Gilgal Sculpture Garden

A visionary folk-art park hidden mid-block features scripture-carved stones and the famed Joseph Smith Sphinx. Recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and often noted by culture writers for its singular character.

Free Attractions in Salt Lake City (2025)

A singular visionary art environment tucked behind homes, Gilgal offers symbolic stonework and scripture-carved boulders created mid‑century by mason Thomas Child. Celebrated by city cultural guides and open daily, it hosts a 25th anniversary as a city park in September 2025.

Best Attractions in Salt Lake City (2025)

K.B.

Google

Cool place to visit it's in a quiet neighborhood. Hidden gem of salt lake city. Check out the Joseph Smith sphinx! Such unique art and beauty. Flowers of all kinds all around. Could spend hours reading stone carvings everywhere.

Justin Pratt

Google

It’s a fun time to walk around and check out this gem. If you’re visiting Salt lake and looking for a low key, low pressure experience this is a good option for you. I’ve been a handful of times and there were always very few other or no other people at all. It takes about 10 minutes to walk around and view everything of you don’t read about all the sculptures. Highly recommended as a low key experience.

Leyna Lacognata

Google

Perfect place to sit and enjoy a garden. Very small but worth the stop if you love art and sculpture. Loved that I could smell everything in bloom.

Valanka Fernandes

Google

sculpture garden with some unique pieces and beautiful flowers. Some of the pieces seem In complete or broken but still Worth a quick visit if around the area. It’s free to visit

Lisa E. (Peachy in Georgia)

Google

Five stars for sheer funkiness and unique local flavor. I discovered the Gilgal Sculpture Garden on the Atlas Obscura app– if you travel, make sure you always check Atlas Obscura for your destinations, and you will uncover some truly fascinating, often hidden, gems in the cities where you go! We were here at dusk on a Sunday. There were a few other people around. What a brilliant exploration of one man's intense love for Mormonism! Creative sculptures, lovely flowers, a giant birdhouse, VERY happy bees. Aren't beehives an LDS symbol? As you walk onto the property there are even trees with eyes. Are you a Severance fan? Some of it reminded me a lot of memorials to Kier in the show!! What an interesting place to explore. We were here about 45 minutes and this was plenty of time to see the features and check out the time line display of the gardens evolution at the back.

Gavin Lockard

Google

A very unique garden. I've never seen suck strange but fascinating sculptures before. It's free so come walk around!!

Matt B

Google

Gilgal is certainly a memorable place to visit. It’s a sculpture garden filled with the kind of art that makes you go, “wow, what is that?” The kind of art that gives you something to talk about on the drive home.

A Google User

Google

I was looking for the Utah treasure hunt, and what I found was worth more than my amount of cash that could be offered.

Free Attractions in Salt Lake City (2025)

Best Attractions in Salt Lake City (2025)