Gilgal Sculpture Garden

Super small and kind of strange. Only check out if you have nothing but time to kill.

Eh, kinda weird place. It will take you less than 20 minutes to see the whole thing, we were unimpressed.

This sculpture garden is an easy miss, located in a residential area, across the street from a light blue house. Entrance is also in front of 45 degree parking on street.
My husband and I came here with our 3 dogs on a snowy December day 2 weeks ago during our Utah vacation. It actually was snowing while we were here but wanted to do a family photo shoot here (we do one every year just because) because we wanted to have a background with the snow.
Not knowing anything about this sculpture garden, we eventually found this place and set up the tripod in front of this spinx like looking sculpture and started to take photos. We also took photos in front of a pine tree as well. Anyways, since it was snowing, no one in their right mind would be here except for tourist (us). Also some of the sculptures were covered in snow so we didn’t get to see everything.
I really thought this huge bird house was pretty fancy, it looked like a mansion that could house a large number of birds.
Anyways, later on when we got back to our vacation rental, we viewed the photos (and laughed at quite a few of them because of our dogs’ expressions and the fact that we only had a small handful of good photos out of 200 photos taken). Later on, we found out that this garden is actually religious inspired and that funny spinx looking sculpture actually has the head of Joseph Smith (founder of Mormonism). Funny that now he will be in our next family photo, lol (please note that we are not Mormon).
But despite that, this garden is worth visiting (free admission) and quite photo worthy of all of the random sculptures that are here.

We weren’t quite sure what to expect from this place but we had some time to kill so we checked it out. The sculptures are cool, very well done. We’re not very arty or religious so we didn’t read the scripture plates on the ground, just walked around and had look.

I honesty really liked this place. I’m a member of the LDS church and the symbolism in it all was amazing. I stayed here and studied it all for quite a while. It was interesting to say the least!
If you want to see Mormonism through a fun-​house mirror go here. It’s free and it’s fun.
It’s really entertaining for everyone who would come here despite your religious background.
It is rather difficult to find, I mean I have lived close to salt lake my whole life and I didn’t know it was here til a couple of weeks ago. I will come back maybe a few more times to see if I can pick out more symbolism.
It is very small and if you don’t take it in deeply it will probably take you 15 minutes before you leave. Can’t complain about it being small though cuz the detail was phenomenal. Everyone should at least give it a try!

Eh… Only go if it’s a pretty day/​evening and if it’s on the way to someplace else. It won’t take long to go through it so you don’t need to plan your day around it. I feel like some people would be more connected to it than others.

This is one of the more bizarre places I have been in Salt Lake City but it was worth the time to come here. It’s very small, maybe half a city block and there is but a narrow entrance onto East 500 South, so it is easy to miss. You walk in right between two residential houses.
Inside is a private stone garden with monuments of every size and dedication. It boggles the mind and if you take the time to read all the inscriptions it is fascinating. It’s a great place to take kids and was, in fact, one of the reason’s that Thomas Childs put this stone garden on the map, «to arouse curiosity and thinking» and to make visitors «ponder».
It does.

You don’t hear about this place much, but it’s great! This place is unique, it’s small but it’s free so I can’t complain. It’s kinda difficult to spot the entrance, it’s on the south end of the block between some houses, you’ll see a black chain link fence with a sign that says «Gilgal». I really enjoyed my time walking through here. The sculptures are really weird but I like them. They have some really cool plants if you walk through the garden too.

The weirdest, most hilarious tiny little garden with the dumbest and strangest sculptures. A must-​see if you want to laugh. Really hard.

I am not exactly sure what the rave is about. I heard about this via trip advisor and great reviews on Unilocal.This is located in between two homes, I assume this is the abandoned house’s garden. Parking are available in 45 degree angie.
This is a very small stone «garden»; it might’ve been considered cool before but now it is rundown.
They have some rock sculptures but unless you haven’t seen something like it before then the trip here is just a waste of time. It will only take less than 5 mins to see everything.
Wish I could tell you this «garden» is well maintained, but it’s not. Not worth seeing.

What a cool place. Wacky. Unusual. Mind-​provoking. Even spiritual?
A morman bishop devoted his retirement years to portraying his religious and philosophical feelings into carved stone.
Some of his portrayals are umm, shall I say, odd. A sphinx with the head of mormon prophet Joseph Smith!
But this is a beautiful, peaceful place. Folk art plus flowery gardens. Free to get in (but donations appreciated).

