The Speed Art Museum is transforming three acres of its grounds into the Speed Outdoors, a public sculpture park + green space that will be open for free 24/7.

The inaugural installations will include 13 large-scale sculptures gifted to the museum by the late Al and Mary Shands from Crestwood, KY. The pieces include works from world-renowned artists such as Sol LeWitt, Deborah Butterfield, and Zaha Hadid.

A large outdoor sculpture of a bench constructed by Zaha Hadid. | Photo courtesy of Speed Art Museum

Here's a little bit about three of the sculptures to come:

"Bench," Zaha Hadid | Futuristic, 45-foot-long lacquered cast aluminum bench
"Progression," Sol LeWitt | Neutral-toned geometric sculpture that was completed in 1997
"Modified Social Bench," Jeppe Hein | Circular white bench made of powder-coated galvanized steel

The Speed Outdoors will also display the Speed's growing collection of outdoor sculptures + host creative programming like yoga classes, concerts, and outdoor learning activities.

Speed Outdoors seeks to connect people with art and nature. | Rendering by Reed Hilderbrand Landscape Architecture

The three-acre park will also include the following elements to support our local ecosystem:

Pollinator-friendly native flora
Advanced water management systems
A shade canopy constructed by planting 150 native trees

Construction has already started on Speed Outdoors, but a $22 million capital campaign is underway to help fund future installations + ongoing operations.

Once open, Speed Outdoors will provide equitable access to outdoor areas for the surrounding UofL campus and Old Louisville neighborhoods. The estimated opening date is late 2025.

We've got some time before the Speed Outdoors officially opens, so check out these other museums in town in the meantime.