 There are two reasons someone would visit Hogpen Hill Farms sculpture park. 1) You’re a lover of art. 2) You’re a fan of Edward Tufte. Or you’re both. The Weirdest Thing You Can Do in Connecticut When my husband and I travel, we each use our skills to make the trip happen. I’m the what-can-we-do-there person. He’s the how-do-we-do-this person. So, I was pleased to say to my husband, “I think I’ve found the weirdest thing we can do in Connecticut.”  Black Swans do exist...in Australia and at Hogpen Hill Farms. Edward Tufte and Hogpen Hill Farms As a professor at Princeton and Yale, Edward Tufte taught data analysis and public policy. But he’s best-known for his books on information design and data visualization. You may have attended his one-day course on presenting data and information.  On his 234-acre property in Woodbury, Connecticut, Tufte has designed and constructed his own sculpture park. Here, he arranges his large-scale sculptures of metal and stone. All the sculptures that you see on the drive into the park can be seen again on foot within the park.  An homage to surrealist painter, René Magritte: Aluminum casting, 12 feet in length. Magritte’s Smile 5 dangles from the trees, allowing this aluminum fish to spin, even with just a light breeze. This sculpture can be seen as you drive into the park and can be viewed more easily from a grassy spot within the park. Hogpen Hill Farms Hours and Tickets Edward Tufte’s sculpture park has an exclusivity – both in hours of operation and tickets. Hogpen Hill Farms is open on select days (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) at specific times in specific months (which can change).  Twig 4 (at right): 0.1% steel and 99.9% air by volume, standing 32 feet high. Hogpen Hill Farms tickets are not cheap. For Friday tickets only, $40 per car. Otherwise, tickets start at $50 for one person in one car; $72 for up to six people in one car. Even on my own on a Saturday or Sunday, I would spend the $50, because it is such an unusual place to visit. You may purchase tickets online or at the gate any day that Hogpen Hill Farms is scheduled to be open. When you arrive at the “World Headquarters Building”, a staff person checks your ticket against a list and gives you an 11x17 (A3) double-sided guide. This one-page guide describes the largest sculptures. Other sculptures are labeled within the park itself. Some sculptures in the park are not identified.  No “flat paintings on flat walls”. Escaping Flatland: Polished stainless steel. About Hogpen Hill Farms Like me, you might think you need a map of Hogpen Hill Farms. You don’t. All the artworks are placed along a 1.5-mile diagonal. Your movement through the park is guided by whatever captivates you. It’s a place to wander. Besides, it would be difficult to miss a sculpture that’s 31 feet high and 84 feet long, topped with an Airstream trailer that appears ready to blast into space.  A view of Rocket Science 3 (Airstream Interplanetary Explorer). Megaliths in the distance. The artworks were installed at Hogpen Hill Farms, starting in 2007, and continuing today, with works in progress, and some pieces moved or removed. The Airstream Interplanetary Explorer has been moved 3 times; once only 18 inches. Tufte has described himself as “picky”. But it should not be surprising that a person known for data and design is precise. Like other artists, Tufte controls the medium. Unlike other artists, Tufte controls the space where his art is displayed. These artworks will remain open space in perpetuity. Tips for Hogpen Hill Farms  Trip Weed is no joke.
Things to know about Hogpen Hill Farms  A shady spot at Hogpen Hill Farms.
 Visit Hogpen Hill Farms 100 Weekeepeemee Road, Woodbury, Connecticut Tel: 203-272-9187 (call for tickets or with questions) See the latest ticket dates and get tickets. In 2025, Hogpen Hill Farms will not open until autumn. When the park is closed, there is no access and the gates are closed. See more Places to Go: Albuquerque Hot Air Balloon Ride Millicent Rogers Museum Authentic Native American Jewelry Jane Austen House Lacock Abbey England Cape Cod Lavender Farm Harwich  Comments are closed.
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