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The Pizzuti’s New Garden Project Will Bring 70+ Native Plant Species to Downtown Columbus

The outdoor space at Columbus Museum of Art’s Pizzuti campus is about to look very different.

CMA announced this week that California-based landscape architecture studio TERREMOTO is redesigning the exterior grounds and sculpture garden at The Pizzuti, introducing more than 70 native plant species and a long-term ecological vision for the site.

The project marks TERREMOTO’s first garden commission in the Midwest and its first major museum collaboration. The redesign was developed alongside faculty and students from The Ohio State University Knowlton School of Architecture, continuing a growing partnership between the museum and Ohio State.

people working on garden
Daniel Marcus, CMA at The Pizzuti, Oct 2025. Photo by Michelle Franco.

Located next to Goodale Park, the updated garden is being designed around native prairie and woodland ecosystems.

The goal is not only to create a visually engaging public space, but also to improve biodiversity and rethink how museum landscapes function over time.

TERREMOTO is widely known for its ecological approach to landscape architecture, emphasizing regionally appropriate plants, sustainable maintenance practices, and the visibility of the workers who build and care for these spaces.

people looking at plants
Daniel Marcus, CMA at The Pizzuti, Oct 2025. Photo by Michelle Franco.

The first phase of the project was already planted last fall, when Knowlton students helped install nearly 1,900 perennials at the site.

“This garden reflects the power of artistic vision and community collaboration,” said CMA Executive Director and CEO Brooke A. Minto in a statement.

The redesign also connects with the museum’s broader programming at The Pizzuti, which has increasingly focused on interactive and community-centered experiences. That includes artist Tavares Strachan’s Bar Room installation, a fully operational cocktail bar and gathering space that opened at the museum last year.

people working in garden
Ohio State students Dean Hjerpyn and Haley Trolio, CMA at The Pizzuti, Oct 2025. Photo by Knowlton School.

Visitors will be able to experience the evolving garden throughout the summer during Night Shift: Au Naturel, a recurring evening series featuring DJs, natural wines, gallery access, and outdoor programming in the sculpture garden. Events are scheduled for June 5, July 10, August 7, and September 4.

Garden hours at The Pizzuti are:

  • Thursday: 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Friday and Saturday: 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission to The Pizzuti is $10, with annual season passes available for $25. For more info, head over to columbusmuseum.org/the-pizzuti.

Written by

Chelsea Wiley

Chelsea Wiley, first of her name, Queen of the Seven Andals... wait. That's not right. Joking aside, Chelsea is a writer and photographer born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She is an avid reader and a lover of animals.