Frede r i k Me i je r G arde n s & Sc u l p t u re Par kM e d i a K i t

A visit to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is an inspiring experience in

which horticulture and sculpture are uniquely combined to stimulate the

senses and nourish the mind, body and spirit.

It’s been said that the world is divided between people who marvel at natural beauty and people who respond more to the beauty of art. Both are drawn to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Winner of numerous landscape and architectural awards, Meijer Gardens also includes the most comprehensive outdoor collection of modern sculpture in the Midwest.

Located on the outskirts of Grand Rapids, Meijer Gardens is a world of its own.An enchanted world. One where there’s a kind of beauty for every taste, every love.And that makes Meijer Gardens an ideal setting for your next visit, event, tour, meeting, program or wedding.

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Sculpture: Hanneke Beaumont, Number 25Lena Meijer Children’s Garden is a family-friendly garden for kids of all ages.

It’s a place to have fun while learning about plants, animals and sculpture.

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park features 132 acres of indoor and

outdoor gardens, the Midwest’s most significant outdoor sculpture

collection, and ongoing botanic and sculpture exhibitions.

Our 120,000 square foot facility offers:

• Tropical Conservatory, lush with exotic plants

from five continents

• Arid Garden, filled with desert plants from

the Americas and Africa

• Display Garden, featuring peak of the

season blooms

• Largest Carnivorous Plant House in the Midwest

and one of only a few in the United States

• Superb facilities for private events which

include amenities like our Gift Shop and

Taste of the Gardens Café

Our 132 acres of woodlands, wetland and gardens offer:

• Thirty-acre Sculpture Park with the most

comprehensive outdoor collection of modern

sculpture in the Midwest, including works

by giants like Auguste Rodin, Henry Moore,

Andy Goldsworthy and Mark di Suvero

• Gardens designed by some of the premier

garden and landscape designers of our day

• Woodlands, wetlands, gardens and

Sculpture Park, crisscrossed with nature

trails and boardwalks, allowing for peaceful

communion with both nature and art

• Five-acre Children’s Garden is open all year,

with plants which provide four seasons of color

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is not only a place, it’s an experience. An experience that means something different for every admirer of nature, gardens and art.

The Amphitheater Garden is home to summer concerts from June through September. Manicured terraced lawns overlook the stage

which provides great views and acoustics for the entire seating area.

