Garden Dialogues 2025: Ridgefield, CT

The Sculpture Garden at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, CT, located conveniently near the New York State border, leverages the site’s distinct characteristics to provide a rich and transporting intersection of art and nature. Join The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) for an exclusive tour of this outdoor gallery led by Edward Marshall, Ramón Ibarlucea, and Abby Fuller of STIMSON, the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based landscape architecture firm, as they guide us through their recent reimagination of this exceptional site.

Aerial view of the Sculpture Garden - Photo courtesy of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT

Meandering paths traverse the three-acre property, leading from the museum buildings—a structure built in 1738 nicknamed “Old Hundred” and a 2004 addition designed by Tappé Associates—to the tranquil garden, where a loop wends around the perimeter of the garden, inviting visitors to explore.

Sculpture Garden - Photo courtesy of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT

Native trees and flowering shrubs frame pockets of grass clearings that serve as exhibition spaces for the museum’s contemporary sculptures. Set against the picturesque woodland backdrop, they create moments for quiet reflection and appreciation. Built into the undulating terrain just beyond the looping pathway, four tiers of amphitheater seating are made from stones salvaged from walls that once surrounded historic Ridgefield. The amphitheater looks out onto a grass clearing in the center of the garden, where more sculptures have been artfully placed.

Sculpture Garden - Photo courtesy of the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield, CT

STIMSON’s design of the sculpture garden seamlessly blends historic elements with modern amenities, secluded spots among a shared space, and nature with manmade art, drawing from the landscape’s rich past while pushing the boundaries of future landscape design, sustainability, and innovation.

This Garden Dialogue will be followed by a lecture from Charles A. Birnbaum, President and CEO of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, inside the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum at 1:00 PM. Admission to the museum and lecture is accepted with the purchase of a Garden Dialogue ticket.

1.5 LA CES™ professional development hours will be available to attendees, pending approval.

Refund Policy - No refunds will be made for Garden Dialogues

Also check out other Arts events in Warendorf, Fine Arts events in Warendorf, Exhibitions in Warendorf.