Page 94 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2025

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Mississippi “LOVE” Sculpture. Alu Truss Star. Mirror Labyrinth, Meanders. Besthoff Sculpture Garden.
DAY TRIP
story by Gaye Winter photos courtesy of NOMA
TO THE NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART AND GARDENS
A visit to the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) makes for a perfect one-day summer staycation. The museum is always hosting engaging events, and its beautifully maintained gardens provide the perfect backdrop for a relaxing and enriching outing.
Founded on December 16, 1911, with just nine works of art, NOMA is the city’s oldest fine arts institution. Today, it houses an impressive permanent collection of nearly 50,000 pieces. Known for its strengths in French and American art, photography, glass, and African and Japanese works, the museum continues to grow, solidifying its place as one of the top art museums in the South.
Adjacent to the museum, the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden spans 11 acres of native Louisiana flora in
City Park. Opened in 2003 with nearly 60 sculptures, the garden expanded in 2019 with 26 additional works by 21st-century
artists. With over 90 pieces in total, it’s considered one of the most renowned outdoor art environments in the world. A standout is Robert Indiana’s iconic “LOVE” sculpture—transforming a simple word into a powerful visual.
Several pieces in the garden draw inspiration from the Mississippi River. Teresita Fernández’s Viñales (Mayombe Mississippi) is a 60-foot mosaic wall that mimics a “landscape within a landscape.” Elyn Zimmerman’s Mississippi Meanders is a 70-foot glass bridge featuring swirling, multicolored lines. Inside the garden pavilion, Maya Lin created an installation of thousands of glass marbles depicting
the Mississippi River and its tributaries. You can even explore the Sculpture Garden virtually at noma.org.
This past March, several local garden clubs attended NOMA’s annual Art in Bloom Luncheon and Fashion Show. Sponsored
by First Horizon Bank, the event celebrates floral design and springtime beauty. Installations are created by garden clubs, florists,
and artists from across the region. This year’s theme, Les Jardins de la Nouvelle-Orléans, drew inspiration from New Orleans’ French heritage. The featured fashion designer was La Fuori, and the featured artist was Saskia Ozols. Proceeds benefited NOMA’s educational and community programs.
Happy gardening!
Gaye Winter, Ph.D., teaches English at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and is currently serving as President of the Biloxi Garden Club. Reach her at gaye.winter@mgccc.edu.
94 | July 2025
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MUSEUM HOURS:
• Sunday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Monday: Closed
• Tuesday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Wednesday: Noon-7 p.m.
• Thursday–Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
SCULPTURE GARDEN HOURS:
• Open daily and free to the public
• Summer (April-September): 10 a.m.-6 p.m. • Winter (October-March): 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
ADMISSION (Out-of-State Visitors): • Adults: $20
• Seniors (65+): $15
• Active military with ID: $15
• University students with ID: $13
Admission is free for children under 12, and for teens ages 13-19 courtesy of The Helis Foundation.