FACT SHEET

CONTACT: Amy Sawade, Public Relations Specialist, 616-975-3155, asawade@meijergardens.org Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, located at 1000 East Beltline N.E. in Grand Rapids, MI, opened to the public in April of 1995. It is the most-popular tourist destination in West Michigan and is funded almost entirely by private donations. Meijer Gardens includes Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory; three indoor theme gardens; outdoor gardens, nature trails and boardwalk; sculpture galleries and permanent sculpture collection; library; audiovisual theater; café; gift shop; classrooms; and meeting rooms. Both indoors and outdoors, the 132-acres are barrier free and handicap accessible. In its first fourteen years of operation, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has attracted more than five million visitors. Horticulture The Tropical Conservatory is a five-story, 15,000 square-foot facility featuring rock landscapes, a waterfall and a variety of exotic plant selections. The conservatory houses tropical plants from around the world, including fig trees from India, exotic orchids from Central and South America, Asiatic bamboo and banana trees. Additional indoor gardens include the nation’s most comprehensive carnivorous plant house, arid house featuring Saguaro cacti, Victorian conservatory and Seasonal Display Greenhouse. The outdoor gardens feature four-season plantings that can be enjoyed throughout the year. To foster an educational awareness of the numerous ecosystems in West Michigan, the Wege Nature Trail winds through a forested section while the Frey Boardwalk introduces visitors to the natural wetlands. Featured on these walks are bird watching sites, natural prairie areas, a tadpole pond and beautiful vistas. From watching the snow fall to the leaves changing color, these areas are perfect for experiencing Michigan’s changing landscapes. The Gwen Frostic Woodland Shade Garden commemorates the artistic influence of this well-known naturalist artist and features woodland plants like ferns, hostas, bleeding hearts, rhododendrons, and azaleas. The English Perennial & Bulb Garden and the New American Garden are two additional outdoor features highlighting the organization’s continuing commitment to horticulture. Sculpture The sculpture program at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is composed of both an internationally-acclaimed permanent collection and dynamic exhibition programs. The permanent collection features more than 180 works including important examples ranging from Auguste Rodin and Edgar Degas, to Henry Moore and Alexander Calder to Mark di Suvero and Andy Goldsworthy. Works are sited in both interior settings such as the conservatories as well as featured outdoors across the gardens and grounds. The greatest concentration of work is featured in a 30-acre sculpture park, which plays host to both colossal and more traditional scale works sensitively sited in a natural environment. Of special interest is the colossal sculpture, The American Horse by Nina Akamu, as well as masterworks by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, Alexander Liberman and Richard Hunt. In addition, Meijer Gardens hosts three temporary exhibitions every year. A suite of indoor galleries offers approximately 4,000 square feet of display space. For example, major presentations of artists ranging from Magdalena Abakanowicz to George Segal, Dale Chihuly to Anthony Caro have captured widespread critical acclaim. Frequently, temporary exhibitions are complemented by outdoor installations in the lawns of the Balk Specialty Collection Garden or on the Keeler Sculpture Terrace. Highlights The Lena Meijer Children’s Garden is one of the most interactive children’s gardens in the country. Here children can look through viewports to answer questions about sculpture, dig into the sand quarry to uncover information about fossils and build bridges over the Great Lakes water feature. They can explore tree houses, a log cabin, a butterfly labyrinth, a sense garden and a child-sized beaver lodge. Highlighting hundreds of plants as well as whimsical, child-oriented sculptures, it is perhaps the only children’s garden in the United States with natural wetlands running right through the middle of it. Michigan’s Farm Garden is reminiscent of a 1930s family farm. This delightful setting includes an heirloom vegetable garden, an orchard, a barn, a sugar shack, a produce stand, a windmill and a ¾ scale replica of Lena (Rader) Meijer’s childhood farmhouse. Sculptures of farm animals complete the picture. The Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater is a distinguished venue for musical events and a summer concert series every year. The outdoor amphitheater boasts brilliant acoustics and tiered lawn seating for 1,750 people. Past musicians featured on the Meijer Gardens stage include Art Garfunkel, B.B. King, Lyle Lovett and Willie Nelson. Foremost’s Butterflies are Blooming is an annual exhibition that takes place every March and April, featuring more than 6,000 tropical butterflies from more than 50 species of South American, Central American and Asian origin fly free in the five-story, 15,000 square foot tropical conservatory. This is the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation and attracts more than 150,000 visitors during the months of March and April. Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World is a celebration that takes place every November and December – featuring more than 40 different cultures and customs from around the world, trees and displays both indoors and out, more than 300,000 Christmas lights, horse-drawn carriage rides, visits from Santa and educational activities to coincide with the exhibition. The Gardens Holiday Express, a G-scale railway garden is another feature central to this exhibition.

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Indoor Gardens

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Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory

Taste of the Gardens Cafe

Taste of the Gardens Café at night

Taste of the Gardens Café featuring “Lena’s Garden” by Dale Chihuly

“Lena’s Garden” by Dale Chihuly

“Lena’s Garden” by Dale Chihuly

Sculpture Park

Magdalena Abakanowicz. Figure on a Trunk, 1998. Bronze, h. 96 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Magdalena Abakanowicz.

Arnaldo Pomodoro. Disk in the Form of a Desert Rose, 1993–1994 (Meijer Sculpture Park casting, 1999–2000). Bronze, diameter: 119 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Arnaldo Pomodoro.

Hanneke Beaumont. Number 25 and Number 26, 1995–1996. Bronze, h. 60 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Hanneke Beaumont.

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Andy Goldsworthy. Grand Rapids Arch, 2001/2005. Stone, h. 216 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Andy Goldsworthy.

Mark di Suvero. Scarlatti, 1994–2000. Steel, h. 304 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Mark di Suvero.

Lynn Chadwick. Beast XVI, 1959. Bronze, h. 31 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © The Estate of Lynn Chadwick.

