Throughout 2025, Santa Fe celebrates its 20th anniversary as a UNESCO Creative City, the first in the United States to earn this designation for its innovation and investment in creativity and the arts. Come see our 250+ galleries, 20+ museums, dozens of art markets, and immersive arts installations to find out why! Among The City Different’s many art treasures are 6 distinctive sculpture gardens that offer encounters with art in serene, natural settings. Here's a guide to exploring these captivating spaces.
Allan Houser Sculpture Garden & Galleries
Located approximately 25 minutes south of Santa Fe along the scenic Turquoise Trail, the Allan Houser Sculpture Garden spans 15 tranquil acres of juniper- and chamisa-dotted terrain and gorgeous, wide-open vistas. The expansive garden features more than 70 monumental sculptures created by Chiricahua Apache artist Allan Houser in bronze, stone, and steel, reflecting Houser's legacy as a seminal figure in Native American and modernist art. Visitors are required to book reservations in advance for a guided tour ($35 + tax), offered Thursdays and Saturdays throughout the year. Access to the gallery and exhibitions is included.
Glenn Green Galleries + Sculpture Garden
Nestled in the historic village of Tesuque, just five miles north of Santa Fe, the Glenn Green Galleries’ property boasts a five-acre sculpture garden, set among ancient cottonwoods, apple trees, and an expansive meadow. It also features side gardens to allow more contemplative moments. Established in 1966, Glenn Green Galleries specializes in contemporary works by internationally renowned artists, including Allan Houser, Melanie Yazzie, and Isamu Noguchi. Currently on exhibition through October 2025 are Khang Pham-New’s Monumental Granite Sculptures, remarkably shaped by hand from solid blocks into biomorphic forms—abstract shapes that convey the sense of something alive.
Origami in the Garden
A 20-minute drive south of Santa Fe in the village of Cerrillos, Origami in the Garden is a three-acre outdoor exhibition, created by artists Jennifer and Kevin Box, located at the Box Studio & Sculpture Garden. Featuring monumental sculptures inspired by the art of origami, the garden will transfix with enduring metal forms resembling delicate paper folds. Don’t miss the Master Peace installation, composed of 500 soaring cranes and the Inside Out exhibit, which illuminates the process of paper folding. Visit Monday through Friday between 9 am and 1 pm with a suggested $10 donation. Bear in mind the garden resides on private residential property.
Prescott Gallery & Sculpture Garden
Situated at 1127 Siler Park Lane in Santa Fe, the Prescott Gallery & Sculpture Garden is renowned for artist Fredrick Prescott's vibrant kinetic sculptures. Spanning an acre and a half, the garden boasts a wind-driven whimsical world of monumental, steel animal sculptures in every color you can imagine. The 5,000-square-foot indoor gallery complements the outdoor experience–both are free of charge and open to the public Monday through Friday.
Santa Fe Botanical Garden
This more than 20-acre oasis of the Santa Fe Botanical Garden teems with natural flora and fauna native to the Northern New Mexico landscape. Weave and wend your way through the xeric, orchard, and meadow gardens, as well as the piñon-juniper woodland area along paths embellished with sculpted works of art. The current exhibition, running through April of 2026, Elements of the Earth: Contemporary Native Sculpture, features 15 sculptures by some of the most prominent Indigenous artists working in the Southwest today. The artists’ work is drawn from their engagement in the ceremonial and social life of their communities and each artist was involved in the placement of his/her work. Admission is $8 for youth and $15 for adults.
Sculpture Gardens at 403 Canyon Road
Located at 403 Canyon Road, Wiford Gallery is renowned for its expansive outdoor space tucked back in a serene courtyard and adorned with gurgling water features and kinetic sculptures, particularly those by Utah artist Lyman Whitaker. These whimsical sculptures, crafted from copper and stainless steel, are animated by the breeze and offer a soothing environment for a stroll or a sit. The space is shared by Project Tibet, a nonprofit organization that supports Tibetan culture and human rights, whose garden features carved Buddha statues and shaded benches. Adjacent is Canyon Road Contemporary, also worth a visit to see sculptures by Lorri Acott, David Meredith, and Adam Schultz. For a glimpse of more outdoor sculptures, amble Canyon Road's half-mile of galleries at your leisure and you’ll be surprised and delighted by what you see.
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