LOUISVILLE, KY.- The Speed Art Museum announced the opening of its new Elizabeth P. and Frederick K. Cressman Art Park, a three-acre landscape surrounding the Museum that brings the power of art into the open air. Featuring large-scale contemporary sculptures, native landscapes, and 150 new trees, the Art Park provides daily public access, a free and welcoming space for reflection, discovery, and connection right in the heart of one of Louisville’s most varied and vibrant neighborhoods.

The Art Park is designed by Reed Hilderbrand, an acclaimed landscape architecture firm and a leading voice in the design of cultural institutions, having guided the growth and change of destinations such as the Storm King Art Center, the Clark Art Institute, and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

This ambitious, $22 million project is the centerpiece of Speed Outdoors, the Museum’s capital campaign to expand access to art and landscape while reimagining what a museum can be. Rooted in the belief that art belongs to all, the Art Park brings the Speed’s mission outdoors—sparking curiosity, enriching well-being, and strengthening community.

“Our generous donors and partners are helping us shape a future where art, inspiration, and belonging are always within reach,” said John Crockett, Chair of the Speed Art Museum Board of Trustees. “It’s a powerful reminder that this park is not just a gift to the community—it’s a collaboration with the community. Decades of research shows that time spent in nature can lower stress, boost mood, and improve overall well-being—and the same is true for engaging with art. By bringing the two together, the Art Park offers a powerful, accessible way for people to experience beauty, reflection, and joy in their daily lives.”

What Art Park offers

• A new kind of Museum experience. With sculptures nestled among native trees, shrubs and flowers, the Art Park is open daily, ungated, and free.

• Art in conversation with nature. Thirteen large-scale sculptures by artists including Deborah Butterfield, Mark Handforth, and Sean Scully animate the Art Park. Paths and gathering spaces invite guests to engage with the environment, others, and themselves.

• Well-being in every sense. The park supports physical, mental, and emotional health—welcoming walkers, students, families, and anyone seeking a moment of peace or inspiration.

Beyond its beauty, the Art Park contributes meaningfully to Louisville’s ecological and community health. Designed by Reed Hilderbrand with input from arborists and native plant experts, the park features 150 new trees, stormwater infrastructure, and flowering gardens that thrive in Louisville’s climate and support urban biodiversity.​ The trees offer visual interest while providing much-needed shade, cooling, and air quality improvements. ​Several kinds of oak, Kentucky coffee trees, sweet gums, serviceberry, and other native species are planted to support wildlife and beneficial insects.

“Our approach to the landscape was shaped by the Speed’s deep history, expansive collection and its bold vision for a more interconnected community,” said John Kett, Managing Principal of Reed Hilderbrand. “We drew inspiration from Louisville’s Olmsted Park System, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, which placed public parks at the heart of civic life. The Art Park builds on this city-shaping legacy to create a place where past and future meet through experiences rooted in art, nature, and shared presence.”

Located at the crossroads of several neighborhoods and the University of Louisville campus, the Art Park creates equitable access to open space and cultural experiences. The shady, treed terrace is a welcoming respite for all visitors, with comfortable furnishings and charging stations to support varied uses from solo study to communal gatherings. ​Reinforcing the museum’s presence on Third Street, a renewed front lawn integrates the historic facade with the contemporary North Pavilion, creating a new garden precinct for strolling and appreciating the building and collections. ​The landscape is intentionally designed to serve as a safe, inspiring “third space” for all ages and backgrounds—welcoming families, students, and passersby to gather freely.