Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a botanical garden in Kent County, Michigan. The nearest town is East Grand Rapids, about 4.8 km (3.0 mi) away (Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park lies NNE of town).
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a 158-acre (64 ha) botanical garden, art museum, and outdoor sculpture park located in Grand Rapids Township, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1995, Meijer Gardens quickly established itself in the Midwest as a major cultural attraction jointly focused on horticulture and sculpture. Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park includes a tropical conservatory, an 8-acre Japanese garden, major works of modern and contemporary sculpture on the grounds and indoors, along with a series of outdoor gardens and nature trails.From the Wikipedia article “Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:47 AM | 90° E | 7:55 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 56° ENE | 9:26 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:30 AM | 89° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:11 AM | 122° ESE | 5:11 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 00m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:40 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:56 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:21 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 7:27 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:33 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:18 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:32 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 5:28 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:24 PM | 9:59 PM | 15h 20m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:38 PM | 9:20 PM | 9:54 PM | 15h 03m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:17 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:35 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:07 AM | 8:54 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 02m |
Local time (America/Detroit), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:23 AM – 6:13 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:27 AM – 5:07 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:29 AM – 4:09 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:41 PM – 3:41 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:30 PM – 2:20 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:35 PM – 12:15 AM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:31 PM – 10:21 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.9 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (82%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 59 | 64 | 81 | 78 | 90 | 94 | 104 | 97 | 95 | 86 | 75 | 66 |
| Low °F | -14 | -17 | -8 | 14 | 25 | 36 | 42 | 43 | 37 | 25 | 15 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 2.4 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, closest first.
Lake
Lake
Lake
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park?
What time is golden hour at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park?
How far is Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park from East Grand Rapids?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.