September Events at the Lynden Sculpture Garden

The Lynden Sculpture Garden is located at 2145 West Brown Deer Road. Admission is free. All events listed below are free unless otherwise indicated. Memberships, which offer significant discounts on workshops and other events, are available.

HOURS

In September, the Lynden Sculpture Garden is open daily from 10 am-5 pm (closed Thursdays). Free admission is made possible in part through the generosity of the Mangiamele Arts Foundation. For complete information on events, visitor guidelines, and everything that goes on at Lynden, visit www.lyndensculpturegarden.org. The sculpture garden will be closed September 7 for the holiday.

EXHIBITIONS: GALLERY

WARREN KING: HOMECOMING

Through November 15, 2026

Artist Reception: Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 5-7 pm

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/exhibitions/WarrenKing

Family histories, myth, and memories not only survive migration and cultural transplantation; they persist at the foundations of identity. Warren King’s sophisticated sculptures explore his family’s origins in Shaoxing, China, their journey to the suburbs of Wisconsin, and how he understands this displacement in light of his own Western upbringing. King’s sculptures often combine thematic and aesthetic elements from Chinese and Western traditions, masterfully working cardboard into near life-size figures and wall pieces that recall traditional lacquerware and woodcarving. This exhibition originated at the James Watrous Gallery in Madison, Wisconsin, where it was co-curated by Jody Clowes and Warren King, and is presented in collaboration with the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin.

EXHIBITIONS: OUTDOORS

THE BONSAI EXHIBIT AT LYNDEN

The exhibition opened to the public on Saturday, May 9, 2026 (World Bonsai Day) and will remain open Wednesdays, Saturdays & Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm, or by appointment, until early autumn.

More information: http://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/Bonsai

Located beside Big Lake, the Bonsai Exhibit at Lynden—a collaboration with the Milwaukee Bonsai Society and the Milwaukee Bonsai Foundation–includes a display area for bonsai, waterside teaching patio, and pollinator garden.

MATERIALIZE: GARY JOHN GRESL and MATTHEW VIVIRITO

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/exhibitions/materialize

In the spring of 2026, Lynden began MATERIALIZE, an outdoor exhibition series that invites selected local artists to install sculptural work on the grounds for varying periods of time. Since opening to the public, Lynden has been an experimental laboratory for initiating a dialogue between nature and sculpture. We seek to continue this conversation through the ephemeral sentences that the rotating installations provide. Currently on view: Gary John Gresl, Second Elegy for Ray Bradbury and “The Scythe” (Interregnum), and Framework by Matthew Vivirito.

EXHIBITIONS: OFFSITE

OUT OF THE SUITCASE 2026: AN EXHIBITION OF AWARDEES FROM THE MARY L. NOHL SUITCASE EXPORT FUND

September 21-December 12, 2026

MIAD, Brooks Stevens Gallery, 273 E. Erie St., Milwaukee, WI 53202

Gallery Night & Reception: October 16, 2026, 5-8 pm

More information: https://www.miad.edu/miad-galleries-overview

This biennial exhibition brings together recent recipients of the Mary L. Nohl Suitcase Export Fund award, highlighting contemporary art practice within Milwaukee’s creative community.

CALL & RESPONSE 2026

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/callandresponse2026

Since 2015, Call & Response–a cumulative, cross-disciplinary, community-focused, artist-driven initiative–has brought together artists, scholars, educators, and community members to construct a space for artists of color to celebrate the radical Black imagination as a means to re-examine the past and imagine a better future. This autumn, Call & Response artists are showing up around town. The work of Daniel Minter and Portia Cobb is featured in Thresholds, an exhibition at the Haggerty Museum of Art (August 28-December 19, 2026; opening reception September 10). Reggie Wilson/Fist & Heel Performance Group will be featured in The Shakers: A World in the Making, where they will be represented by a video of POWER, a work Wilson reimagined at Lynden in 2022. The exhibition opens September 25, 2026, and the company is in town for an Artist Talk & Performance on October 1. Less visibly, Arielle Julia Brown arrives at Lynden on September 29 for a short residency to continue her work on SOUNDING ELIZA.

WORKSHOPS & EVENTS

KNIT @ LYNDEN WITH ANNALESA ALBRIGHT

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 – 10:30 am-12 pm

Fee: FREE, but registration highly encouraged.

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/knit-at-lynden

Join Annalesa Albright for a morning of multigenerational knitting and good company. Bring your latest project or yarn from your stash to cast on something fresh. We can inspire each other and share our stories while we knit in the beautiful gallery at Lynden. This is not an instructional workshop, but all skill levels are welcome, from washcloth-makers to cabled-sweater-proficients. Children with the concentration to learn to knit (or to keep themselves quietly occupied while others indulge) are welcome.

