Franconia Sculpture Park is an outdoor museum of contemporary art on 50 acres at the intersection of Highways 95 and 8 in Shafer, just west of Taylors Falls. Founded in 1996, it is both a sculpture park and an artist residency, so the work you see ranges from monumental steel pieces to experimental installations that artists are making on site. Admission is free, with a suggestion that visitors donate any amount, and the grounds are open 365 days a year from 8 am to 8 pm. The Franconia Commons building, which houses the gallery and event space, keeps shorter hours, daily in the main season and on Fridays to Sundays in winter, and is closed on national holidays. The park hosts workshops, a holiday market and, from May to October, an art and farmers market on the first Sunday of the month.
Planning
Because the grounds are open daily from morning to evening and free, the park is easy to fit into a valley itinerary at any time of year. Check the website’s calendar for events and the opening hours of the Commons building if you want to see the gallery. Wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothes, because you are walking across open fields and may come across works that are climbable or interactive. Winter visits are cold but atmospheric, with sculptures in snow.
What to expect
A quiet, sometimes playful landscape of large artworks set among grass and trees, with new pieces appearing as resident artists complete them. Children often enjoy it because the works are big and visible, but ask staff which pieces can be touched and respect signs. Allow an hour for a stroll, or longer if you attend a workshop or market. The park is a good option on a cloudy day, when the scale of the works is easy to appreciate.
Making the most of it
Make a donation if you enjoy your visit, and pair the park with Interstate State Park and Taylors Falls nearby. A stop here also breaks up the drive between Stillwater and the northern valley. Photographers will find the late afternoon light dramatic against the steel and stone. If you visit on the first Sunday of the month between May and October, you can add the art and farmers market, which makes a charming extra stop.
What to expect
The experience
A free outdoor museum of contemporary sculpture on 50 acres.
Best time
Late afternoon light, or a first Sunday for the market in season.
How long
One to two hours.
Tips
Wear comfortable shoes, check the calendar and leave a donation if you enjoy it.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Art lovers and photographers.
- Families
- Large, visible works and open space suit children.
- Couples
- A free, atmospheric stop on a valley drive.
- Pair with
- Interstate State Park and Taylors Falls.
- Time needed
- One to two hours.
Good questions
Is Franconia Sculpture Park free?+
Yes. Admission is free, with a suggested donation of any amount.
When is it open?+
The grounds are open 365 days a year from 8 am to 8 pm.
Where is it?+
At the intersection of Highways 95 and 8 in Shafer, just west of Taylors Falls.
What is the Franconia Commons?+
The building with the gallery and event space. It has shorter, seasonal hours and is closed on national holidays.
Is there a market?+
An art and farmers market runs on the first Sunday of the month from May to October.