The beauty of the roof above can only be complemented with the elegant and thoughtful design of the petal-shaped gardens.
Inspired by the blossoming roof line, these gardens include native and sustainable plantings, an event lawn, and contemplative pathways featuring a blend of over 50 different species of perennials, shrubs, native trees, and ornamental grasses.
Within the gardens are the artworks Indeterminate Line by Bernar Venet and, further to the south, Hoss Haley’s Toric Warped Grid.
Near the Event Lawn to the east, you will find Approaching Collapse by Robyn Horn and Jesus Moroles’_ Broken Earth_ within the Glass Box Terrace.
Paired with their surrounding environments, the landscape serves as a gallery for the Museum’s collection of outdoor sculptures.
The Museum’s gardens are part of the MacArthur Park revitalization efforts undertaken after the park suffered a loss of 150 native trees during a 1999 tornado.
In this effort, almost 250 additional native trees have been planted, namely oak.
By planting native species such as oaks and wax myrtles (an evergreen shrub), the biodiverse landscape helps support wildlife.
Oak trees provide food to over 500 species of caterpillar and a home to countless songbirds.
Each petal of the garden features a bioswale with regionally sourced Arkansas River pebbles lined with curving sculptural benches.
The bioswales are designed to filter rainwater from the roof’s unique folds and channel it into the gardens and eventually the park’s Foster Pond.
Thick with lowland plant species that are accustomed to flooding, the directed rainfall helps these gardens to flourish.
It is a serene experience that further connects architecture and landscape.
From the earliest stages of design, landscape architecture firm SCAPE worked with the Museum to craft the experience of a true “museum in the park.”
Nesting Studio Gang’s building within nature, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts welcomes and inspires with wonder and beauty.
