Gov. Shapiro cuts the ribbon at opening of Calder Gardens on Ben Franklin Parkway
Noting that the opening was happening during “an extremely divisive time in this great nation,” he saw the arts being as a thing that “allows us to speak a common language.”
On Monday morning, holding large scissors, Gov. Josh Shapiro, stood in line with a group of city leaders, arts executives, and philanthropists that included former Aramark CEO and philanthropist Joseph Neubauer, Barnes Foundation board chair Aileen Roberts, and Swiss architect Jacques Herzog.
Together, they cut a long white ribbon to mark the opening of Calder Gardens, located at 2100 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The latest art institution to be built on the Parkway, the gardens are dedicated to the work of Alexander “Sandy” Calder, the great American sculptor born in Philadelphia in 1898.
“The Calder roots run very deep here in Philadelphia. And now more Philadelphians will have the opportunity to know that,” said Shapiro, referring to Alexander Milne Calder, the sculptor and Sandy Calder’s grandfather, who created the iconic William Penn statue that stands atop City Hall.
Alexander Stirling Calder, son of Alexander Milne and father to Sandy, created the Swann Memorial Fountain at the center of Logan Square, in 1924.
The Calder Gardens feature a rotating collection of Sandy Calder’s artworks in an underground gallery. Shapiro described the architecture of the building, designed by Herzog, as “just extraordinary.”
Counting the Gardens as a highlight of the city’s offerings during the nation’s Semiquincentennial, the governor called it “an important destination.”
“We got this across the finish line just in time for 2026 when we have the opportunity to celebrate the birth of this nation in the birthplace of this nation. … They will come here to Calder [Gardens], they’ll go to the Museum of Art, they’ll go over to the Barnes. And while they’re here, they’ll also be able to witness the FIFA World Cup, the MLB All-Star game.”
Noting that the opening comes during “an extremely divisive time in this great nation,” Shapiro saw the arts as being something that “allows us to speak a common language.”
“Different folks are going to walk through this museum, walk through the gardens, from different walks of life, people who might not have otherwise ever come together and connect … they’re going to connect here with Calder,“ Shapiro said.
“They’re going to find some commonality with one another. They’re going to engage in conversation. They’re going to see the humanity in one another, appreciate our shared history together, and that is going to bring us closer together as a community, as a commonwealth, and I hope, as a country,” he said.
On behalf of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, who was not in attendance, Jazelle Jones, the city representative and director of special events, cited the long influence of the Calder family in Philadelphia.
“The legendary Calder family has introduced so much whimsical beauty into our city,”she said, calling City Hall’s William Penn statue “one of, if not the most iconic sculpture in our region.”
“It’s that awe and civic pride through art that we can expect to feel here at Calder Gardens,” she said.
The Gardens sit on 1.8 acres and feature an 18,000 square foot building, along with an expansive garden of more than 250 variety of plants. It is a collaboration between the Calder Foundation and the Barnes Foundation. The land is leased from the City of Philadelphia for 99 years.
Thom Collins, president and executive director of the Barnes, led a panel discussion after the ribbon cutting. As part of the discussion, Alexander S.C. Rower, head of the Calder Foundation and a grandson of Alexander Calder, said the Gardens reflected his grandfather’s approach to art that was constantly in motion and evolving.
The underground gallery of rotating Calder artworks, he insisted, was not a museum. The artworks, he said, don’t have any identifying information, historical context, or an audio guide. They invite people to look and engage, taking a break from their cellphone screens.
Calder Gardens is the result of a $90 million investment, designed by the Swiss architecture firm of Herzog & de Meuron, with landscape design by the renowned Dutch landscape architect Piet Oudolf.
“Our commonwealth is proud to invest $20 million in this wonderful project, to help us make it get to the finish line,” Shapiro said.
The city has been trying to build a permanent space for Calder’s work since the early 2000s, when then-Mayor Ed Rendell spearheaded the project. After initial attempts fell through, Neubauer picked up the mantle in 2018, leading a fundraising effort that resulted in Calder Gardens.
“There were no pieces of paper exchanged,” he said about the early efforts. “Just people who had worked together on several other projects in the city, who trusted each other,” he said at the panel.
Calder Gardens will open to the public on Sunday, Sept. 21. On Saturday, Sept. 20, the Gardens will host the “Chaos and Kisses” parade to celebrate the opening.
The parade will begin at LOVE Park at noon with performances from Pig Iron Theatre, Almanac Dance Circus Theatre, Mad Beatz Philly with youth drumlines, and Brazilian percussion ensemble PHonk! It will end at Maja Park, 22nd and the Parkway, where Sun Ra Arkestra will perform from 1 to 2 p.m.