cleverly buried the galleries into the hillside, making it much bigger than it appears from the exterior allowing the metallic reflective walls and the garden, designed by Piet Oudolf, to become center stage. They managed to squeeze over 250 species of plants into this small site.
If you’re a fan of Calder, or great museums, it’s worth a dedicated trip to see it. Once you’re there, there’s so much to see in downtown Philly and nearby. And, it’s close enough to do a day trip from NYC, either on the train or driving.
Hours: 11 AM – 5:00 PM, Thursday – Monday
Admission: $18/adult, $5/teens, free/children under 12
2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103 | caldergardens.org/ | (215) 278-7250
Calder Gardens doesn’t have dedicated parking. But there is metered street parking and numerous parking garages nearby, and easy public transportation options.
Upcoming Events
This Monday, 8/24 is the monthly Silent Day at Calder Gardens. Visitors will get after-hours access, a no-phone zone and quiet time to unwind:
Conceived as a place for contemplation, Calder Gardens encourages visitors to learn more about themselves through direct, real-time experience. The works of Alexander Calder invite awareness through movement, balance, and experimentation; Herzog & de Meuron’s building unfolds as a carefully choreographed sequence of sensorial moments; and Piet Oudolf’s gardens draw attention to cycles of growth, decay, and transformation—reminding us of life’s continual change.
Some other interesting events coming up include a concert in the garden with Gryphon Rue, a Brooklyn artist, on September 22nd. Keep an eye out on their calendar for regular events.
