Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Opens Reimagined Arthur Ross Terrace & Garden

The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City is opening its revamped garden, which features new terrace pavers, garden pathways, plantings, a reimagined rock garden, and a transformed northwest garden. It will be open to the public free of charge starting at 8 a.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends, beginning Nov. 27. The opening of the garden marks the final phase of Cooper Hewitt’s renovation of the Carnegie Mansion and museum campus, which was recently recognized with LEED Silver certification.

“National Design Award winner Walter Hood has translated the garden’s historic origins into a stunning contemporary landscape, which will be home to a variety of public programs, events and exhibitions,” said Caroline Baumann, director of the museum. “I am truly delighted that, for the first time in the museum’s history, everyone can experience and enjoy free of charge this rare treasure of enclosed green space in the middle of Manhattan.”
Project highlights include:

• A reimagined rockery, referencing the geology of Carnegie Hill
• New plantings of cherry trees and rhododendrons provide a link to Central Park’s landscape and color palette
• A new sloped walkway brings garden visitors into the northwest garden, where movable tables and chairs, a table-tennis table and garden planting enliven the space
• Durable materials and plantings that can withstand frequent use and climate fluctuations
• Visitor entry through the museum’s 90th Street entrance featuring a striking canopy designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro

The Arthur Ross Terrace and Garden at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, opens Friday, Nov. 27.