A visit to Night Forms at Grounds For Sculpture

-Brenda Hillegas

Pictures just don’t do justice to this breathtaking night-time exhibition at Grounds For Sculpture- the unique, year-round 42-acre sculpture park and museum located in Hamilton, New Jersey. Currently on display throughout the grounds is Night Forms, the third and final installment of Grounds For Sculpture’s partnership with Klip Collective.

Klip Collective creates site-specific light and sound experiences that are a must-see. Grounds For Sculpture is about an hour’s drive from Philadelphia. It’s the perfect place for a little trip during the Christmas break. Night Forms takes place after dark and will run through April 7th (Friday – Sunday, Sunset – 10PM).

Night Forms is not an experience to rush through. Take in each stop, watch the colors change, the sounds. The exhibits are interactive and you can scan QR codes to find out more about what’s in front of you.

The majority of Night Forms takes place on the Grounds’ Main Loop. Because it’s very dark, you won’t be able to experience the entirety of the grounds and many of the sculptures that you’d normally see during the day. But you’ll still see a few!

You can enhance your visit with various packages too, including a cocktail passport with three winter-themed cocktails for an additional $30/person. You’ll find the drinks at various points through the trail:

• GAZEBO: Misunderstood Oat Nog | oat milk liqueur & misunderstood whiskey
• VAN GOGH CAFÉ: Snowflake Martini | white chocolate liqueur, vanilla vodka, heavy cream
• RAT’S RESTAURANT: Winter Harvest Sangria | pears, apples, citrus, red wine, spiced rum

Rat’s Restaurant is gorgeous and so is the food. I highly recommend including dinner there during your visit. This place is so charming and cozy, can you imagine settling down with a bowl of French onion soup after wandering around outside all bundled up? It was delicious! There’s also a three-course prix fixe menu available for $49 a person each evening that Night Forms is open. The menu can be found here.

Steak Frites and Masala Roasted Cauliflower (fantastic crispy chickpeas).

If you’re planning a family outing for Night Forms, the kids menu at Rat’s is adorable. There are four options priced at $13 each- chicken fingers, buttered pasta, cheeseburger or fried shrimp. The meal includes fruit, cookies, and milk or juice. This was a huge win for Rowan- he loves apple slices. And he discovered popovers which were brought to our table to enjoy before the meal. We’ll be making those at home during the holiday break!

Rat’s Restaurant was also named one of the most romantic restaurants across the US for 2024 by The Knot. So, Grounds For Sculpture- whether you visit for Night Forms or during the day- paired with a meal at Rat’s would be a perfect date idea.

You can learn more about Night Forms and ticket reservations here. Night Forms is a special ticketed event not included in general daytime admission. For Rat’s Restaurant and other dining options at Grounds For Sculpture, click here.