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Overview

The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo headquarters in Purchase, New York, represent one of the finest corporate sculpture collections in the world—a hidden gem where world-class art meets meticulously designed landscape architecture. Spanning 168 acres of the former Blind Brook Polo Club grounds, this extraordinary site features approximately 45 monumental outdoor sculptures by some of the most celebrated artists of the 20th century, set within eleven themed garden rooms designed by legendary landscape architects. Unlike many sculpture parks that exist independently, the Kendall Gardens demonstrate how art, architecture, and landscape can be orchestrated into a unified aesthetic experience of the highest caliber. The gardens bear the name of Donald M. Kendall, PepsiCo's visionary CEO from 1971 to 1986, who transformed the company into a global powerhouse while simultaneously creating a corporate headquarters that would serve as a public cultural resource. When PepsiCo relocated from Manhattan to Purchase in the early 1970s, Kendall commissioned architect Edward Durell Stone to design the iconic modernist headquarters building. But Kendall's vision extended far beyond architecture—he understood that great companies could and should contribute to public culture, and he set about assembling one of the world's most important outdoor sculpture collections. The sculpture collection reads like a greatest-hits list of modern and contemporary masters. Auguste Rodin's powerful figurative bronzes establish a historical foundation, while Henry Moore's signature organic abstractions demonstrate the British sculptor's mastery of form and space. Alexander Calder's monumental stabiles bring kinetic energy and bold color to the grounds—his works have influenced generations of sculptors and remain among the most recognizable images in American art. The collection also features major works by Alberto Giacometti, Joan Miró, David Smith, Louise Nevelson, Arnaldo Pomodoro, Claes Oldenburg, and Jean Dubuffet, creating a survey of 20th-century sculptural innovation. What elevates the Kendall Gardens beyond a mere collection of important artworks is the sophisticated landscape design that frames and activates the sculptures. The original landscape architecture was created by Edward Durell Stone Jr., then redesigned and expanded by the legendary Russell Page and later François Goffinet. These designers understood that sculpture doesn't exist in isolation—it requires carefully calibrated relationships with topography, vegetation, water, and architecture. The result is a series of eleven distinct garden rooms, each with its own character, planting palette, and spatial logic. These garden rooms include formal parterres with geometric precision,romantic woodland groves with dappled shade, reflecting pools that double the visual impact of sculptures, expansive lawns that allow monumental works to command space, and intimate courtyards that create moments of discovery. The transitions between these spaces are choreographed with the skill of a film director, creating rhythms of revelation and concealment, expansion and compression. A visitor walking the grounds experiences a continuously unfolding narrative where each turn reveals new relationships between art, nature, and built form. The horticultural excellence is evident throughout. The grounds feature mature specimen trees, seasonal flowering plantings that provide year-round color, immaculate lawns that serve as green carpets for sculpture, and sophisticated water features including fountains and reflecting pools. The maintenance standards are exceptionally high—this is corporate grounds-keeping at its finest, with teams of professionals ensuring that every hedge is trimmed, every bed is pristine, and every view is optimized. This level of care transforms the gardens into a living artwork that changes with seasons while maintaining visual coherence. Despite being private corporate property, the Kendall Gardens are generously open to the public on weekend afternoons from late March through mid-November, as well as on major holidays. This accessibility reflects Kendall's original vision that great art should be shared with the community, not hoarded by private interests. The free admission policy—with free parking—makes this world-class collection available to anyone willing to make the journey to Westchester County. It's a model of corporate citizenship that has become increasingly rare in contemporary America. Visiting the Kendall Gardens offers a different experience from visiting a traditional sculpture park. The formality of the landscape design, the corporate architecture backdrop, and the pristine maintenance create an atmosphere of controlled elegance. This isn't a rustic, naturalistic setting where sculptures emerge from meadows; it's a highly designed environment where every sightline is intentional, every backdrop is considered, every relationship is composed. For some visitors, this formality enhances appreciation by eliminating visual noise; for others, it might feel somewhat stiff compared to more casual parks. But there's no denying the achievement—this is landscape architecture and sculpture curation at its most accomplished. The location in Purchase, in wealthy Westchester County north of New York City, contributes to the site's exclusive feel. Surrounded by private schools, country clubs, and expensive real estate, the PepsiCo campus feels removed from everyday life. Yet this removal has benefits—the gardens offer a sanctuary from urban chaos, a place where contemplation of art and nature can occur in an environment of beauty and calm. The juxtaposition of corporate power (the PepsiCo headquarters) with cultural generosity (the public sculpture garden) creates interesting tensions that thoughtful visitors might contemplate. The collection's curatorial approach favors monumental scale and bold statements. These are not subtle, intimate works—they're large, confident sculptures designed to hold their own in vast outdoor spaces. The emphasis is on mid-century modernism, with its faith in abstraction, its exploration of new materials and fabrication techniques, and its belief in art's ability to ennoble public and corporate environments. This focus makes the collection feel cohesive rather than eclectic, a considered anthology rather than a random assemblage. For art history enthusiasts, the Kendall Gardens offer opportunities to study major works by canonical artists in ideal viewing conditions. The sculptures are beautifully sited, well-maintained, and documented. Interpretive materials help visitors understand the significance of individual works and the broader collection. Photography is encouraged, and the designed landscapes provide stunning backdrops for capturing images of the sculptures. The gardens also function as an important regional cultural resource, used by schools, universities, and community groups for educational programming. Art classes sketch from the sculptures, landscape architecture students analyze the site planning, and families introduce children to modern art in an informal, accessible environment. This educational mission fulfills Kendall's vision of the gardens as a public good, not merely corporate decoration.

World-class corporate sculpture collection featuring 45 works by masters like Rodin, Moore, Calder on 168 acres of designed landscape. FREE admission weekends.

Notable Artworks

Art & Features

Art Styles: Modernist, Abstract, Figurative, Contemporary

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