Located at 749 East 500 South in Salt Lake City, Gilgal Sculpture Garden was envisioned, designed and created by Thomas Battersby Child, Jr. in the mid-twentieth century.
Tucked in the middle of the block behind houses and businesses, many are still unaware of its existence and enjoy a true sense of discovery when they visit the garden for the first time.
Gilgal Sculpture Garden contains 12 original sculptures and over 70 stones engraved with scriptures, poems, and literary texts. As a whole, Gilgal Sculpture Garden is significant as the only identified “visionary art environment” in Utah.
The public is invited to visit the garden seven days a week. There is no admission charge. Walking tour brochures are available at the garden. Visiting hours: April/September – 8 am to 8 pm October/March – 9 am to 5 pm Closed New Year Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas.
Gilgal in the News
Salt Lake Magazine
SECRET SLC: THE SPHINX OF SALT LAKE
Utah Humanities
Utah Humanities article: GILGAL GARDEN: ONE MAN’S BELIEFS IN STONE
ViaTravelers
ViaTravelers list of the 25 Fun & Best Things to Do
Southwest Contemporary
Southwest Contemporary: Utah’s Outsider Art Gilgal Sculpture Garden Might Be Bizarro Defined
Gilgal Stories
Julie J. Nichols
I was first introduced to Gilgal in about 1975 by a good friend–we were both grad students and lived in a neighborhood close to the U. He kept our destination a secret and, as I remember, he brought us to a gate into somebody’s back yard, and opened it brazenly. I hung back, concerned that…
Anonymous
I was introduced to Gilgal Garden when I was about 11 in the early 1960’s. Our Sunday School teacher made arrangements with the owners to bring her Sunday School class to Gilgal Garden. In the Garden, some of the stories we had been told came alive through the rock sculptures.We were impressed with the stones…
Harry Hughes
After serving as a Marine in Vietnam, I moved from Long Island, New York to teach as a full professor at Salt Lake City Community College. There, I met my beautiful wife Stephanie Packard. One of the first places we visited was Gilgal Sculpture Garden were we frolicked and climbed the steep hill at the…
We need your help
Restore Gilgal Garden’s Sculptures and Stones
Your tax deductible donation to Friends of Gilgal Garden will help insure this unique piece of Utah’s cultural heritage is preserved. Donations are gratefully accepted at PO Box 58447 Salt Lake City UT 84158-0447 or using the button below.
Gilgal Needs Gardeners
This might be just the place for you. Gilgal Garden is a city park, and SLC cuts the grass and does the heavy work like pruning the trees. The garden is maintained by a group of dedicated gardeners from the Salt Lake County Gardening Association. We are looking for new helpers.
