Michigan
This Michigan sculpture park is No. 2 in US. See rankings
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A visit to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park this spring offers a chance to enjoy one of the nation’s best sculpture parks, according to USA TODAY’s 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards.
The Grand Rapids-based gardens and sculpture park, ranked No. 2 in the country, feature a diverse range of hundreds of sculptures throughout the complex, including in its Sculpture Park, according to the Meijer Gardens. Rotating exhibitions feature work by contemporary artists, with Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism set to run until March 15.
“Spanning 158 acres in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park hosts outdoor gardens and a five-floor, 15,000-square-foot tropical conservatory. The permanent collection features more than 200 works, many of which are displayed in the sculpture park,” the 10BEST website says.
Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Wilson, North Carolina won best sculpture park in the U.S. in the 10BEST awards.
In 2025, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park was named the Best Sculpture Park in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for the third consecutive year.
Here’s what to know about the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.
What award did Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park win?
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in west Michigan ranked No. 2 among the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards top 10 sculpture parks nationwide.
“Discover the allure of open-air artistry at these 20 sculpture parks and gardens, nominated by an expert panel as the best across the United States. These captivating spaces blend the beauty of nature with the ingenuity of human creation, offering visitors a unique journey through large-scale masterpieces set against the backdrop of the American landscape,” the 10BEST website says about the nominees.
What to see at Meijer Gardens’ sculpture park
The Sculpture Park at the Meijer Gardens is home to a collection of over 50 major sculptures surrounded by a tranquil environment, with lawns, waterways, meadows, meandering paths and quiet walkways, per the gardens’ website. Artists represented in the permanent collection include Auguste Rodin, Barbara Hepworth, Ai Weiwei and beyond.
The exhibition Jaume Plensa: A New Humanism, running until March 15, offers visitors a chance to explore shared humanity through universal themes via contemporary sculptures and art by Jaume Plensa, the website says.
What is Meijer Gardens?
The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is home to five indoor theme gardens, Michigan’s largest tropical conservatory, outdoor gardens, nature trails and boardwalk, sculpture galleries and permanent sculpture collection, library, café, gift shop, education center and meeting rooms.
“Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park promotes the enjoyment, understanding, and appreciation of gardens, sculpture, the natural environment, and the arts,” the Meijer Gardens website says.
How much is admission to the Meijer Gardens?
General admission costs $25 for adults ages 14 to 64, $20 for seniors ages 65 and older, $19 for students with student ID, $2 with Museums for All, $14 for children ages 3 to 13, and children ages 2 and under get in free, according to the Meijer Gardens website.
Tickets can be purchased online or in person at the Entry Desk.
Where is Meijer Gardens?
Meijer Gardens, 1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE, is located on 158 acres of land in Grand Rapids in west Michigan.
What other sculpture parks were ranked in the top 10?
Here are the U.S. sculpture parks that ranked in the 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards:
- Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park in Wilson, North Carolina
- Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina
- Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park in Sumpter, Wisconsin
- Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park in Hamilton, Ohio
- Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas
- Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey
- Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis
- Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in New Orleans
- Goldwell Open Air Museum in Beatty, Nevada
Who does the rankings?
The USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards highlights the very best travel, food, drink and lifestyle.
The panel includes industry experts who nominate their favorite attractions across a range of categories. Editors then vet the nominations and set a final list of nominees to be presented to the voting public.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com.
Before-and-after images of homes on Black Lake near Onaway provide perspectives on how the community was affected by April flooding.
Snowmelt and rain have stressed dams and caused lakes to flood in northern Michigan.
The Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office shared on social media photos and videos that the agency captured of Cheboygan County floods on Friday, April 17 from both the ground and air.
Deputies “observed a level of destruction that simply cannot be understood from ground level,” the sheriff’s office said in the post.
Google Maps images taken from two locations on Black Lake in 2024, compared with the Friday images, show how the floodwater has changed the landscape.
On North Black River Road and Taylor Road, the water has overflowed to North Black River Road.
In the 400 block of South Black River Road, water has also flooded homes and lakeside property.
“Black Lake, Black River, Cheboygan River, Burt Lake, Mullet Lake, the Sturgeon River − and nearly every waterway in the county have overflowed beyond their banks, swallowing docks, roads, yards, and in far too many cases, homes,” the sheriff’s office post said. “What should be familiar shorelines are now unrecognizable expanses of water.”
“Our hearts are with every family affected by this flooding,” Cheboygan County Sheriff Todd Ross said in the post. “We know many of you are facing significant damage to your homes and property, and the emotional toll that comes with it. Please know you are not alone. We are working around the clock with our partners to ensure safety, provide support, and begin the process of recovery. Stay strong, stay connected, and don’t hesitate to reach out for help, we will get through this together.”
Nearby, the UAW Black Lake Conference Center shared images on social media of floodwater threatening its Old Lodge.
The conference center is located at 2000 Maxon Road in Waverly Township.
The Cheboygan County Road Commission and the Cheboygan County Office of Emergency Management closed the bridge at Five Mile Point Road on Saturday, April 18 due to significant road washout in the area of South Black River Road and Red Bridge Road.
The sheriff’s office had encouraged residents in parts of the area to evacuate earlier in the week and said Saturday it had completed evacuation efforts on the west side of the lake.
TEXAS TOWNSHIP, Mich. — A 20-year-old Kalamazoo man is dead after crashing his vehicle into a tree Friday evening in Texas Township, according to Michigan State Police (MSP).
It happened on South 3rd Street and West PQ Avenue around 6:50 p.m., troopers said.
While he was driving in a no-passing zone, the Kalamazoo man swerved off the road to avoid an oncoming vehicle and subsequently crashed into the tree, according to MSP.
The 20-year-old died at the scene. A passenger was hurt, but police said their injuries were non-life threatening.
Troopers do not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor, and the two were reportedly wearing seatbelts.
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This incident remains under investigation by MSP.
A Southfield man has pleaded guilty to illegally possessing driver’s licenses, Social Security cards and equipment to create fake documents, federal prosecutors said.
Jerome Antwan Andrews, 41, pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing the driver’s license information and Social Security numbers of more than 250 people in a scheme that caused more than $550,000 in fraud losses, U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr. said.
As part of his plea agreement, prosecutors say Andrews admitted to having an embosser, a laminator, a card cutter and an ID card printer and admitted that his business model was aimed at creating and selling fake Social Security cards and driver’s licenses in the names of real people.
“Jerome Antwan Andrews and his criminal associates stole more than $1.5 million by submitting hundreds of fraudulent claims to a pandemic program intended to help unemployed American workers. Today’s conviction of Andrews represents yet another attack in our war against fraud. It sends a stern warning that my office will relentlessly investigate those bad actors greedily lining their pockets with U.S. taxpayer funds,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Andrews faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine or twice the pecuniary gain or loss, according to prosecutors. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Labor investigated Andrews’ case.
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