Calder Gardens, a Light-Filled Museum and Prairie, Houses the Sculptor’s Work in Philadelphia
All artwork © Alexander Calder. All photos by Iwan Baan, courtesy of Calder Gardens, shared with permission
Calder Gardens, a Light-Filled Museum and Prairie, Houses the Sculptor’s Work in Philadelphia
October 3, 2025
Art
Grace Ebert
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Alexander Calder’s most widely recognized creation is perhaps the mobile. The lauded artist was a titan of Modernism whose desire to “draw” three-dimensional objects spirited the invention of what went on to become both an art historical achievement and a ubiquitous nursery item. Broadly interested in movement and space, Calder (1898–1976) is often cited as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.
Now, his work finds a new home in a sprawling museum in Philadelphia, the city where his family lived for generations and where he was born. Located on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Calder Gardens comprises a 1.8-acre landscape and an 18,000-square-foot building that presents a rotating selection of the artist’s works.
The museum is designed to bring art, architecture, and nature into a constant and ever-evolving conversation. Outdoor sculptures stand amid a lush prairie by Piet Oudolf, while architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron created an interior that interacts with Calder’s sculptures. Large-scale pieces loom inside airy concrete galleries, while smaller mobiles seem to nest perfectly in a well-lit opening.
Calder Gardens is open Wednesday through Monday. Find more on its website.
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