The Collection

Sydney and Walda Besthoffs' interest in collecting contemporary sculpture began in 1973 with the purchase of an office building in downtown New Orleans to serve as the corporate headquarters for K & B Incorporated, the family-owned retail drug store chain. Located on historic St. Charles Avenue at Lee Circle, the building was designed in 1960-62 by the architectural firm of Skidmore Owings and Merrill for John Hancock Insurance. For the large plaza surrounding the building, the architects commissioned an 18-foot high granite sculptural fountain by Isamu Noguchi, titled The Mississippi. Prompted by the acquisition, the Besthoffs began looking for other sculptures. An early acquisition was a 39-foot kinetic sculpture by George Rickey specially commissioned in 1978.

After the establishment of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Foundation in 1978, the growth of the collection of 20th century and contemporary sculpture began to accelerate, both with large-scale works displayed on the plaza and smaller sculptures on view throughout the eight-story corporate headquarters. From the beginning, the Foundation's collection has been open for public viewing. In addition to sculpture, the Besthoffs have been active collectors of American photorealist paintings, acquiring important works by artists such as Richard Estes, Ralph Goings and Robert Cottingham.

Among the earliest sculpture acquisitions by the Besthoffs were works by a number of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Jacques Lipchitz. Works by other artists with international reputations followed, such as Arnoldo Pomodoro, Lynn Chadwick, Jean-Robert Ipousteguy, George Rickey, Louise Bourgeois, Elisabeth Frink and Fernando Botero. As their taste broadened and became more eclectic, the Besthoffs sought the work of younger, more cutting-edge artists such as Siah Armajani, Scott Burton, Sandro Chia, Joel Shapiro and Jean-Michel Othoniel.

In 1992, discussions began between Sydney and Walda Besthoff, the New Orleans Museum of Art and the City Park Improvement Association which led to the creation of a sculpture garden to permanently display the Besthoff Collection in an expansive natural setting. The Besthoff Foundation donated the majority of the sculptures and the largest gift of construction funds. City Park provided the beautiful 5-acre site adjacent to the Museum. The New Orleans Museum of Art made the commitment to raise the necessary funds to construct the garden and maintain it in perpetuity.

More than $10 million has been raised by the Museum from more than 75 donors-individuals, foundations, corporations and the State of Louisiana. The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden is thus a great collaborative community effort and will be open to the public without charge for the enjoyment of all.