Kenneth Snelson. B-Tree II, 2005. Stainless steel, h. 384 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Kenneth Snelson.

Chakaia Booker. Rendezvous, 2004. Rubber, h. 86 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Chakaia Booker. Chakaia Booker. Urban Excursion, 2004. Rubber, h. 89 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Chakaia Booker

Auguste Rodin. Eve, 1881 (model), cast before 1920. Bronze, h. 68.5 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer.

Michele Oka Doner. Colossus, 2003. Bronze, h. 65 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park,

Jonathan Borofsky. Male/Female, 2001. Fabricated aluminum, h. 276 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens &

Alexander Liberman. Aria, 1979–1983. Painted steel, h. 504 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture

Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Michele Oka Doner.

Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Jonathan Borofsky.

Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © 2002 Estate of Alexander Liberman

Jean Arp. Torso of a Knight (torse chevalier), 1959. Bronze, h. 34 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris.

Antony Gormley. One and Other, 2000. Iron, h. 76 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © 2002 Antony Gormley.

Ossip Zadkine. Standing Woman (femme debout), conceived 1922, cast before 1967. Bronze, 30.25 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/VG Bild-Kunst.

Henry Moore. Bronze Form, 1985. Bronze, h. 174 inches. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © The Henry Moore Foundation.

Children’s Garden

Children of the World

Story Telling Garden and Lookout Hut

Touch in the Kid Sense Garden

Great Lakes Garden

Outdoor Gardens

English Perennial Garden

Waterfalls

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Waterfalls with “Aria” in the background FMG_Falls_3.jpg

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Historical Timeline 1981 The West Michigan Horticultural Society forms for the purpose of building a botanical garden in the

West Michigan Area. In March, the West Michigan Horticultural Society is incorporated as a non-profit educational institution.

1983 Frederik Meijer becomes interested in the work of Marshall Fredericks. In Greenville, Michigan, his

birthplace, Meijer selects Fredericks’ sculpture, The Ugly Duckling as a permanent sculpture to commemorate the Danish Festival. Fred Meijer is asked to fund the project due to his strong ties to the community. This introduction to sculpture excites Meijer and begins his passion for collecting.

1985 Frederik Meijer secures his first series of sculpture from Marshall Fredericks for his personal use. He

approaches Fredericks to buy more pieces with the interest of having the largest private collection of his work.

1983—1987 Frederik Meijer collects numerous sculptures by Marshall Fredericks and stores these in a temporary

building located next to the Meijer Inc. corporate office located in Grand Rapids. Between 25 and 30 pieces are acquired, with the intention to eventually relocate the sculpture to a more public setting.

The West Michigan Horticultural Society undertakes preliminary steps to build a botanic garden for the West Michigan area. In 1987, the West Michigan Horticultural Society commissions architects’ renderings of a new conservatory. A site committee establishes a list of criteria to determine appropriateness of proposed sites for the gardens.

1988 The site committee considers 14 sites for the gardens. The West Michigan Horticultural Society

membership grows to 122 people. 1990 The West Michigan Horticultural Society approaches Frederik Meijer to ask for a donation of land that

Meijer Inc. owns, as a potential home for the project. Frederik Meijer donates $1 million to the project, plus another $500,000 to seed a foundation to

support the project with the right to name the gardens at a later date. 1991 In January, Meijer Inc. offers 70.7 acres of land in Grand Rapids Township for the botanic garden

site. The site and fund development committees support the location. Frederik Meijer offers to donate his entire Marshall Fredericks sculpture collection valued at $2,000,000 to the botanic garden project.

1992–1993 A community campaign to raise $13.1 million launches in June 1992 to fund the building of the new

botanic garden. Earl Holton, President of Meijer Inc. and Tom Gleason, CEO of Wolverine World Wide co-chair the campaign. Frederik Meijer is named the honorary chairperson for the campaign.

In August, a groundbreaking ceremony is held and construction begins. In September, Mark Jeter, the Gardens’ first Executive Director is hired. 1994 In March, the Michigan Botanical Gardens is renamed Frederik Meijer Gardens, based upon a

recommendation from internationally known landscape architect, James van Sweden, who is hired in the summer of 1994 as the landscape architect for the project.

