BIll Cary

For the Poughkeepsie Journal

The huge and wide open Storm King Art Center in Orange County features more than 100 works of art scattered across 500 acres of landscaped lawns, fields and woodlands. Many of them are enormous and wildly colorful.

Created more than 50 years ago and named for the nearby Storm King Mountain, it is considered one of the best sculpture parks in the world. The biggest names in 20th-century modern sculpture are here: Henry Moore, Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, Isamu Noguchi, David Smith, Grace Knowlton and Maya Lin.

The landscape, all of which is man-made, can be as interesting as the sculptures. It features 100 acres of native grass meadows and hay fields, along with ponds, allees between sculptures, framed vistas, dramatic stands of trees, and large swaths of mown turfgrass.

“It’s a very informal landscape,” says David Collens, Storm King’s director and chief curator. “The landscape is a very important part of the understated history of Storm King, something we don’t promote as much as the sculptures.”

Come in summer to see vast drifts of native wildflowers in bloom or acres of 3- to 4-foot-tall glasses swaying in a sudden gust of wind.

“All of the grasses are very drought tolerant,” Collens says. “We don’t water.”

MORE ART: Visit PepsiCo Sculpture Garden in Westchester

GETAWAYS: Pawling a place to shop, have lunch

Storm King has drawn about 148,000 visitors each of the last two years, Collens says, adding that you should allow at least 2 hours for a worthwhile visit.

If you’re a walker, this is a terrific spot to spend a few hours. Given enough time, you can cover a lot of the outdoor museum on foot. Stay on the paths and trails or just bushwhack it across the open fields. You’ll likely see lots of songbirds, butterflies and bees. Be sure to bring sunscreen, a hat, water and bug spray.

If you’re not much of a walker, there’s a hop-on, hop-off accessible tram that regularly loops around the park. If you’re short on time (and energy), most of the best stuff is clustered on Museum Hill, around the Visitor Center.

With its stunning fall foliage, Storm King is particularly popular in October, but Collens encourages people to come other, less popular times of the year.

“Honestly, it’s beautiful in all weather, whether it’s blue-sky sunshine or cloudy,” he says. “Photographers always like it when it’s not as bright.”

What's new

“David Smith: The White Sculptures” celebrates the 50th anniversary of Storm King’s 1967 acquisition of 13 Smith sculptures that were sited directly in the landscape. This was the start of Storm King’s central practice of pairing large-scale artwork with nature. The exhibit will feature several monumental welded-steel constructions that Smith painted with white industrial enamel. It runs from May 13 to Nov. 12.

“Outlooks: Heather Hart” is an interactive site-specific sculpture in the form of a house roof that will be activated by performances, discussions and other events. It runs from May 13 to Nov. 26.

Have a picnic

Bring your own, or pick among the sandwiches, salads, snacks and seasonal specials at the Storm King Café. It’s open daily from 11 a.m. to 1 hour before the grounds close. Box lunches (minimum order of 15) are also available from the café.

“We’re not overly strict about where you picnic as long as you’re not sitting in the middle of a large sculpture, obstructing people’s views,” Collens says.

Rent a bike

Storm King has about 45 bicycles available for rent on a first-come, first-served basis. “They all have wide tires, suitable for the terrain here,” Collens says.

Rentals come with helmets (mandatory) and a map outlining allowed routes and bike racks. Sorry, you can’t bring your own bicycle.

Weekday rates are $10 per hour (2-hour minimum) or $34 for the day; weekends: $12, $44.

What’s nearby

For a complete change of pace, combine your visit with a shopping stop at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, N.Y. (Exit 16 from I-87).

As far as restaurants, Collens suggests heading to Newburgh, especially the Liberty Street area, where “new, more adventurous ones are cropping up all the time.” Check out Blu Pointe for its raw bar and Hudson River front view. 120 Front St., Newburgh, 845-568-0100.

Details

Storm King Art Center is 1 Museum Road in New Windsor, N.Y. (845-534-3115, stormking.org).

Hours: Through August, Storm King is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays to Sun- days (closed Mondays and Tuesdays). On summer weekends (May 26 to Sept. 2) it is open until 8 p.m. From Sept. 4 to Oct. 31, it is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays to Mondays (closed Tuesdays). In November, the hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed on Thanksgiving. Then the park closes for the winter.

Admission: $18, $15 for seniors, $8 for students and children ages 5 to 18, 4 and under free.