Rendering of the East Garden by DarcStudio. (Photo: Courtesy of Hirshhorn)
The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden is on the cusp of a grand reopening. It’s happening on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, after four years and a $68 million revitalization. The institution will have repaired aging infrastructure and will have more artwork on display, all in a design that reunifies the garden with the greater Hirshorn campus.
The updated Hirshhorn Sculpture Garden will feature 60 works—a 50% increase from the garden’s previous capacity—all set within a landscape containing 30,000 new plants and trees. The hope is that the addition of greenery will inspire contemplation as visitors take in the works on view, which are a mix of 19th-century pieces, Modernist icons, and contemporary works, including some new acquisitions.
Architect-artist Hiroshi Sugimoto redesigned the sculpture garden. His work isn’t new to the institution; Sugimoto previously created the museum’s lobby. With this institutional knowledge, the architect took “careful consideration” of Gordon Bunshaft’s original design. The new iteration of the garden features dry-stacked stone walls to define its main spaces and encourage exploration—particularly in the East Garden, which contains bronze sculptures by Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse, and Henry Moore.
While the redesign allows for more artwork on display, it also addresses critical infrastructure needs. This includes expanded public access to the Hirshhorn campus, including a wider “front door” on the National Mall.
“The revitalization of the Sculpture Garden marks the most significant rethinking of our campus since the Hirshhorn opened in 1974, and the reopening installation presents the seamless connection between the museum and the garden through works from the 1880s to the present day,” said Hirshhorn Director Melissa Chiu.
“From Rodin, Willem de Kooning, Barbara Hepworth, and David Smith to artists leading the way today, including Sugimoto, the Sculpture Garden centers pivotal moments in sculpture within a landscape designed for discovery. We are proud to bolster Joseph H. Hirshhorn’s vision for 21st-century audiences.”
When the garden opened, 52 artworks were sourced from Joseph Hirshhorn’s massive gift to the U.S. people, comprising more than 2,000 sculptures. Now, 39 of the artworks will be from the founding donor’s personal collection, 21 of which were there when it opened.