By April, the campaign has raised $15.4 million through individual gifts and grants from numerous

individuals and organizations and more than 40 foundations.

In the summer of 1994, a community-wide membership drive begins to build the membership base for Meijer Gardens.

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1995 In January, the first truck load of exotic tropical plants arrives at the Gardens. By February and March, 2000 plants are installed in the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory.

April 20, Frederik Meijer Gardens opens to the public. The Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory and the 40 piece sculpture collection debut. Other areas open to the public include: • The Lobby and Gallery

The Lobby and Gallery feature two prime architectural elements; twenty foot-high “tree sculptures” are a main support for the building; the Solstice Walls, made of Wisconsin quarry sandstone align with the sun during the summer and winter solstices.

• The Garden View Cafe The Garden View Cafe is a dining establishment featuring homemade soups, deli sandwiches, fresh salads, and fresh baked pastries. In the evening, the Garden View is transformed into a private rental space for events and receptions.

• The DeVos Family Gift Shop The gift shop features music, glass, home decor items, and jewelry.

• The Peter M. Wege Library Open to the public for study and reference, the library has an extensive collection of books and periodicals on horticulture, botany, and sculpture.

• The Hauenstein and Pfeiffer Meeting Rooms These rooms have seating for up to eighty people each. They can be used separately or together for educational classes, business meetings, receptions, and lectures.

• The Hoffman Family Auditorium The Hoffman Family Auditorium offers a beautiful multi-image presentation entitled “Natural Affections,” a quality piece describing the special relationship that exists between people and plants.

In April, Mark Jeter leaves Meijer Gardens for a new position in Florida, and the Gardens second Executive Director, Patricia Hopkinson is hired.

On September 22, the Victorian Garden opens. The Victorian Garden is a lovely recreation of a Victorian conservatory commonly built within private homes during the late 1800s. These “garden” rooms were a mainstay for entertaining in the home. Frederik Meijer Gardens’ Victorian Garden features period furniture and accessories amidst a living collection of plants. Afternoon teas and evening private parties for small groups are possible. On October 15, the outdoor Wege Nature Trail and Frey Boardwalk open. The Nature Trail on more than 30 acres of woodlands, wetlands and meadows includes a 2-mile nature trail within a natural setting. Many sculptures are located along the trail. On November 17, the Gardener’s Corner Gift Shop opens. The Gardener’s Corner features plants for sale, including unusual and exotic varieties. Gardening tools, horticultural supplies and literature are available.

On November 23—December 31, the Gardens debuts its first annual exhibition “Christmas Around the World” which features decorative holiday trees and traditions from countries around the world.

1996 On January 20, the Arid Garden opens. The Arid Garden features plants from arid areas around the

world, including Africa, Madagascar and the Americas.

On February 14 - March 15, the Gardens debuts its second annual exhibition, “Butterflies Are Blooming.” More than 50,000 people visit the butterfly exhibit during the month long event. Hundreds of tropical butterflies arrive in chrysalis stage and emerge within the Lena Meijer Tropical Conservatory to the delight of visitors and members.

In September, the New American Garden by landscape designer James van Sweden opens at the Gardens. This garden, the first outdoor garden created, features mass plantings of grasses and perennials that define the style of the New American Garden.

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In December, the Grace Jarecki Seasonal Display Greenhouse opens to the public. This colorful room features a changing display of flowers according to the season.

1997 In January, Patricia Hopkinson, executive director departs for a new director position in Toledo, Ohio.

Search begins for a new executive director. On April 14, R. Brent Dennis is hired. Dennis served as the executive director of Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio prior to taking the position at Meijer Gardens.

September, the Leslie E. Tassell English Perennial and Bulb Garden opens to the public. Created by

Penelope Hobhouse, famous English garden designer, and James van Sweden, internationally known landscape designer, the English Perennial and Bulb Garden is the second major outdoor garden created at the Meijer Gardens.

The Sculpture Collection expands to more than 60 bronze works by international artists.

