Days Out: Yorkshire Sculpture Park
THE breathtaking landscape of rural Yorkshire may not seem the most obvious place to find world-class art, but pay a visit to Yorkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) and you will be surprised.
Set in the grounds and gardens of a 500 acre country estate, the park is one of the world’s leading open-air galleries and welcomes more than 400,000 visitors every year. With five indoor galleries, a sprawling outdoor space and an ever-changing programme of international sculpture, there is always something different to see – and it’s completely free to visit.
If it’s world-class art you’re after, the huge, imposing sculptures by renowned American artist KAWS will be right up your street.
Measuring between six and 10 metres tall, the monumental works, which resemble iconic cartoon characters, are quite hard to miss and cut a striking figure in the West Yorkshire landscape.
They’re on display until June 12, so why not make a day of it, pack a picnic and soak up some spring sunshine while exploring the surrounding scenery and park’s indoor galleries.
The huge grounds are the perfect place to exhaust even the most inexhaustible child, and there’s also a modern visitor centre, shop and coffee bar to pick up a bite to eat or souvenir.
YSP is part of the Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle, which aims to position the county as the European capital of sculpture. Other venues include The Hepworth Wakefield, The Henry Moore Institute, Leeds, and Leeds Art Gallery.
FACTFILE
Admission: Free
Opening times: 10am to 5pm daily
Address: West Bretton, Wakefield, WF4 4LG
Parking: Paid for on-site
Telephone: 01924 832631
Website: www.ysp.co.uk
More: yorkshire.com