WEDNESDAY WORK DAYS

Wednesdays, September 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2026 – 10 am-12 pm

More information and to register:

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/wednesday-work-days-2026

Wednesday Work Days are a weekly volunteer opportunity to work with Lynden’s land team on the grounds. Whether you are looking for a few hours of volunteer work or want a weekly activity that keeps you outside, you are welcome to join us on Wednesday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon. Projects vary from season to season as you work alongside land staff to enhance biodiversity and take care of the native flora and fauna. No experience is necessary, though you are encouraged to bring your favorite gardening gloves and digging tools if you have them. Water, snacks, and additional tools will be provided.

THE ART OF BIRDING WITH CHUCK STEBELTON

Sunday, September 13, 2026 – 10-11:30 am

Fee: $10/$5 members.

More information and to register:

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/birding-2026

Join poet and Wisconsin Master Naturalist volunteer Chuck Stebelton on the second Sunday of each month to bird by eye and ear with a focus on the life histories of wild birds. We’ll watch for seasonal migrants and resident bird species and seek out the best bird habitats to identify as many species as we can. Please dress for the weather and plan to walk in varied terrain. Bring your binoculars and field guides if you have them; no previous birding experience required.

GARDEN WORK DAY

Thursday, September 17, 2026 – 10 am-12 pm

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/2026-garden-work-days

Join us for a few hours as we prune the spent lilac buds, promoting the growth of flowers next year. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their favorite gardening gloves and digging tools (if you have them)! Water, snacks, and additional tools will be provided. In September, we’ll be cleaning up the path leading to the house.

SOUND BATH & LABYRINTH WALK WITH SEVAN ARABAJIAN

Thursday, September 17, 2026 – 5:30-7 pm

Fee: $30/$25 members. Pre-registration required.

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/soundbath-sept2026

This summer is our eighth season of Sound Bath & Labyrinth Walks at Lynden. An outgrowth of artist-in-residence Jenna Knapp’s project Labyrinth Society of Lynden Sculpture Garden, the sound baths developed in collaboration with Sevan Arabajian. Now that Jenna has moved on to other projects, Sevan will host the 2026 sound baths on her own (with you).

Sound baths are an ancient form of healing and deep meditation; they include various ambient sounds and frequencies played in a space where you can hear and experience their vibrations moving through you. Everyone’s experience will be different; unique as you are, and according to what is needed most at the time. The outdoor sound bath lasts approximately 45-60 minutes, including guiding you to relax into the experience beforehand and out of it afterward. Sevan will offer some words about the current astrological influences and prompts for walking the labyrinth after the sound bath. You are invited to bring your own candle for the labyrinth walk (something in a glass votive to block the wind).

HOME BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Friday, September 18, 2026 – 11 am-12 pm ***VIRTUAL***

FREE.

More information and to register:

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/home-book-group-2026

The Lynden/HOME Refugee Steering Committee book discussion group, moderated by Lynden’s Kim Khaira, is for those interested in firsthand accounts of displacement. We consider works of non-fiction and fiction, including autobiographical and semi-autobiographical works, by writers who have faced or are facing forced displacement as refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. In September, we continue reading Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s The Undocumented Americans. Newcomers welcome.

DOG DAYS AT LYNDEN

Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 10 am-4 pm

FREE.

More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/dog-days-2026

Bring your canine friends for an early fall walk. Dogs must be leashed and considerate of other visitors, canine and human.

OVER THE PRAIRIE//UNDER THE PRAIRIE WITH LILY LALIOS

Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 2-4 pm

FREE but registration required.

More information and to register:

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/lily-lalios-2026

Lily Lalios’s project, Over the Prairie//Under the Prairie, is a yearlong series of free community poetry workshops, culminating in a print anthology. These generative workshops, designed for Milwaukee residents and writers of all experience levels, will explore one or more of the project’s four major themes; Grief and Death practices, Local Eco-Writing, Interfaith/Intercultural Memory-Keeping, and Ekphrastic Poetry. Workshops will be held at various locations around the city in order to offer site-specific inspiration related to the theme, as well as to allow participants to explore their city and meet neighbors they might not otherwise encounter. Lalios is a 2026 Milwaukee Emerging Poet Practice Fellow, and this workshop is offered in partnership with Woodland Pattern.

LYNDEN BY NIGHT

Friday, September 25, 2026, 6-7:30 pm

Fee: $10 per session/$5 per session for Lynden members. Children under 6 are free.

