Hirshhorn Museum Unveils Bold New Acquisitions for Revamped Sculpture Garden

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden announced eight major contemporary acquisitions Thursday, set to anchor its long-awaited revitalized outdoor space when it reopens to the public in October 2026. Designed by Japanese artist and architect Hiroshi Sugimoto, the refreshed 1.4-acre garden on the National Mall promises a more accessible, shaded, and contemplative environment for visitors.

The acquisitions signal a deliberate shift, blending the Hirshhorn’s modernist roots with urgent voices from today’s global art scene. Director Melissa Chiu described the additions as a “welcoming” complement to Sugimoto’s redesign, which emphasizes natural light, water features, and improved circulation to encourage lingering among the works.

Standouts include an untitled bronze mask by Mark Grotjahn, cast from one of the artist’s signature cardboard constructions and gifted in honor of the museum’s 50th anniversary. The piece transforms everyday detritus into a monumental, almost archaeological object.

Lauren Halsey’s keepers of the krown (antoinette grace halsey) (2024), a towering fiber-reinforced concrete column etched with signs and advertisements from South Central Los Angeles and crowned with a portrait of the artist’s grandmother, brings civic memory and community resonance to the Mall’s symbolic landscape.

Other works hail from Raven Halfmoon, Izumi Kato, Liz Larner, Woody De Othello, Chatchai Puipia, and Pedro Reyes. Acquired through a mix of gifts and purchases, the sculptures reflect diverse material practices and cultural perspectives while engaging themes of transformation, place, and public dialogue.

The announcement comes as the Hirshhorn nears completion of its most significant campus transformation since the garden first opened in 1974. Sugimoto’s vision aims to make the space cooler in summer and more inviting year-round, positioning it as one of the nation’s premier destinations for outdoor contemporary art.

Museum officials say the new installations will coexist harmoniously with existing modernist sculptures, creating layered conversations across generations. As Chiu noted, the garden will not only showcase exceptional art but also reaffirm the Hirshhorn’s commitment to free, public access on the National Mall.

Visitors can anticipate a dynamic fusion of architecture, landscape, and sculpture when the revitalized garden debuts this fall.

All images courtesy of respective artists, galleries, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden / Smithsonian Institution.