Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum
Hamilton, OH
513-868-8336
In 1984, Hamilton businessman Harry
T. Wilks acquired the core, 40-acre property of what has become Pyramid
Hill Sculpture Park and Museum. After clearing the land, building roads,
installing ponds, constructing an extraordinary 7,000 square foot underground
home, and working to develop a collection
of sculptural antiquities from Greece, Italy, and
Egypt, he was approached by local businessmen to sell lots for homes. To
save the beauty of what he had created, emphasize the extraordinary natural
setting and protect the environment after his
death it became apparent that other parcels of land
would have to be acquired to prevent encroachment by developers. It was
then that he decided to create a public sculpture park to save this environment.
His love for ancient sculpture and enjoyment of contemporary public art
seen in urban centers and sculpture parks worldwide, led to acquiring a
number of monumental sculptures that were placed in this grand, natural
gallery environment. In May of 1995, he donated 265 acres sprinkled with
sculpture, and Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum was incorporated as
a non-profit organization so that the grounds and facilities would be preserved
as a valuable cultural and environmental resource for future generations
in southwest Ohio. (left: Ben Mansur, Almost Had Him, During The
Eclipse, Blue Bird 2000; right: Walter Driesback, Citizen, Photos
by Sue Perine O'Reilly)
Pyramid Hill is an outdoor museum focusing on contemporary,
monumental pieces of sculpture in an
environment of meadows, forests, lakes, streams, and
gardens. It is one of only three such facilities of its scale in the United
States and the only sculpture park that can be viewed entirely from a system
of one-way roads, making it accessible for elderly and handicap visitors.
It is the only Sculpture Park in the world actively establishing a collection
that will present a complete history of sculpture as a component of its
educational commitment. (left: Tony Rosenthal, The Cube, Photo
by Sue Perine O'Reilly)
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum is a unique cultural organization and environmental facility enhancing the life experiences available for all people in the tri-state area. It is a constantly evolving project that is both an enlightening regional learning campus and a cultural point of destination. It is a non-profit organization that is open to the public 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, located on State Route 128, Hamilton-Cleves Road, one mile south of Hamilton, Ohio. Admission to the park is $3 weekdays and $4 weekends for adults; and $1.50 for children at all times. In addition,
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This page was originally published in Resource Library Magazine. Please see Resource Library's Overview section for more information. rev. 3/2/11
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