Austin Graff

Review of Annmarie Sculpture Garden and ...

Just an hour drive south of Washington, D.C. is a ...

Just an hour drive south of Washington, D.C. is a sculpture garden. Annemarie Sculpture Garden is an affiliate of the Smithsonian and houses many pieces from the Hirshhorn Museum (Washington, D.C.). With its own collection of art and the large arts center on campus, it's a whimsical place to bring the whole family. Here's why I loved it:

1) Art: Although there is a small gallery on the second floor of the arts center, most of the pieces are outside in the garden. Follow a number of trails through the forest and stumble upon pieces like a rock with an upside-down painted astronaut or a little house that leads to an alphabet scavenger hunt for kids. Most of the pieces are modern art.

2) Fun: Kids love this place. There's a fairy village, a colorful area filled with pieces for kids, outdoor art classes and fun sidewalk paint asking kids to "Gallop like a unicorn" and "Hop like a frog."

3) Price: Even if you spend hours here, they just ask for a suggested donation of $5 per person. I think it's worth a donation larger than $5!

4) Amenities: There's plenty of parking, restrooms (even during the pandemic) and an art school.

If you go, drive a few minutes into historic Solomons to walk along the water while enjoying a slice of key lime pie from Lotus Kitchen.