For a sculpture garden, this place is «ok.» As an exploration of single-​minded madness mixed with religious fervor, you cannot do much better.
The sculpture gardens are small; you will probably spend no more than an hour here at a leisurely pace. The sculptures themselves are crude and rather poorly done in my opinion, but are certainly «interesting» which helps mitigate their poor craftsmanship. I can’t comment on the LDS aspect or religiosity of this place, but perhaps the devout will find it a place of renewal or contemplation.
I would suggest going here for the rubber-​necking appeal if not great art. It is certainly unique, and there is little to lose besides an hour or so outside on a beautiful day.

It’s small and weird. Takes about five minutes to check out.

When I first moved here, I asked everyone what they would recommend I see that wasn’t in the tourist circle of go-​to attractions. Most told me they had no idea or offered up the same stuff you’d expect to see if you were visiting in Salt Lake City.
The girl (I wish I could remember her name) at the UMOCA (Utah Musuem of Contemporary Art) told me there was a «secret» garden called the Gilgal Sculpture Garden. She told me about where it was but said part of the fun was trying to find it.
She was right. My daughter and I set out from the Salt Lake City Public Library to find it. We walked several blocks before finding the garden, tucked between two little houses. It’s not really secret or hidden, but it isn’t advertised either.
In the garden, which is almost always empty or mostly empty, you’ll see an interesting collection of art. What makes it interesting is that the artist, Thomas Battersby Child, Jr., mixes his masonic art style with his Mormon beliefs. For example, one of the first sculptures you’ll see is a sphinx whose face is that of the original Mormon prophet, Joseph Smith.
It’s quite a peaceful place and really fun. Even if you don’t have a lot of time to spare, you could probably look at each of the sculptures in a quick 15 – 30 minutes but I’d recommend you stay awhile just to take it all in.

It’s weird, it’s free, and it’s in Salt Lake City. Need I say more?
I have no idea what this place might mean to a Mormon. Maybe it’s blasphemy? Maybe it’s a spiritual oasis? But I got a real kick out of it. The place was dead quiet except for two young hipster-​looking people. The guy talked in a hushed voice to the woman who made eye contact with me several times. I felt like she was saying to me, «He won’t shut up but I know this place is really cool and creepy and I wish I could just have fun.»

This is the most interesting place in SLC. It should be the #1 tourist attraction. Not only does it have statues you will never see anywhere else but it’s hidden away and very few people know it exists. If you are looking for a unique experience and have an open mind, look no further! In addition to being interesting, there is plenty of area to spread out a blanket and enjoy a picnic on a warm summer afternoon.

If you’ve ever wondered what Joseph Smith looks like as an Egyptian sphinx… Well, have I got a place for you.
Looks like a residential area, but it’s actually a really well-​hidden sculpture garden near downtown SLC.
I liked the dismembered body parts rocks, but the greenery was beautiful as well. If I’d had more time I’d have packed a picnic lunch, but that’ll have to wait till next time.

Strange does not even start to describe this place.
Gilgal Sculpture Garden is small and hard to find, but full of interesting statues and sculptures. There is street parking all around the garden and when you walk about it looks like there is just a normal park tucked between some houses. There is no entrance fee, no donation box, just a sign with the hours on it. However, after walking down a narrow path you are faces with a sphinx and you know you are in for a treat.
I know very little about the history of this place but enjoyed it still. There are just a few sculptures, with several scripture quotes carved into stones. Each sculpture has at least one to go with it as well as sayings written on stones in the ground, almost as if they are paver stones. There are a few benches and places to sit and enjoy the garden. On one side there is a little shelter with some nice pictures of the garden. I went on a Sunday and no one else was there, I am not sure if many people know it is even there, I only spent 15 – 20 minutes but thought it was time well spent. If you like something a little more interesting in your parks this is a place to check out.

I went to Gilgal Sculpture Garden on my Salt Lake City visit. It’s a FREE garden (donations if you want to) that we spent about 15 minutes looking around at, it’s pretty small.
It’s a historic sculpture garden created by Thomas B. Child Jr (1888 – 1963). There’s 13 carved stone sculptures w/​some quotations near them.
I found it mildly interesting for 15 minutes & took a bunch of pictures of the strange rock art.
Open: 8am-​8pm April-​Sept; 9 – 5 Oct-​March
Closed Thanksgiving, Xmas, New Years

Just the right kind of crazy. Not the «lock him up» brand, but probably a «keep an eye on him» type. This is part park, part garden, part monument, part art museum and one hundred percent unique. Wanna call it weird? There’s probably some cause to do so. But weirder things exist.
What you have here is a small piece of property populated with quasi-​religious stone carvings and a nice peaceful pathway through an otherwise residential area. Don’t question it, just go and appreciate the passion that the man behind the garden exhibited when he went to work on all the pieces of art.
Don’t try to understand it all. If you can derive some meaning, great. If not, just enjoy the fresh air and the chance to stretch you legs and look at stone statues and sculptures.