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The Tree I Planted at Socrates Sculpture Park
Socrates Sculpture Park turns 40 this year. Its story runs from an abandoned waterfront lot to a place shaped by artists, neighbors, and a childhood tree-planting memory.
When I was a kid, I went to Socrates Sculpture Park and planted a tree. I don’t know if that exact tree is still there, but I remember doing it. It’s a small memory, though it makes the park feel personal to me in a way a plaque or a timeline never could.
Today, Socrates is known for its outdoor art and its stretch of waterfront. But it wasn’t always a park. Before it became the place we know, the site was an abandoned marine terminal that had become an illegal dumping ground. In 1985, sculptor Mark di Suvero and a group of artists began working to reclaim it. The following spring and summer, artists and local residents cleared away trash and rubble. The first exhibition opened on September 28, 1986. The park’s history traces that change—and this year marks 40 years since the opening.
It started as a temporary project, but people kept building on the idea. Public education programs began soon after the park opened. Over time, Socrates became a lasting community resource, with art, youth programs, and room for neighbors to spend time by the water. In 2003, the city added Hallett’s Cove Beach to the park grounds. NYC Parks’ history tells the larger story of a community organizing to reclaim the waterfront.
The park has kept changing. Superstorm Sandy flooded the grounds in 2012 and damaged the shoreline. In 2024, a new building called The Cubes opened to support arts education and community work. Now, as Socrates marks its 40th year, it is still looking for ways to make more of the waterfront available to the public.
That’s part of what I like about this place. It holds big sculptures and a long neighborhood history, but it also holds small memories. For me, one of them is planting a tree there as a kid. You don’t need to know much about art to take a walk through, see what’s on view, and make a memory of your own.
Socrates Sculpture Park is at 32-01 Vernon Boulevard. The park’s website lists its hours as 9 a.m. to sunset. Learn more: https://socratessculpturepark.org/ and https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/socrates-sculpture-park/history