Franconia Sculpture Park

Franconia Sculpture Park Tour Program

Franconia Sculpture Park offers artist-led tours of its rotating collection of over 70 sculptures from April through November. Tour guides encourage open discussion within the group, and ask for active participation and critical thinking from our visitors. We want you to tell us your ideas! If time permits, the tour includes a visit to the work pad, where visitors can see work in progress and talk with artists in residence.

The objectives of our tour program are:

To explore the transformative qualities of art on a personal and /or societal level.
To provide insight into the artist’s motivations and influences.
To discuss material use, scale, texture, line, color and form.
To become familiar with Franconia Sculpture Park, our mission and the resources provided to visitors.
To learn observation skills specific to three-dimensional media.
To begin to understand the vocabulary of sculpture.

Self Guided Tours:
The park is open dawn to dusk 365 days a year for self guided tours. Free maps are located in the Information Center. We encourage you to visit the work pad to see what artists are working at the park’s rural open studio.

Free guided tours are offered every Sunday May through October at 2:00 pm. Meet at the Information Center

Schedule a Guided Tour for Schools / Organized groups:

Click here to schedule a tour. Please reserve your time at least one week prior to your desired tour date. Earlier requests will increase our ability to accommodate your first choice of date and time. Thank you!

Basic Information:

Tours run as long as the group has time for, anywhere from 40 minutes to 1½ hours.
The maximum number of tour participants is 100.
Groups of more than 25 will be divided between guides.
Please wear appropriate clothing. Tours are all outside. Visitors should wear walking shoes and seasonally appropriate clothes.
You may choose to bring food to eat before or after your tour at the Park’s outdoor picnic tables.

For your safety and the preservation of the artwork, please review these few simple suggestions before you arrive at Franconia:

One adult chaperone is required for every fifteen K-12 students.
Climbing on the sculpture is not allowed.
Touching is permitted.
Questions and comments are encouraged at appropriate times.
Respect comments made by fellow group members.
Photography is permitted.
Please do not litter.

Accessibility:

The grounds are flat with mowed pathways. All trails are passable by electrically powered chairs, but some trails are strenuous for manual chairs. Our parking and restroom facilities are accessible. We also have a golf cart for those requiring additional assistance. Please call or e-mail to make arrangements.

When you arrive for your scheduled tour:

Please arrive on time and meet at the Information Center in the first parking lot.

Cancellations, Delays, Directions, or Rain:

Please call FSP at 651-257-6668 as soon as you realize a need to change your tour date or time.

Suggested Donation:

Franconia is supported by donations. For tours we suggest the following: $40 for 1-12 participants; $60 for 13-30 participants; $100 for 31-60 participants; $125 for 61+ participants.

All groups are welcomed for guided tours regardless of ability to pay.
The Franconia Sculpture Park School Tour Program received funding from the St Croix Valley Community Foundation and the Wisconsin Arts Board with Funds from the State of Wisconsin.