Meijer Gardens marks 20th anniversary
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park first opened its doors on April 20, 1995.
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Meijer Gardens' founder Fred Meijer
Retail magnate Fred Meijer, founder and namesake of Meijer Gardens, stands in front of the Lena Meijer Conservatory, named for his wife, during Meijer Gardens' 10th annivesary in April 2005. It is now among the 100 most visited museums in the world and included on a list of 1,000 places to see before you die.
Photo courtesy of Meijer Gardens
Gardens grounds in 1993: Peter Wege and Fred Meijer
Philanthropists Peter Wege, former chairman of Steelcase, who died in July 2014, and Fred Meijer, who died in November 2011, visit the site of today's Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Meijer donated 70 acres to start the gardens in 1991. The Gardens continue to grow today.
Photo courtesy of Meijer Gardens
April 1995: Meijer Gardens opens to the public
Meijer Gardens opened its doors for the first time on April 20, 1995. Participating in the ribbon cutting were, left to right, Fred and Lena Meijer; former First Lady Betty Ford and President Gerald Ford; then Gov. John Engler, and then Sen. Carl Levin.
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Botanical Gardens at Meijer Gardens
West Michigan Horticultural Society, founded in 1981, worked for 13 years to establish a botanical garden in West Michigan. Today, Meijer Gardens has 158 acres of gardens and woods on its campus northeast of Grand Rapids.
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1999: Sculpture collection enters a new era
In 1999, Meijer Gardens began the process of growing its sculpture collection beyond Fred and Lena Meijer's personal collection of 34 works on its way to becoming a world class collection with the acquisition of "Eve" by Auguste Rodin. Today, the Gardens is home to more than 180 works of sculpture.
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1999: DaVinci's Horse arrives
In 2009, Fred Meijer talks about "The American Horse" by Nina Akamu, installed in 1999. The American artist was inspired by Leonard da Vinci's plans for a sculpture he never completed.
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May 2002: Sculpture Park opens
Sculptor Richard Hunt speaks with Charlotte Ambrose, a retired art teacher from Sparta High School, in May 2002 after the dedication of Hunt's 25-foot tall sculpture, "Column of the Free Spirit," at Meijer Gardens. The Gardens celebrated the sculpture park's 10th anniversary in 2012.
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June 2003: Music comes to Meijer Gardens
Meijer Gardens Amphitheater opened in June 2003 bring musical acts such as frequent visitor Lyle Lovett (left) to West Michigan for Meijer Gardens Summer Concerts.
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June 2004: Lena Meijer Children's Garden
Lena Meijer enjoys an impromptu tea party with her granddaughter, Grace Meijer, in the new Lena Meijer Children's Garden at Meijer Gardens. The 5-acre children's garden opened in June 2004.
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May 2004: Mark di Suvero at Meijer Gardens
Sculptor Mark di Suvero talks with Frederik Meijer in May 2004. Di Suvero's piece, "Scarlatti," is behind the sculptor.
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July 2005: Sculpture collection continues to grow
Roger Machin (right) directs the placement of Jonathan Borofsky's "Male/Female" at Meijer Gardens in July 2005.
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October 2005: 'Grand Rapids Arch' by Alexander Goldsworth
"Grand Rapids Arch' by British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, installed at Meijer Gardens in October 2005, is one of the signature works in the Sculpture Park.
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2007: Rodin's Thinker comes to Meijer Gardens
Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker," part of the permanent collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts, spent the summer at Meijer Gardens in in 2007 during renovations at the DIA.
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2010: Dale Chihuly at Meijer Gardens
An exhibition of work by glass artist Dale Chihuly in 2010 was one of the most popular shows in Meijer Gardens' history.
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2011: Jim Dine at Meijer Gardens
An exhibition by Pop Art pioneer Jim Dine was held in 2011 at Meijer Gardens.
Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk | jkaczmarczyk@mlive.com
June 2015: Japanese Garden to open
Meijer Gardens' $22 million Japanese Garden opens in June 2015. Seen here in early fall 2014, the Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden has been under construction for two years.
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Summer music at Meijer Gardens
Meijer Gardens Summer Concerts welcomes about 30 shows per summer to West Michigan including the Doobie Brothers with (left to right) Skylark, Patrick Simmons and John McFee in July 2009.
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Christmas Around the World at Meijer Gardens
Caden Cypher inspects ornaments on a Christmas tree reflecting the customs of Belize in December 2009. Meijer Gardens' "Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World" marked its 20th anniversary in December 2014.
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Butterflies at Meijer Gardens
"Butterflies are Blooming" is one of Meijer Gardens' signature events that returns in February with the introduction of thousands of butterflies into the Lena Meijer Conservatory. Joe Lang and his granddaughter, Anna Rose, admire butterflies in March 2014.
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