Open-Air Museums to add to your List
Visit open-air museums and sculpture gardens in countries like Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, and beyond. Experience art, architecture, design, and nature in a unique way.
Since I recently visited the Art Park in Sapporo—just last week (yes, I’m in Japan!)—I thought it would be the perfect time to dedicate this post to open-air museums and sculpture gardens. They truly are enjoyable to explore while travelling.
I’ll be sharing the ones I’ve personally visited, so I’m sure there are many more incredible spots out there that I’ve missed. If you have any recommendations, feel free to share them in the comments. I’m planning a trip to Naoshima soon, and while researching for this post, I stumbled upon the Storm King Art Center in the U.S. and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the U.K. Looks like my never-ending list just got longer.
Even if you’re not a huge art lover, these places offer so much more than art—they combine design, architecture, and nature into a great experience.
Japan: Art Park Sapporo
I’m currently travelling in Japan (finally!) and started my trip in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The day I arrived, I queued for Miso Ramen (very comforting after a long trip), and on the second day, I visited some museums—ending my very cultural day at the Sapporo Beer Museum.
That day started off brilliantly at the Art Park. The Sapporo Art Museum there offers various exhibitions (currently, there’s a Toulouse Lautrec exhibition).
I particularly enjoyed the Sculpture Garden, which features several sculptures primarily by Japanese artists. There’s also a dedicated section for the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, and it’s great fun to explore.
The autumn foliage added to the experience—what a beautiful landscape!
There is no admission fee for the Art Park itself, but there is one for the Sculpture Garden and the Sapporo Art Museum.
You can reach the park by metro and bus. The bus stops in front of the entrance.
Unfortunately, the Sculpture Garden is closed in winter (Sapporo hosted the Winter Olympics back in 1972, so you can imagine how snowy it gets), though there are some snowshoeing activities available.
Brazil: Inhotim
When we travelled in Brazil, we looped through the Minas Gerais region, starting from Rio de Janeiro. This journey is very easy to do by bus.
One of the main reasons for this trip was our desire to visit the Inhotim museum (plus, we had to return to Rio for a wedding and New Year’s Eve—what a hardship!). You could describe Instituto Inhotim as an open-air museum combined with a botanical garden.
It’s massive—apparently covering 345 acres—and features 23 pavilions and numerous art installations. With so many exhibitions and things to explore, it can be a bit overwhelming. So, take your time. And please don’t try to see everything and rush through it.
Minas Gerais & Inhotim
From Rio de Janeiro, there are buses to nice places in Minas Gerais, such as Ouro Preto and São João del Rei. It’s definitely worth spending a few days exploring that region!
As for Belo Horizonte itself, it isn’t particularly remarkable (although we were there at Christmas, so that might have influenced our experience). I’d recommend spending just one evening there, so you can catch the bus to the museum the next morning.
There’s a daily bus from the Belo Horizonte to Inhotim at 8:15 am.
Netherlands: Kröller-Müller Museum
When discussing open-air museums and sculpture gardens, I have to mention the one in my own country: the Kröller-Müller Museum in the Veluwe National Park.
The museum boasts an impressive art collection (it’s particularly renowned for its Van Gogh works), hosts excellent exhibitions, and has a stunning sculpture garden. It’s a lovely place to visit year-round, though I must admit, I prefer a sunny autumn day.
At the entrance to the Veluwe National Park, you’ll need to pay an entry fee, and if you’re arriving by car, you can park it there. The fun starts here: grab a free rental bike and cycle to the museum (it's well signposted). Alternatively, you can park closer to the museum, though this incurs an additional fee.
Some tips:
Watch this video about the Kröller-Müller Museum’s unique history and its remarkable collection.
The National Park itself is also breathtaking! Find out more on the official website.
Radio Kootwijk is a fantastic place to visit, especially when the heather is in bloom—typically in early September. Beyond that, the Veluwe is stunning during the autumn months.
More open-air museums for your itinerary
As a student, I visited the Hombroich Museum in Germany, not far from Düsseldorf. This open-air museum has its own unique vibe, with an impressive symbiosis between the art and the surrounding nature.
While not exactly an open-air museum, the 798 Art District in Beijing is definitely worth a visit. It’s an art hub set in former industrial buildings, with plenty of galleries, cool installations, and street art to discover. The area is hipster-friendly, with cosy cafés and quirky shops. You can find more about train travel in China in this post:
The East Side Gallery in Berlin features over 100 paintings on the remaining section of the Berlin Wall. This open-air gallery includes some iconic works, like Dmitri Vrubel’s Fraternal Kiss and Birgit Kinder’s Trabant.
In addition to the famous sculpture garden at the Rodin Museum in Paris, you might also enjoy the Bourdelle Museum in the 15th arrondissement. The gallery and garden are well worth a visit, and coincidentally, there’s a Bourdelle-Rodin exhibition running until 25th December 2024.
Not particularly into art, design, or architecture? Don’t worry—there are also plenty of open-air museums focusing on history!
Watch, read, listen & for your agenda
Into Design? The Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven kicked off this weekend! Held annually, this event features exhibitions spread across various locations in the city, mainly in former Philips factories. This year, it runs from 19 to 27 October. You can find more details on the official website.
Also in the open air: light festivals! In the Netherlands, you can visit light festivals during the winter in cities such as: Amsterdam (Edition 13: 28 November – 11 January 2025), Eindhoven (Glow: 9-16 November) and Leeuwarden (Luna: 24 January – 9 February 2025).
To watch: The Square is a satirical film about the contemporary art world. It won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2017.
My journey as a travel writer
Part 6
As I mentioned, I’m travelling right now. I started my trip in Hokkaido and am heading south (currently, I’m in Tohoku), which involves a lot of train travel. So, I have plenty of time to read, write, and rewrite the book—and even work on my Substack. Although this post is much shorter than my previous ones, my focus is on the chapters now.
My goal is to have everything rewritten by the time I’m back in the Netherlands. Wish me luck—this beautiful country is full of distractions!
Marloes- These are stunning. I particularly loved the sculpture with two conjoined people who are seated. So stunning.