Summer is at its peak, and Brookgreen Gardens’ natural beauty is in full bloom. Here, guests can explore 9,000+ acres of lush gardens and large-scale sculptures, find shady reprieve from the Lowcountry sun beneath centuries-old live oaks, or cool off indoors with creative, hands-on workshops.
This July, the National Historic Landmark offers a robust lineup of programming for kids and adults alike – from writing sessions inspired by nature and arts-focused summer camps to exhibitions like Summer Light: Art by Night, a shimmering after-hours experience featuring the illuminated works of renowned glass artist Craig Mitchell Smith.
Exhibitions:
Summer Light: Art by Night, Wednesdays and Saturdays, Now – Aug. 30, 6 – 10 p.m.
On 26 enchanting summer nights, thousands of bulbs will illuminate Brookgreen Gardens, offering guests an opportunity to see the National Historic Landmark in a new light. Brookgreen's stunning landscapes, including the iconic Oak Allée, will come alive with sparkling light installations created by Brookgreen's public exhibits production and design team, the same talented group behind the beloved Nights of a Thousand Candles winter series. Additionally, this year's event will be enhanced by the exhibition Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith, featuring 30 large-scale glass sculptures that will be illuminated as evening falls. Gates will reopen at 6 p.m. each Wednesday and Saturday to allow visitors to enjoy live music, savor dining and beverage options from Austin's Harvest Restaurant, the Old Kitchen, and a selection of food trucks, as well as shop at Keepsakes, Brookgreen's onsite retailer. For more information on this year's event and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.brookgreen.org/
NAWA Exhibition - Brookgreen Inspires: Women Create, Now – Jul. 20
Brookgreen Inspires: Women Create presents the beauty and power of Brookgreen Gardens and its collections as seen through the eyes of sculptors, painters and photographers who are members of the South Carolina Chapter of the National Association of Women Artists, founded in 1889. Their interpretations of Brookgreen's landscapes, sculptures, structures, animals and other inspirational views will be on display through the approximately 70 artworks juried for this exhibit.
Up, Down, Near and Far, Now – Aug. 10
The Up, Down, Near and Far exhibition at Brookgreen Gardens features a series of unconventional photo-based images by Charleston-based photographer and multimedia artist Kirsten Hoving. The "Down" and "Near" portions of the exhibition focus on what we see when we look closely at what is at ground level, while the "Up" and "Far" portions of the exhibition emphasize distant cloudscapes and forest scenes.
Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith, Now – Aug. 30
Gardens of Glass: The Art of Craig Mitchell Smith showcases vibrant glass sculptures that capture nature's beauty, on display in the Noble Gallery and throughout the Sculpture Gardens. Daytime admission is included with a general admission ticket to the Gardens, while evening visits require a separate event ticket to Summer Light: Art by Night, Wednesday and Saturday evenings, now – August 30.
Special Events:
Eco-Writing: Anxiety, Awe, and Action, Jul. 9, 16, 23, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Guests are invited to attend this three-part summer writing workshop series exploring the various ways in which nature writers, spanning multiple genres, write about natural environments. Half of each class will be devoted to studying eco-writing that celebrates interconnectedness and beauty, worries over ecological destruction and calls for action to preserve and conserve natural spaces. The second half of each class will be devoted to student writing, where participants will work from prompts and compose their own eco-pieces.
Share Your History With Brookgreen, Jul. 12, 1 – 4 p.m.
Guests are invited to bring their family heirlooms, archival material, antique weapons and historic artifacts, especially those related to South Carolina history, to Brookgreen Gardens where experts will be available to identify guests’ objects. During the event staff will photograph the items, create a database and offer the opportunity to lend them to future exhibitions. Everything from kitchen implements to fine silver and furniture to farm tools will be welcome, but no human remains, grave goods or looted artifacts.
Open Studio, Jul. 16, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Now located in the new Simpson Art Center, Open Studio provides guests the chance to learn from a sculptor and witness the techniques used to build a sculpture from clay to bronze.
Brookgreen 101, Jul. 24, 1 – 2 p.m.
Brookgreen 101 is a monthly public information program at the Wall Lowcountry Center Auditorium, covering various aspects of Brookgreen Gardens, including its collections, property, history, people, poetry, art history, corporate history, founders and purposes. This month's topic will be Two Horsey Women, Anna Hyatt Huntington and Belle Baruch, with Robin Salmon and Lee Brockington.
Children's Programming:
Pollinator Playground, Now – Sept. 14
Guests are invited to fly, leap, climb or crawl their way through this family-friendly exhibition and see what it takes for a pollinator to survive, help plants thrive, and, in the process, feed the world! Before the adventure begins, visitors will learn the ins and outs of pollination at Pollinator Basic Training. Then, they may use their knowledge to navigate through the maze – visiting flowers, avoiding threats and using their good survival instincts to steer clear of dead ends – fostering an appreciation for the physical abilities and adaptations pollinators use to collect nectar and pollen.
Camp Bookgreen: Art Camp, Jul. 28 – Aug. 1, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Campers grades 6-12 will use natural elements to create works of art in a variety of mediums – from painting to hand-built items – inspired by the sculptures and natural beauty of Brookgreen.
Camp Bookgreen: Art Camp, Jul. 28 – Aug. 1, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
This immersive camp for grades 3-5 will bridge science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) with hands-on creative exploration inspired by the natural world. Campers will experiment with eco-friendly materials, scientific processes and artistic techniques to create works that celebrate the intersection of art and nature.