Nelson thanks Donald Hall by renaming sculpture park

The 22-acre sculpture garden at the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art has a new name.

It’s now called The Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park.

“Hall and his late wife, Adele, have been strong and generous supporters of the Nelson-Atkins for many years,” the Nelson said in a press release. “Hall served as a member of the Nelson-Atkins Board of Trustees for 31 years, and under his influence the museum modernized its governance and broadened the board from three members to 21. In the 1990s, when the museum moved toward expansion, Hall led an international pursuit of the best architect for the project, resulting in a design by architect Steven Holl. The Bloch Building opened in 2007 to worldwide acclaim.”

The land that surrounds the museum, considered one of the nation’s finest settings for a major art museum, is home to 35 sculptures.

The new name will be recognized with four bronze plaques in the park. The renaming sets the stage for a major celebration of the park’s 25th birthday in 2014.

“Adele and I shared a passion for the Nelson-Atkins and enjoyed our relationship with this fine institution through the years,” said Hall. “It truly is gratifying to see that is has become one of the premiere art institutions in the country.”

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