1998 In April, the Gardens announce plans for a $12.8 million campaign for a new expansion. The

development includes the addition of a new entrance off East Beltline Avenue, additional parking, educational classrooms, a new 800 seat multipurpose auditorium, sculpture gallery, and exhibit space dedicated to the creative process in creating sculpture.

In June, the Gwen Frostic Woodland Shade Garden opens to the public. This natural setting with

rhododendrons and other shade tolerant perennials along the Wege Nature Trail is dedicated to the Michigan artist, Gwen Frostic, from Benzonia Michigan.

Late Summer, Meijer Inc. donates an additional 48 acres of land allowing the Gardens to build a new

entrance off of East Beltline Avenue.

In November, Meijer Gardens announces the decision to acquire The American Horse, one of only two castings of a 24-foot bronze sculpture created by Nina Akamu and inspired by the drawings and designs of Leonardo da Vinci.

1999 On March 3, the Gardens realize the $12.8 million goal for new building expansion. The new

expansion is expected to officially open to the public by September 2000.

On April 19, the Gardens welcomes its one-millionth visitor, Adam Abbott, age 8 from Wayland, Michigan.

On July 14, the sculpture Aria is dedicated at its new location along a newly built 1-mile long sculpture trail.

On August 4, the innovative sculpture, Full Circle, created by Carolyn Ottmers, first winner of the Meijer Sculpture Competition, debuts.

On August 19, Deborah Butterfield’s sculpture, Cabin Creek, is dedicated and placed on the sculpture trail.

On October 1, the new East Beltline Avenue entrance opens to the public.

October 7 marks the spectacular unveiling of The American Horse in front of 4,800 guests, with the help of the U.S. Marine Corp Band assisted by two Friesian horses. The introduction of The American Horse increases visitation five fold in October and four fold in November.

The sculpture collection grows to more than 100 sculptures.

2000 In September, Meijer Gardens opens the $12.8 million expansion which more than doubles indoor space, increases facility rental potential, provides new space for sculpture exhibitions, gift shopping, guest dining, educational classes, and improves visitor services.

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In October, the Gardens debuts the permanent commission installation, Column of the Free Spirit by Richard Hunt.

2001 The Gardens’ permanent sculpture collections grows significantly with 10 new sculpture additions;

most are planned for the future Sculpture Park. The new Snell Sculpture Center opens giving visitors the opportunity to view sculpture from different perspectives including style, creative decision-making, inspiration, and processes.

Membership exceeds 10,000 households.

Meijer Gardens gains significant recognition by earning a GEMmy award given by the Midwest Travel

Writers Association as one of five sites for “best travel experience in North America.” Other honors include a gold medal award in the International Pavilion Competition at the Cincinnati Flower Show, a shared award with Missouri Botanic Garden as “the best public garden” by readers of Midwest Magazine, and an award as one of six Michigan sites for “best summer vacation experience” also named by Midwest Magazine readers.

During March and April, “Foremost’s Butterflies Are Blooming,” the blockbuster tropical butterfly

exhibition exceeds 150,000 visitors.

The Kenneth E. Nelson Carnivorous Plant House opens, becoming one of the largest carnivorous collections in the nation.

2002 The exhibition Rodin’s Obsession: The Gates of Hell, selections from the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor

Collection, draws record attendance. Visitation in January and February are twice the visitation ever in these same months.

On May 16, the new Sculpture Park at Meijer Gardens opens to the public, with six of the international artists present for the dedication. This 30-acre space includes 24 works by Rodin, Maillol, Pomodoro, Abakanowicz, Oldenburg & van Bruggen, and di Suvero among many others within an outdoor setting among waterfalls, woodlands, wildflower meadows, streams and beautiful landscape settings.

On August 14, the Meijer Gardens welcomes its 2 millionth visitor, four-year-old Jamie Lynn Urban, of Ada, Michigan.

2003 Chihuly at the Gardens, presented by The Keeler Foundation, features glass works by Dale Chihuly,

the most popular temporary exhibition to date. On May 17, Michigan’s Farm Garden opens as a place where families can experience heirloom vegetable gardens, orchards, and farm animal sculptures within a 1930s era farm setting. It includes a three-quarter-scale replica of Lena Rader Meijer’s childhood home and an authentic 100-year-old barn and windmill.

