Bucket List: PepsiCo Sculpture Gardens Reopen

admin Posted OnApril 12, 2017

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Bucket List: PepsiCo Sculpture Gardens Reopen: The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo’s World Headquarters in Purchase will re-open for the season on Saturday, April 1. The gardens are open to the public on Saturdays and Sunday from 10am to 4pm through November 19.

The “PepsiCo” Sculpture Gardens made our 2010 Bucket List article in the print edition of What To Do – “55 Things to Do Before You Die or Move to Taos.” In fact, it was number 2 on our chart – topped only by the Rockefeller Mansion Kykuit. So we’re putting it on our digital Bucket List too!

The Gardens features 45 pieces of large-scale outdoor pieces from some of the greatest sculptors of the 20^th century. Including Henry Moore, 52_pepsico_Calder Bucket List: PepsiCo Sculpture Gardens Reopen Alexander Calder, August Rodin and Alberto Giacometti. They were championed by PepsiCo CEO Donald M. Kendall and installed in 1970 when Pepsi moved it’s headquarters to Purchase. The sculptures surround the seven building complex that were designed by Edward Durrell Stone and built at the time on a 168-acre campus.

Some of the well-known sculptures you’ll find are Alexander Calder’s Hats Off, Henry Moore’s Double Oval, David Wynne’s Girl With a Dolphin, Jean Dubuffet’s Kiosque l’evide, Joan Miro’s Personnage, Claes Oldenburg’s Giant Trowel II, David Smith’s Cube Totem Seven and Six and George Segal’s Three People on Four Benches.

Go in the spring for the Cherry Blossoms

If the sculpture garden at Storm King Art Center is an art hike, the PepsiCo gardens is more of an art stroll. While the trek across the hilly rural landscape at Storm King will get your heart pumping, the PepsiCo gardens consist of park-like landscaping. They feature over 6,000 trees from 38 species, lawns, ponds, fountains and formal gardens with topiary, hedges and thousands of flowering bulbs.

Still you’ll log a mile following the paved walkways around the perimeter of the campus that winds through streamlined woods and an amazing collection of fragrant cherry trees if you go in mid-late April during peak blooming. You can check NYBG’s Cherry Watch to time your trip.

Don’t Chase the Ducks

52_pepsico The gardens also feature a large water-lily pond stocked with beautiful multi-colored Koi and ducks. DON’T CHASE THE DUCKS!!! Our kids did. Let’s just say that the security guards on the grounds are well trained in toddler duck chasing prevention! But they are fun to watch and the kids can play with the Koi – that didn’t seem to bother the guards. David Wynne’s Grizzly Bear sculpture, that kids love, (you will too) stands overlooking the pond.

While you’re there

While you’re there check out the Neuberger Museum of Art at SUNY Purchase College on the other side of Anderson Hill Road. The Neuberger features a permanent collection of over 6000 works of largely 20^th century abstract art and sculpture from the likes of Willem DeKooning, Edward Hopper, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, April Gornik and Mark Rothko. Plus a special collection of African sculpture, masks, masquerades and art of daily life.

Getting hungry?

You have three options if you want to grab a bite in Purchase. The Cobble Stone at 620 Anderson Hill Road is a family style restaurant offering large portions of reasonably priced food with a large selection of draught beer on tap that the Purchase College seniors appreciate. Trattoria 632 at 632 Anderson Hill Road is a traditional upscale Italian trattoria serving everything from pizzettes and pasta to shrimp scampi and aged NY Strip Steak. Best of Westchester 2016 Winner Tredici N13 at 632 Anderson Hill Road offers a modern take on Italian cuisine with dishes like Kobe Beef Ravioli, Pappardelle with pulled smoked LI Duck and a trio of wild mushrooms, carmelized onion and Tahitian Vanilla oil & black truffle essence. (You get the idea.)