Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SYDNEY AND WALDA BESTHOFF
SCULPTURE GARDEN
No matter where your eyes take you in the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture
Garden at City Park, beauty abounds.
An extension of the New Orleans Museum of Art, the 5-acre garden comprises more
than 60 sculptures situated among winding footpaths, reflecting lagoons, ancient live
oaks, and pedestrian bridges. Among them are Robert Indiana's
Love, Red Blue;
Henry Moore's
Reclining Mother and Child;
Pierre-Auguste Renoir's
Venus Victori-
ous;
and George Rodrigue's
Blue Dog.
Other contemporary artists whose works are represented in the garden include Ida
Kohlmeyer, Gaston Lachaise, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Yaacov Agam, and Joel Sha-
piro.
Open since 2003, the sculpture garden is named for New Orleans philanthropists and
art collectors Sydney and Walda Besthoff, who through their private foundation
donated most of the works that fill the garden. The foundation is dedicated to cultiv-
ating public interest in contemporary sculpture, and the garden—free and open to the
public seven days a week—has served as a conduit to fulfilling that mission.
The museum offers a free audio tour accessible though visitors' cell phones. Addi-
tional programming includes yoga and Tai Chi classes, school field trips, a spring
Easter-egg hunt, and the annual “Love in the Garden” fundraiser.
•
Begin your walk at North Hennessey Street and City Park Avenue. Take note
of the trees, especially the majestic, moss-dripping live oaks, which the park
considers its pride and joy. The park boasts the oldest grove of mature live
oaks in the world, and some—like the McDonogh and Anseman Oaks—are
approximately 600-800 years old. Although City Park lost 2,000 of its 20,000
trees in Katrina, more than 5,000 new trees have been planted since. In addi-
tion to live oaks, you'll see bald cypress, magnolia, and other tree species.
Feel free to wander through the maze of trees and take a closer look. You'll
be glad you did.