On June 15, the Gardens launches a summer music series at the brand new 1750-seat outdoor amphitheater. Art Garfunkel kicks off the series, which lasts through September. The series features performances by other artists including Michael McDonald, Buddy Guy, Branford Marsalis, and Charlie Daniels Band. The amphitheater becomes host to various musical events, including performances by local West Michigan musicians in the Keller Cooler Music Series and Tuesday Evening Music Club.

2004 The Gardens kicks off the year with an exclusive exhibition of the work of American sculptor George

Segal. One of the first exhibitions of this artist’s work since his death in 2000, this exhibition is the only one to appear in the United States – a retrospective of Segal’s remarkable career which spanned over forty years.

On June 9, the amphitheater opens for the second outdoor summer concert series with headliner B.B. King. Five of the twelve concerts sold out.

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On June 20, Meijer Gardens opens the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden on five acres and becomes one of the most developed and interactive children’s gardens in the nation. Ten theme areas are incorporated throughout, including a Kid Sense Garden, Great Lakes Garden, Quarry, Log Cabin, Tree House Village, Butterfly Maze, a Woodland Wetland, Labyrinth, and Sculpture Walk. Attendance increased more than 65 percent, June through September, compared to 2003.

On September 24, an important exhibition opens by internationally acclaimed sculptor Mark di Suvero. A pioneer in the idiom of construction steel, his work serves as a crossroad for many of the most influential movements in twentieth century art. The large-scale sculptures are on loan through Autumn 2006 due to the generosity of the artist and donors. The introduction of a new logo symbolizes the spirit of the organization—a fusion of horticulture, sculpture and human celebration in one abstract image. It was designed by Gregg Palazzolo of Palazzolo Design in Ada, Michigan. Memberships reach a record high of 15,000 member households.

2005 On January 21, Meijer Gardens opens its tenth anniversary year with the opening of Henry Moore:

Imaginary Landscapes, an exclusive exhibition, six years in the making. The exhibition features 85 works including monumental bronzes, pedestal sculptures, models, maquettes, drawings and related prints, some of which have never been shown in the United States.

On February 9, three new sculptures are added to the permanent collection. Albert Carrier-

Belleuse’s Autumn Lovers, Auguste Rodin’s The Kiss and Edgar Degas’ Dancer Looking at the Sole of Her Right Foot are formally unveiled in the Victorian Garden, the sculptures’ new home.

On April 20, Meijer Gardens celebrates its tenth anniversary with a gala of monumental proportions.

More than 585 guests attend the evening that honored Fred and Lena Meijer, Earl and Donnalee Holton, Ray Loeschner, Dick Morton, Mary Ann and Miner S. Keeler, Glenn and Betsy Borre, Rebecca Finneran, Starr Meijer and Meg Miller Willit, Peter Wege and Connie Snell for their commitment and dedication to developing Meijer Gardens during its first ten years. An anniversary film, The Eye Needs Something Too and anniversary book Growing a Masterpiece both debut at the gala.

In June, the work of young artist Dietrich Klinge is introduced at Meijer Gardens, the first exhibition of

his work outside of his native country of Germany. Klinge’s bronzes, drawings and prints originating from carved wooden figures appear to spring to life in our enchanted setting.

During the annual exhibition Christmas Around the World and Holiday Traditions, the new G-scale Polar Express Train Garden debuts, bringing a record number of visitors to the exhibition. While the movie The Polar Express begins its successful run in Grand Rapids, Chris Van Allsburg, the originator of the story visits Meijer Gardens and is delighted by the display. Meijer Gardens welcomes its three-millionth visitor, Judy Dodd of Clairmont, California. Volunteers contributed 541,934 hours of service to Meijer Gardens in its first decade. Meijer Gardens begins construction on The Groves, a five-acre expansion of the Sculpture Park.

2006 On January 27, Meijer Gardens reestablishes it’s commitment to exploring the duality between art and the natural world with the exclusive sculpture exhibition, Andy Goldsworthy Arches, the artist’s largest exhibition in the United States to date. In addition to ephemeral works, reliefs and photography, the presentation includes two major sculptures, the colossal Grand Rapids Arch and the related Herd of Arches.

