Calder Gardens has arrived in Philadelphia
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Get ready for a whole new non-museum experience. Photo: Courtesy of Calder Gardens/Iwan Baan
Philadelphia's museum row is in for a shake-up when Calder Gardens opens Sunday.
Why it matters: It's the first big-ticket cultural project to hit the Ben Franklin Parkway in more than a decade (and possibly the last).
Driving the news: The $90 million destination spans an 18,000-square-foot building, surrounded by gardens, between 21st and 22nd Streets on the Parkway.
- The space is dedicated to the work of Philly-area sculptor Alexander Calder, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
- The weekend opening is the culmination of decades of planning, stretching back to the Rendell administration in the 1990s.
Flashback: The last major museum to open along the Parkway was the Barnes Foundation in 2012.
What to expect: A showstopper unlike any other Philly museum.
- Whether you're walking or driving by, the one-story building's reflective metal cladding is sure to catch your eye.
- But Axios got a preview of the inside ahead of the public debut. It's filled with Calder's massive mobiles, hung from the ceiling, while his big, amorphous sculptures dominate the floors without barriers.
- The space goes all in on earthy materials like wood and raw concrete, and a cave-like stairwell.
- The Calder Foundation will curate a rotating selection of works inside the building, including those by Calder's family.
Outside: Two open-air galleries feature more of Calder's sculptures.
- Elsewhere, walking paths wind through gardens.
Worth noting: You can't touch the artwork or get too close, so watch your step.
The intrigue: Is it a museum or garden — or none of the above?
- Officially: Calder Gardens is tossing out labels in favor of an "open-ended experience," per a news release. The art is presented without titles or texts, ditching the "traditional museum approach."
Thought bubble: The building still feels like a museum surrounded by gardens, similar to the Woodmere Art Museum in Northwest Philly.
Zoom out: You can also spot Calder's works at the Philadelphia Museum of Art or Penn's campus, while his family's works include the Penn statue that tops City Hall and the Swann Memorial Fountain.
If you go:
- 📍 The museum is located at 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
- 📅 Hours: Wednesday–Monday from 11am to 5pm.
- 🎟️ Tickets: $18 adults; $16 for seniors; $5 for youth ages 13–18 and college students. Kids 12 and under are free. (You don't need a ticket to walk the grounds.)
- 🆓 Ditch your bags: Free lockers are available inside the building.