S.P. Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden
- Admission
- $10 adults, $5 youth (ages 6-12), free for children under 6
- Hours
- Open daily May-October, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM; reduced hours off-season
- Duration
- 1 - 1.5 hours
- Parking
- Free street parking is available surrounding the property
- Access
- Outdoor garden pathways are partially accessible; historic cabin and mausoleum are not wheelchair accessible
Created by Civil War veteran S.P. Dinsmoor, this iconic folk art environment features a cabin surrounded by towering, politically charged concrete sculptures. The most surreal detail? You can view Dinsmoor himself, mummified in a glass-topped coffin inside his backyard mausoleum.
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Created by Civil War veteran Samuel Perry Dinsmoor starting in 1907, the Garden of Eden is one of the most famous grassroots art sites in the United States. Dinsmoor spent decades crafting this unique property, using over 113 tons of concrete to build a limestone "log cabin" surrounded by towering, complex sculptures.
Visitors will find a fascinating and eccentric array of concrete figures that depict Dinsmoor's unique interpretations of the biblical creation story and his populist political views. The towering sculptures include angels, devils, soldiers, and a massive American flag, all woven together in an intricate overhead canopy.
The site also features a stone mausoleum where Dinsmoor himself lies in a glass-lidded coffin, a final testament to his unconventional life. Today, it remains a masterpiece of outsider art that captures the rebellious and creative spirit of early 20th-century America.
Ratings
attractionVisitor Tips
- ◆ Take a guided tour to fully understand the complex political and religious symbolism behind Dinsmoor's creations.
- ◆ Combine your visit with other nearby attractions in Lucas, which is widely recognized as the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas.
- ◆ Be sure to look inside the limestone cabin to see how Dinsmoor integrated his unique craftsmanship into his daily living quarters.
- ◆ Bring a camera with a good zoom lens to capture the details of the sculptures towering high above the ground.
Heads Up
- ◆ The view of S.P. Dinsmoor's preserved body in the glass-lidded coffin inside the mausoleum may be unsettling for some visitors, particularly young children.
- ◆ The outdoor portions of the tour require walking on uneven ground and are fully exposed to the Kansas weather, so dress accordingly.
Common questions
Can you actually see S.P. Dinsmoor's body inside the mausoleum?
Yes, S.P. Dinsmoor is mummified and remains visible inside a glass-topped coffin within the concrete mausoleum on the property.
Do you have to take a guided tour to see the Garden of Eden?
You can view the outdoor concrete sculptures from the perimeter on your own, but entering the historic cabin and the mausoleum requires a paid guided tour.
Is the Garden of Eden wheelchair accessible?
The outdoor pathways around the sculptures are generally accessible, but the historic cabin interior and the mausoleum have stairs and narrow passages that cannot accommodate wheelchairs.