Location

Overview

LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton represents a distinctive vision of how art, architecture, and landscape design can be woven into a unified aesthetic experience. Founded by textile designer and collector Jack Lenor Larsen, this 16-acre sculpture garden and living museum on Long Island's East End demonstrates that outdoor art spaces need not sprawl across hundreds of acres to achieve profound impact. What LongHouse lacks in scale, it compensates for with curatorial precision, horticultural excellence, and an unwavering commitment to integrating contemporary art with thoughtfully designed gardens. The reserve's name references the traditional longhouses of indigenous peoples, reflecting Larsen's interest in vernacular architecture and his belief in art's connection to shelter, community, and place. The property centers on Larsen's own residence—a structure that seamlessly blends modernist clean lines with organic materials and landscape integration. This architectural centerpiece establishes the aesthetic vocabulary for the entire reserve: contemporary yet timeless, bold yet harmonious, intellectual yet welcoming. LongHouse's sculpture collection includes over 60 contemporary works by major international artists. Names like Buckminster Fuller, Yoko Ono, Willem de Kooning, Sol LeWitt, Dale Chihuly, Toshiko Takaezu, and Ai Weiwei establish the collection's credentials, while pieces by emerging and mid-career artists ensure freshness and discovery. The curation emphasizes works that engage directly with their environment—sculptures and installations designed for (or adapted to) outdoor viewing, where weather, light, and seasonal changes become collaborators in the artistic experience. Buckminster Fuller's "Fly's Eye Dome" stands as one of the reserve's iconic pieces—a geodesic structure that embodies Fuller's visionary approach to architecture and his belief in maximum spatial efficiency. Yoko Ono's "Play It By Trust" invites interaction through its all-white chess set, where the absence of color coding forces players to abandon competitive instincts and embrace collaboration. These are not artworks to be merely observed; they're conceptual provocations that ask viewers to reconsider assumptions about art, play, and purpose. The gardens themselves deserve recognition as artistic achievements. LongHouse's landscape design creates distinct "rooms"—outdoor spaces with defined character, plant palettes, and spatial logic—that guide visitors through varied aesthetic experiences. From formal geometric plantings to naturalistic meadow areas, rom shade gardens under mature trees to sun-drenched flower borders, each garden room provides different contexts for sculpture. This horticultural sophistication elevates the reserve beyond a sculpture park into an integrated landscape artwork. Seasonal programming ensures LongHouse remains dynamic rather than static. Rotating exhibitions complement the permanent collection, bringing fresh perspectives and contemporary dialogues. From March through December, the reserve is open Wednesday through Sunday, 12:30 PM to 5 PM, with docent-led tours available April through October (Saturdays and Sundays at 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM, subject to availability). "Member Mornings" on Saturdays (10:30 AM-12:30 PM) offer supporters early access, creating a quieter, more contemplative experience. The location in East Hampton adds cachet and context. This is the Hamptons—Long Island's legendary destination for art world luminaries, collectors, writers, and cultural tastemakers. LongHouse exists within an ecosystem of galleries, artist studios, historic estates, and beaches that make the East End a summer art pilgrimage. Visiting LongHouse can anchor a broader cultural itinerary that might include Parrish Art Museum, local galleries in Easthampton and Bridgehampton, historic Pollock-Krasner House, and the beaches that have inspired generations of artists. The reserve's scale—16 acres—creates intimacy rather than feeling limited. Unlike vast sculpture parks where visitors might walk miles between works, LongHouse allows for focus and sustained attention. You can comfortably see the entire property in 1.5-2 hours at a leisurely pace, which means multiple visits in a single day become feasible. This compact footprint also means horticultural excellence is maintainable—every bed, every border, every planting receives dedicated care. Advance reservations are encouraged, though walk-ins are welcome during open hours. This reservation system helps manage capacity and ensures visitors enjoy uncrowded conditions. The reserve isn't designed for mass tourism; it's meant to be experienced contemplatively, ideally with time to sit, reflect, and observe how light and shadow transform sculptures throughout the day. Educational programming and events activate Long House beyond passive viewership. The reserve hosts lectures, workshops, performances, and community gatherings that align with its mission of exploring relationships between art, nature, and design. These programs connect LongHouse to broader cultural conversations while maintaining the reserve's distinctive character. Photographers find LongHouse endlessly rewarding. The combination of world-class sculpture, designed gardens, and architectural elements creates rich compositional possibilities. The East End's famously beautiful light—soft and atmospheric, particularly in morning and late afternoon—enhances every photograph. Seasonal changes in plantings mean the same sculpture can be documented in wildly different contexts across the year. LongHouse represents a particular aesthetic philosophy: that contemporary art need not shock or challenge to be valuable, that beauty and intellectual rigor can coexist, and that careful curation creates more powerful experiences than overwhelming abundance. This is curated experience rather than encyclopedic survey—every artwork earned its place through quality and site-appropriateness. The reserve functions as living testament to Jack Lenor Larsen's belief in art's transformative potential. Though Larsen passed away in 2020, his vision continues through the non-profit he established to ensure LongHouse's perpetual existence. The board, staff, and volunteers work to honor his legacy while allowing the reserve to evolve with contemporary art world developments. For visitors planning East Hampton trips, LongHouse offers elegant counterpoint to beach days. Spending a morning at ocean beaches followed by an afternoon at LongHouse creates balanced experience—natural wildness paired with cultivated beauty, physical recreation balanced with intellectual and aesthetic engagement.

16-acre sculpture garden in the Hamptons with 60+ contemporary works by Fuller, Ono, de Kooning. Integrates art, architecture, and designed gardens.

Notable Artworks

Art & Features

Art Styles: Contemporary, Conceptual, Installation

Planning Your Visit

Contact Information

🏛️ Facilities & Programs

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