BROOKLINE, NH – Thanksgiving is on the horizon and after stuffing yourself with turkey and pumpkin pie, you may want to get out and go for a walk. Southern New Hampshire is full of great options for strolling, including the Andres Institute for Art located on Big Bear Mountain in Brookline, NH.
Taking a walk through the Andres Institute enables you to get some fresh air and burn off some calories, but it also gives you the opportunity to enjoy dozens of amazing sculptures placed throughout the grounds. Since 1996, Property owner and inventor Paul Andres along with local sculptor and artistic director Paul Weidman have been populating the park with large-scale sculptures.
Currently there are more than 70 located on 140 acres. Most of them are the product of the Bridges and Connections sculpture symposium. Every fall sculptors from around the world come to the Institute to create sculptures that will be placed on the grounds.
Visitors can watch the artists work on their pieces in and around the studio. The most recent symposium ran from mid-September to the beginning of October.
An outdoor sculpture garden is a wonderful place to introduce young children to art without worrying about buzzers going off if one of them touches something. Many families take advantage of the trails of the Institute to teach their children the joy of art.
All of the artwork is family friendly and placement of the sculptures along the trails creates almost magical settings that spur the imagination and stimulate discussions.
The Institute is located on a pretty steep hill and getting around can be a bit of a workout. Access is off Route 111 on a dirt road immediately after the Big Bear Lodge. The Institute is open every day, all year, from dawn to dusk and it is free. Visit their website to get directions and download a trail.