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/LyndenbyNight

Discover the sights and sounds of the night in Lynden’s back acres and observe our monumental sculptures beneath the night sky. Come walk Lynden’s grounds with members of the sculpture garden’s land team, who will introduce you to the mysteries and unique features of outdoor life after dark. A fire and treats await at the end.

DOORS OPEN MILWAUKEE

Saturday, September 26, 2026 – 10 am-5 pm

FREE
More information: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/DoorsOpen-2026

The Lynden Sculpture Garden joins Doors Open Milwaukee for a day of free tours and activities. Drop into the gallery for Warren King’s “Homecoming” or locate the new temporary sculptures on the grounds. Visit the Milwaukee Bonsai Foundation’s Bonsai Exhibit and the pollinator gardens, take a scavenger hunt, check out a self-guided activity, or explore on your own.

GREENWOOD GATHERING: CARVERS’ MEET-UP WITH JEREMY STEPIEN

Saturday, September 26, 2026 – 11 am-4 pm

Fee: $15/$10 members. You are welcome to attend for the entire day, or for a portion, but registration is required.

https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/GWG-Meetup-Fall2026

Join us for the fall session of Lynden’s Greenwood Gathering, an open-ended carving event where both new and returning participants can bring their current or finished carving projects to share with fellow woodcarvers. Gather around the campfire to carve, exchange ideas, share techniques, and draw inspiration from each other’s work. The gatherings will include occasional themed demonstrations and relevant garden tours.

CREATIVE TIME FOR FAMILIES: SUMINAGASHI – FLOATING INK ART

Sunday, September 27, 2026 – 12:30-2:30 pm

Fee: $20 per family/free for members (all materials included). All ages are welcome; children younger than 12 should attend with an adult.

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/creative-time

From September through December, Claudia Orjuela will be offering monthly drop-in workshops for families. Stop by for engaging, hands-on activities that bring art and nature to life. Whether you make a quick visit or stay the entire two hours, count on spending some quality creative time with family and friends. In September, we will experiment with the Japanese technique of suminagashi, or “floating ink.”

PAUL AMITAI: TROPE VARIATIONS

Sunday, September 27, 2026 – 3-4:30 pm

FREE but registration required.
For more information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/paul-amitai-trope-variations

Trope Variations is an improvisational vocal performance built around Hebrew cantillation, an ancient system of melodic notation used to chant the Torah. A set of thirty graphic marks, each representing a different melody, provide the creative prompts for performance. Inspired by Brian Eno’s “Oblique Strategies” and John Cage’s use of the I Ching to introduce chance operations into music, Trope Variations are never performed the same way twice. The melodic motifs are the building blocks of a performance, rearranged, sequenced, and reinterpreted in new ways every time it’s performed. The result is a distinctive approach to structured improvisation, where both vocal samples and live vocalizations are layered and processed to create lush, ambient soundscapes. Situated between extended-duration sound performances, loop-based minimalism, and immersive sound baths, Trope Variations is an exploration in redefining how the sacred or sublime might sound.

FALL CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Fall classes are organized into two seven-week sessions: September 9-October 22 (Fall Session I) and October 28-December 17; no class November 25-26 (Fall Session II).

Wednesdays in the Garden for Ages 2-4

Wednesdays | 10-11 am Sessions: Fall I, Fall II

Fee: $140/$112 members for one adult and one child per seven-week session. Add $8 per session for an additional child.

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/WIG-FALL-2026

Wednesdays in the Garden offers a nurturing and joyful space for our youngest learners to explore, play, and grow. Together with their caregivers, children will discover the wonders of the natural world and Lynden’s unique sculpture collection through hands-on experiences that spark curiosity, wonder, and creativity. Each week highlights a new theme, connecting children’s natural interests with the world around them.

Art and Nature Explorers/Exploradores del Arte y la Naturaleza for Ages 6-11

Wednesdays | 4-5:30 pm

Session: Fall I

Fee: $175/$133 members per seven-week session

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/ArtNatureExplorers

This bilingual Spanish/English program invites children to explore the intersection of art and nature through hands-on creative experiences that deepen their connection to the environment while building artistic skills. Each session includes an outdoor exploration and a studio activity inspired by what we discover. The program is designed to be accessible to both bilingual and English-speaking children: vocabulary in both Spanish and English is woven naturally into each activity, supporting language development in an engaging, immersive way. No prior Spanish experience required.

