Gilgal Sculpture Garden
- Admission
- Free
- Hours
- Daily: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM (April to September), 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (October to March)
- Duration
- 30-45 minutes
- Parking
- Street parking is available along 500 South and surrounding residential streets.
- Access
- Main paths are paved and wheelchair accessible, though some side paths are gravel or narrow.
Tucked away in a quiet Salt Lake City neighborhood, this hidden garden contains 12 original sculptural arrangements and over 70 stones engraved with scriptures and poems. Created by LDS businessman Thomas Child, its centerpiece is a bizarre sphinx sculpture bearing the face of church founder Joseph Smith.
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Tucked away in a quiet residential block of Salt Lake City, Gilgal Sculpture Garden is a unique, hidden visionary art park created by Thomas Battersby Child Jr. starting in the late 1940s. Child, a passionate stonemason, spent his retirement years transforming his backyard into a sacred space filled with symbolic, hand-carved stone sculptures.
Visitors will find a surreal landscape of twelve major sculptural installations alongside more than 70 stones engraved with scriptures, poems, and philosophical texts. The garden's most famous and striking piece is a massive Sphinx featuring the face of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith.
Now a public park, Gilgal remains a fascinating monument to eccentric devotion, craftsmanship, and local religious history. Its tucked-away location offers a contemplative, slightly bizarre, and serene escape from the surrounding city.
Ratings
attractionVisitor Tips
- ◆ Look closely for the entrance off 800 East, as it is situated behind houses and can be easy to miss.
- ◆ Admission to the garden is completely free, making it a budget-friendly detour.
- ◆ Pick up a self-guided tour brochure near the entrance to help decode the complex religious and philosophical symbolism of the sculptures.
Heads Up
- ◆ Parking is limited to surrounding neighborhood streets, so be prepared to walk a short distance.
- ◆ Climbing or sitting on the delicate stone sculptures is strictly prohibited.
- ◆ The park is quite small, and most visitors will complete their tour in about 30 to 45 minutes.
Common questions
How do you find the entrance to Gilgal Sculpture Garden?
The entrance is located at 749 East 500 South, tucked behind residential homes in the middle of the block. A small, marked pedestrian path between the houses leads visitors into the garden.
Can you see the Joseph Smith sphinx sculpture at Gilgal Garden?
Yes, the sphinx featuring the face of LDS Church founder Joseph Smith is the most famous piece in the garden and is on permanent display.
Are dogs allowed inside Gilgal Sculpture Garden?
No, pets are not permitted inside the garden, though trained service animals are allowed.
How much time do you need to visit Gilgal Sculpture Garden?
Most visitors spend between 30 and 45 minutes here. The garden is quite small, occupying only about a half-acre of land.