David S. Hooker is named the new President and Chief Executive Officer.

During summer, Meijer Gardens presents one of the largest public art exhibitions in the history of Grand Rapids. Tom Otterness in Grand Rapids: The Gardens to the Grand literally brings off-the-pedestal sculpture to the entire city.

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In mid-year, Meijer Gardens welcomes its four-millionth visitor from England.

The Stream, a beautiful new garden, is added along the waterway that flows between The American Horse and the Children’s Garden. The Volunteer Tribute Garden is also added to express gratitude to all the volunteers who have given their precious time and talents so generously. Meijer Gardens creates an additional seasonal exhibition, ColorFall. The exhibition includes events and activities at Michigan’s Farm Garden, a profusion of chrysanthemums, guided color tours and the Prodigious Pumpkins display. Membership reaches 17,300 member households, becoming the largest membership base of any attraction in West Michigan. On September 29, the first museum presentation of two-dimensional works by internationally acclaimed sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz opens to the public. Organized by Meijer Gardens, it showcases 50 works, many of them made public for the first time.

2007 Meijer Gardens celebrates the fifth anniversary of the Sculpture Park, which has grown to more than

30 acres. 16 additional works have been installed since the opening. On May 25, “The Amazing Chocolate Tree” exhibition opens and becomes one of the largest

horticulture exhibitions in Meijer Gardens’ history. Guests are lead through a 20-foot flower dome experiencing the sights and sounds of a tropical rainforest environment. A life-size chocolate factory is on display in the Children’s Garden.

In June, the Detroit Institute of Arts makes a rare and exclusive loan of Rodin’s The Thinker. On loan

until October, The Thinker needs to be moved to accommodate construction at the DIA. Nearly 14,000 music lovers attending Meijer Gardens’ fifth annual outdoor summer concert series.

Sell-out performances included Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, Chick Corea and Bela Fleck, Robert Cray and Nickel Creek.

On October 19, Meijer Gardens receives Alexander Calder’s Two Discs on rare long-term loan from

the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Two Discs, which stands over 25 feet tall, is placed in the Cultural Commons.

Meijer Gardens membership is over 17,000 households, despite challenging economic times. 2008 On March 18, Meijer Gardens breaks ground for the Maintaining the Masterpiece Campaign. In

attendance are: Fred and Lena Meijer, lead donors; Hildegard Adkins, Volunteer of the Year; and Mary Ellen Rodgers, Board of Directors Chairperson.

On June 5, Meijer Gardens welcomes its five-millionth visitor: Carol Hayes of Lansing and her granddaughters Lynn, 7, and Lani, 4, of Atlanta, GA. Meijer Gardens’ sixth annual outdoor summer concert series includes 5 sellout shows by The Doobie Brothers, Keb’ Mo and Robert Cray, CAKE, Lyle Lovett, and KT Tunstall. On October 2-4, Meijer Gardens is the location for the 2008 International Sculpture Center’s biennial conference ”Sculpture in Public: Part 2, Public Art.” More then 500 artists, curators, patrons, educators and students attend the event. The keynote address is given by internationally acclaimed sculptor Jaume Plensa. The keynote coincides with Meijer Gardens’ Member Opening of Plensa’s largest exhibition in the United States to date. On October 3, Meijer Gardens hosts “The Connection: A Night at the Gardens,” a kickoff event for the organization’s newest membership level. The Connection is a vibrant group of young professionals who wish to help "promote the enjoyment, understanding and appreciation of gardens, sculpture, the natural environments and the arts" in an innovative and fun way.

Updated 10/1/09

1000 East Beltl ine Avenue NE | Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | Main Phone 616 957 1580 | Toll Free Phone 888 957 1580 | Me i j e r G a r d e n s .or g

Frederik Meijer Gardens &

Sculpture Park promotes

the enjoyment, understanding

and appreciation of

gardens, sculpture, the natural

environment and the arts.

Media Contact:Amy Sawade

Public Relations SpecialistPhone: 975 3155

Cell: 810 444 4201asawade@meijergardens.org