I love the Franconia Sculpture Park.  I went for the first time in probably 2013 and came back with my parents this fall when I was home.  It was the first (and only) sculpture park I visited and it’s just made me want to visit even more of them.  One thing I love about the Franconia Sculpture Park is that they have new pieces of art almost every year so you can visit annually and still see new things.

There are a few things that were there both times, like the giant metal and wood playground things that you can climb on.  They’re fun to climb on for all ages, not just kids.  The whole park, really, is interactive which will always make me want to visit.

We started the day over at Interstate State Park, which is literally on the state border, giving it its name.  After a morning of hiking, we decided to head on over to the Franconia Sculpture Park for a bit.  One of the first things we saw was a weird, giant red ball with a tube to a smaller red ball connected to a second version of it.  The giant balls had a seat in them and you could see the person in the opposite ball from you ball!  There is no good way to explain this but it was very cool.

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My favorite pieces from this visit were the roller coaster track, the mirror field, the giant blue fabric waving, the motel sign, and the stacked boats.  But the table with legs was pretty cool, too.  There were tons of really cool things, but also some that just wasn’t quite for me, like the round sidewalk.  I didn’t totally get that one, but it was still fun to look at everything.

There is so much that I didn’t even include pictures of in here because there would just be too many, but know that there is a ton more to see and it’s all so cool.  This is such a fun day trip and makes a great offbeat stop on a good ol’ Midwest road trip.  It’s perfect for anyone, families, couples, art lovers, outdoor lovers, solo travelers, and friends.

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The Franconia Sculpture Park is definitely a place I’d like to come back to every year or every couple of years to see what’s new and what has stuck around since my first visit.  It may not be the number one sculpture park out there, but it is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area.

How much is Franconia Sculpture Park?

Free!  They do accept donations though.

When is Franconia Sculpture Park open?

365 days a year from dawn to dusk.

Where is Franconia Sculpture Park?

The Franconia Sculpture Park is just over the Minnesota/Wisconsin border near the town of Taylors Falls and Osceola.  It’s a great addition to a trip to Interstate State Park.  It’s kind of in the middle of nowhere, but Midwest middle of nowhere, not Southwest middle of nowhere so it’s not thaaaat far from stuff.

How long do I need for Franconia Sculpture Park?

2-4 hours depending on how much you want to see, how long you spend at each piece, and how fast you walk.  It’s a 43 acre park, so there is a ton of space and a ton of art to see.  You could easily spend an entire morning or afternoon here to see everything.

Tips for visiting Franconia Sculpture Park

• It can get muddy walking around between sculptures, so wear shoes you don’t mind getting a little dirty.
• Most of the sculptures are interactive and can bee touched or climbed on, which makes this place a lot of fun!  If something says don’t touch though, respect that.
• The park is huge and you can easily miss parts of it (I did my first visit) so keep an eye out for all the little paths going between and around different areas.
• You may want to bring water if you’re visiting in the summer.  It can get pretty warm (and humid) here.
• Fall is a great time to visit!  That’s when I went both times.  It’s a little colder out, but it’s still great.
• This makes a great day trip from Minneapolis or Eau Claire.

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