After visiting the phenomenal Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts, head over to the deCordova Sculpture Park & Museum just one mile away. Situated on 30 acres of sprawling lush lawns surrounded by woods and adjacent to a pond, deCordova features more than 60 modern and contemporary outdoor sculptures and site-specific installations.
Established in 1950, the cultural institution is housed on the former estate of Julian and Elizabeth (Lizzie) de Cordova. While Lizzie came from a prominent Boston family, Julian was a self-made man who found fortune as a tea broker, wholesale merchant, and investor. He also served as President of the Union Glass Company in Somerville, Mass.
The couple collected art from across the globe during their frequent travels, and the worldly pair decided to remodel their summer home in Lincoln in the style of a European castle. Following the deaths of both Lizzie (in 1922 at the age of 75) and their son Dana (in 1923 at 45), Julian opened his estate to visitors to share the collection he and his wife "had collected during seven decades of world travel," according to the museum's website. Julian hoped his home would continue to serve as a cultural and educational space after his own demise, and donated the property to the town of Lincoln in 1930 "with the stipulation that his estate would become a public museum of art following his death."
Following Julian's death in 1945 at the age of 94, his and Lizzie's art collection—which was deemed "not of substantial interest or value"—was sold and the funds went toward creating a museum for regional contemporary art.
In 2008, the focus of the deCordova shifted to sculpture, and in 2009, the museum officially changed its name from deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park to deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. The museum also began to branch outside of New England, showcasing work by national and international artists. In 2010, deCordova displayed its first international acquisition, British sculptor Antony Gormley’s Reflection II. Today, the sprawling Sculpture Park exhibits a diverse collection of large-scale artworks among the idyllic sylvan surroundings—combining a world-class museum experience with a lovely nature walk.
Learn more at decordova.org and see highlights from the amazing Sculpture Park below.
Anthony Gormley, Reflection II (2008)
George Rickey, Three Lines (1964)
Saul Melman, Best Of All Possible Worlds (2018)
Ursula von Rydingsvard, Elegantka (2010-2011)
Nam June Paik, Requiem To The 20th Century (1997)
Dan Graham, Crazy Spheroid—Two Entrances (2009)
Jim Dine, Two Big Black Hearts (1985)
Isaac Witkin, Jacob's Dream (1986)
Maren Hassinger, Monument 6 (Square) and Monument 3 (Standing Rectangle), (both 2018)
Nancy Winship Milliken, Pasture Song (2018)
Aaron Curry, Blubat, Homewrecker, and Ugly Mess (all 2013)
Fletcher Benton, Donut With 3 Balls (2002)
Sol LeWitt, Tower (DC), (1989/2009)
DeWitt Godfrey, Lincoln (2012)
Terence Koh, Children Of The Corn Totem Pole (2011)
John Wilson, Eternal Presence (1987)
Reno Pisano, Torso (1950)
Cat Mazza, Taking The Cure (2018)
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