Sculpture Garden
The revitalized Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden opens on October 31, 2026, after a four-year transformation of its 1.3-acre landscape. The opening weekend, October 31–November 1, will feature free public programs celebrating the garden’s return. The redesigned space expands the presentation of the Hirshhorn’s national sculpture collection while creating more opportunities for visitors to gather, explore, and experience performances and other time-based works.
Nearly 60 sculptures—about 50 percent more than in the previous installation—will be displayed among almost 30,000 newly planted trees and other plants. Architect and artist Hiroshi Sugimoto reimagined the garden in conversation with Gordon Bunshaft’s original design, restoring Bunshaft’s long-closed underground passageway to reconnect the garden with the Museum plaza. Sugimoto’s design also adds hand-cut, dry-stacked stone walls made from 950 tons of stone, expanded seating and shade, five entry points, a wider National Mall entrance, and broad ramps from the north and south.
When: Opening weekend is October 31–November 1, 2026. The Sculpture Garden opens October 31, 2026.
Showtimes: No specific showtimes are provided.
Tickets: Free public programs are offered for the celebratory opening weekend.
Venue: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Experience: The East Garden features major Modernist works, including five sculptures by Henry Moore and two by Barbara Hepworth, as well as four David Smith sculptures arranged in a central planting bed. Other works connected to Joseph H. Hirshhorn’s gifts and bequests include sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Lucio Fontana, Elisabeth Frink, Willem de Kooning, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Germaine Richier, and Tomonori Toyofuku.
Central Garden: The Central Garden provides a revised entrance and exit for the reopened underground passageway. Its expanded water feature can be filled to create a reflective, cooling surface or drained to provide seating for performances, artist talks, and art education.
West Garden: The West Garden is a dedicated green space for special presentations, surrounded by recent acquisitions by artists including Mark Grotjahn, Raven Halfmoon, Lauren Halsey, and Liz Larner.
Featured presentation: Yoshitomo Nara’s *Sentinels of Stillness* inaugurates the West Lawn and runs from October 31, 2026, through November 7, 2027.
Artists: Artists with work on view in the Sculpture Garden and Plaza include Yoshitomo Nara, Hans (Jean) Arp, Huma Bhabha, Max Bill, Andrea Cascella, Willem de Kooning, Lucio Fontana, Elisabeth Frink, Theaster Gates, Alberto Giacometti, Mark Grotjahn, Raven Halfmoon, Lauren Halsey, Barbara Hepworth, Richard Hunt, Izumi Kato, KAWS, Jeff Koons, Gaston Lachaise, Henri Laurens, Lee Ufan, Jacques Lipchitz, Aristide Maillol, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Yoko Ono, Woody De Othello, Pablo Picasso, Chatchai Puipia, Pedro Reyes, Germaine Richier, Auguste Rodin, Sterling Ruby, Arlene Shechet, David Smith, Tony Smith, Hiroshi Sugimoto, and Tomonori Toyofuku.
Accessibility and logistics: The garden has five entry points, including a wider front entrance on the National Mall and wide ramps approaching from the north and south. New east and west overlooks, flexible presentation areas, expanded seating, and additional shade are designed to improve access and visitor comfort.
Design team: Sugimoto’s team includes New Material Research Laboratory, cofounded by Sugimoto and Tomoyuki Sakakida in association with YUN Architecture; Quinn Evans as architect of record; and Rhodeside & Harwell Inc. as landscape architect.
Run time: Not applicable; this is an outdoor garden presentation and opening-weekend program.
Age guidance: No age restriction is provided.