About

Calder Gardens is a new art institution dedicated to Alexander Calder (1898–1976), one of the most acclaimed and influential artists of the 20th century. Building on the artist’s enduring legacy, it is conceived as a place where an evolving interplay between art, architecture, nature, and programming encourages contemplation and self-discovery.

Set within a landscape featuring more than 250 varieties of plants in gardens conceived by Piet Oudolf, Calder Gardens’ 18,000-square-foot building, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, houses a rotating installation of artworks by Calder. Spanning the artist’s 50-year career and diverse bodies of work, the objects on view respond to architectural moments rather than art historical narratives. This selection of artworks slowly changes over time, echoing the natural rhythms of the seasons. Some will remain for years, while others are only on view for a few months, creating an ever-changing environment that encourages close looking and repeat visits. 

In dialogue with Calder’s own experimental practice, programming at Calder Gardens presents performances, sonic experiences, screenings, lectures, and other events that connect the artist's legacy of innovation to contemporary art. Emphasizing mindfulness and environmental awareness, Calder Gardens is a space that foregrounds the interconnectedness of all elements of life.

Calder Gardens is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the heart of Philadelphia, a city with deep connections to the Calder family across several generations. It extends this lineage to the present day and joins Philadelphia’s rich artistic and cultural communities.

Alexander Calder, whose career spanned much of the 20th century, is one of the most acclaimed and influential sculptors of our time. Born into a family of artists, Calder utilized his innovative genius to profoundly change the course of modern art. He began in the 1920s by developing a new method of sculpting: by bending and twisting wire, he essentially “drew” three-dimensional figures in space. He is renowned for the invention of the mobile, whose suspended, abstract elements move and balance in changing harmony. From the 1950s onward, Calder increasingly devoted himself to making outdoor sculpture on a grand scale from bolted steel plate. Today, these stately titans grace public plazas in cities throughout the world.

Calder was born in Philadelphia, and his connections to the city are grounded in the rich artistic lineage of his family. His father, Alexander Stirling Calder, created the Swann Memorial Fountain, and his grandfather, Alexander Milne Calder, sculpted the statue of William Penn that stands atop City Hall. Calder’s own mobile, The Ghost, hangs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Great Stair Hall.

Calder Gardens is designed by the architects Herzog & de Meuron and the landscape designer Piet Oudolf. Crafted specifically for the presentation of Calder’s work, the landscape and architecture of Calder Gardens unfolds as a choreographed progression that moves visitors from a hectic cityscape to a more contemplative realm. Discreetly nestled into the landscape, the building is sheathed in softly reflective metal cladding that blurs the boundaries between architecture and the natural world. The galleries feature a rotating selection of masterworks from the Calder Foundation, New York, and other private and public collections, displayed in harmony with nature and the changing seasons.

Founded in 1978 in Basel, Switzerland, Herzog & de Meuron is led by Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, and a team of senior partners and collaborators worldwide. With more than 500 team members, they work on projects globally from their main office in Basel, supported by studios in Berlin, Munich, Hong Kong, London, New York, and San Francisco. Known for innovative designs across scales—from homes to large public spaces like museums and stadiums—the firm has won prestigious awards, including the Pritzker Architecture Prize.

Dutch landscape designer Piet Oudolf (b. 1944) is known for transforming garden design with his naturalistic planting style. His US projects include Battery Park and the Highline in New York and Lurie Garden in Chicago. Oudolf’s work emphasizes perennial plants and aims to create gardens that evolve beautifully through each season.

Calder Gardens has been realized thanks to Philadelphia philanthropists working with the Calder Foundation, with significant support from the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Through an innovative collaboration, the Barnes Foundation provides administrative and operational support for Calder Gardens. The Trustees of Calder Gardens is a section 509(a)(3) supporting organization that provides strategic and artistic direction as well as financial support to sustain the vision for Calder Gardens.

Juana Berrío, Marsha Perelman Senior Director of Programs
Morgan Lawrence, Associate Registrar
Erin Monda, Horticulture Manager
Bailey Roper, Program Coordinator

Alexander S. C. Rower, Chair
Ephraim Asili
Vic Brooks
Thom Collins
Lily Lyons
Joseph Neubauer
Marsha Perelman
Juana Berrío, Staff Liaison

Marsha Perelman, President
Michael Sternberg, Secretary
John Alchin, Treasurer
Joseph Neubauer, Assistant Treasurer
Fairfax Dorn
Deborah Hayes
Aileen Roberts
Alexander S. C. Rower
Rirkrit Tiravanija
Elizabeth Warshawer

Calder Gardens is located in Lenapehoking, on the unceded land, waters, and air of the Lenape Peoples. We honor that this land and its people are timeless, and we pay respect to their Elders—past, present, and future. We support the sovereignty of the Lenape Peoples and are committed to uplifting their autonomy and rights in their homelands. This commitment exemplifies a reciprocal relationship to all beings and elements, recognizing that we are not separate from Earth.

All artworks by Alexander Calder © 2025 Calder Foundation, New York / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York