Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, Missouri

Rarely can a place be found that combines hiking and art. Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, Missouri is just such a place. They even include music, picnicking and instruction programs.

There are over 100 outdoor art installations at Laumeier, some up in the trees so a visitor has to keep alert.

On nearly100 acres there are gravel surfaced nature trails, broad expanses of verdant grass, and thickets of trees and art can be found in the unusual places. Sculptures of metal, wood, stone, glass and even earth share space with the artistry of Mother Nature.

Laumeier Sculpture Park got its start in 1968 when Mrs. Matilda Laumeier donated 72 acres in memory of her husband. In 1975 the idea of the sculpture park was proposed and with the donations of 40 works by Ernest Trova, in 1977 the park official opened to the public.

The park hosts over 300,000 visitors a years and is home to the Laumeier Outdoor Music Amphitheater. During the summer months local music artists play and a movie is shown on a giant inflatable screen. It also hosts tours by artists like B. B. King and the Cowboy Junkies.

Laumeier Park is a place in St. Louis where hikers can hike, art buffs can view art, and music lovers and love music.

"A walk in the park" takes on a whole new meaning at Laumeier. At the bottom of the steps is one entrance to the nature/art trails. The initial art installation is called Triangular Bridge Over Water by Dan Graham (Pic #1). The steel and glass sculpture spans a gurgling creek amid Missouri bottom land forest.

What sculpture encountered after that depends entirely on what direction the hiker goes.

They might find themselves at the edge of an big dry swimming pool. It is known as Pool Complex, Orchard Valley by Mary Miss (Pic #2). Currently under partial renovation it is a sight in the middle of the woods.

Not only must the hiker keep watch for birds and other critters, they must be alert for art. Even a grassy hill might be more than it appears. Cromlech Glen by Beverly Pepper (Pic #3).

Looking up from the bottom of the music amphitheater is a great view of Old Buddy(for Rosko) by Mark di Suvero. Across the expanse of grass more pieces of sculpture can be found.

Surrounding the Indoor Galleries building are some funky sculptures. A favorite is Eye by Tony Tasset (Pic #5). It is like a Titan lost his glass eye and it fell in Laumeier Sculpture Park. Getting two sculptures in one photo just takes some imagination. Gox No. 3 by Ernest Trova can be view through the hole in Window 1/3 by Jene Highstein (Pic #4).

Find picture of some of the other sculptures in the Laumeier Sculpture Park slideshow. It includes Pool Complex, St. Louis Bones, Laumeier Project, Ricardo Cat, and more.

There are self-guided audio tours, group tours at $2 per person, and docent led tours that are free on Sundays. The park is open 363 days a year.

Laumeier Sculpture Park is a place where hikers can learn to love art, artists can learn to love nature, and the bodymind can be exercised. 12580 Rott Road in St. Louis and more information can be found on their website.