Art + Nature Lab for Ages 8-12

Thursdays | 3:30-5:30 pm Sessions: Fall I, Fall II

Fee: $175/$133 members per seven-week session

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/art-nature-lab-2026

Art + Nature Lab is a dynamic studio experience where creativity flourishes through choice, exploration, and personal expression. This student-driven program encourages participants to work as artists—selecting their own subjects, materials, and approaches while developing confidence in their creative process. With access to a wide variety of tools and media, participants experiment, problem-solve, and refine their ideas into works of art while sharing inspiration, taking creative risks, and growing together in a supportive art community.

Woodcraft Workshop for Ages 10-15

Wednesdays | 3:30-5:30 pm Session: Fall II

Fee: $234/$193 members per seven-week session (including a carving knife)

More information and to register: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/woodcraft-2026

Discover the satisfaction of making useful objects with your own hands in this beginner-friendly woodworking class. Working with carving knives, saws, and other simple tools, students will learn traditional carving and hand-tool skills as they create a series of small projects that build confidence, patience, and craftsmanship.

NOHL FELLOWSHIP EVENTS

Supporting artists is at the core of Lynden’s mission. One of the ways that we support artists is by administering a range of grant programs for artists: the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists, the Suitcase Export Fund, and the Ruth Arts Mary L Nohl Alumni Awards.

APPLICATION OPENS FOR TWENTY-FOURTH CYCLE OF THE NOHL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 11 am

For information and to apply: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/nohl

The Lynden administers the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists program. The fellowship program, funded by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Mary L. Nohl Fund, provides unrestricted funds for Established and Emerging artists to create new work or complete work in progress. Practicing artists residing in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, or Washington County are eligible to apply. Assistance for prospective applicants is available in four free, informal, virtual sessions. Polly Morris, joined by Nohl Fellows, will offer an application workshop on Thursday, September 10, 2026, 6-7:30 pm. She will also offer three Q&A sessions: Thursday, September 17, 12 noon-1 pm; Saturday, September 26, 10-11 am; Wednesday, September 30, 6:30-7:30 pm. All sessions are free, but you must register in advance. If you are unable to attend these sessions on Zoom, they will be recorded and posted on the web.

COMING UP IN OCTOBER

As mentioned above, Reggie Wilson/Fist & Heel Performance Group will offer an Artist Talk and Performance in conjunction with The Shakers: A World in the Making at the Milwaukee Art Museum on October 1. Here at Lynden, Warren King’s Homecoming remains on view in our gallery, and the bonsai exhibit will be open Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays until frost comes. You can always seek out the temporary outdoor installations that are part of MATERIALIZE when you stroll the grounds. There is plenty going on with trees and wood (carving) in October: a Tree and Mushroom Walk (October 2), an Edible Trees of Lynden walk (October 3), a spoon-making intensive (October 10-11), and a Greenwood Gathering for carvers on October 24. Knitters meet up for Knit@Lynden on October 6; birders join Chuck Stebelton for the Art of Birding on October 11; and dogs visit for dog day on October 17. There is a Lynden by Night moon walk on October 23. The HOME Book Discussion Group meets (virtually) on October 16 (we’ll be discussing Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’sThe Undocumented Americans), and later that day you can join us for the artist reception for Out of the Suitcase 2026, for recent Suitcase Export Fund awardees, at MIAD. The second fall session of classes for children and youth opens the week of October 26, so now’s the time to register for Wednesdays in the Garden (ages 2-4), Art + Nature Lab (ages 8-12), and our new Woodcraft Workshop (ages 10-15). Drop in for Creative Time for Families on October 25 (now free for members). Wednesday Work Days recur weekly, and our monthly Garden Work Day falls on October 22 (we’ll be getting the gardens ready for winter). Watch the calendar for a visit from Jonathan Lippincott in mid-October: he’ll be talking about our latest acquisition, James Rosati’s Double Arc I. The 2027 Nohl Fellowship application closes Thursday, October 8—be sure to get your application in by 5 pm.

It’s fall, and we’re adding things all the time, so keep your eye on the web calendar: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/2026-09

ABOUT THE LYNDEN

The Lynden operates as a laboratory at the intersection of art, nature, and culture. Since opening to the public in 2010, we have worked with artists, educators, students, and our community to create, support, and share experiences that integrate our collection of more than 50 monumental sculptures and temporary installations, Lynden’s community of artists, and the natural ecology of our 40-acre site. The sculpture garden is open to art and nature lovers of all ages daily, 10 am-5 pm; closed Thursdays. Admission is free. Learn more about visitor guidelines here: https://www.lyndensculpturegarden.org/visit. Annual memberships are also available.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.