Facilities & Policies
OVERVIEW
Socrates Sculpture Park, located at 32-01 Vernon Boulevard, spans five acres (about the size of one New York City block) on the East River waterfront in Long Island City, Queens. The beach at Hallets Cove, is also under the Park’s purview and is accessible via the beach gate at 31-10 Vernon Boulevard.
ENTRANCES / EXITS
You can access the Park at either the Main Gate, located at the intersection of Vernon Boulevard and Broadway, or the North Gate on Vernon Boulevard between 31st Drive and 31st Avenue. The gates are opened every morning at 9AM and closed every evening at sundown (with the exception of certain programs or events). Admission is FREE and no tickets are required for access. Visitors are welcome to enter and exit the Park at their leisure during our open hours.
GROUNDS
The Park has a flat grassy lawn with decorative plantings around the outer edges. A grove of trees populates the south-western edge of the landscape. The Park also cultivates several herb beds – please ask for assistance from a grounds crew member if you are interested in harvesting herbs. For more information about Socrates’ horticultural practices click here
PARK POLICIES
View Covid 19 Rules & Regulations–>
Dogs
Dogs are welcome in the Park, but must be kept on leash at all times. Visitors found in violation of this regulation will be fined by the New York City Parks department.
Social Gatherings
Picnicking is okay, but parties or large social gatherings are not permitted. Alcohol and smoking are not allowed and barbecuing is not permitted except in the case of artist Paul Ramírez Jonas’ installation, ‘Eternal Flame.‘
Parking
There is no parking at Socrates with the exception of one handicap-accessible space outside the main gate. Free street parking is available in the surrounding neighborhood.
Off Limits Areas
- The outdoor artist studio at the southern edge of the Park is off-limits to the public.
- The education area, Sticks, is off-limits when not in use for a designated program.
- The Park’s walled-in decorative gardens and rocky shorelines are off-limits.
AMENITIES
Free Wi-Fi
The free Socrates Sculpture Park Wi-Fi network is generously provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Bloomberg Connects
Enhance your visit to the Park or explore virtually with our digital guide via the free Bloomberg Connects app for smartphones and tablets! Download the app to learn more about the Park’s 30-year history of exhibiting bold public art projects, hear from artists, and watch videos about exhibitions and artworks.
Info Box
There is an info box with interpretative materials about the Park’s exhibitions and programs attached to the Main Gate at the intersection of Vernon Boulevard and Broadway.
Restrooms
Portable restrooms – including one wheelchair accessible portable restroom – are available from May–October and are located at the southern end of the Park. There are no public restrooms at Socrates from November–April.
Composting
In partnership with Big Reuse and Grow NYC, Socrates serves as a compostable waste drop-off site. The compostable waste drop-off bins are located along the gravel pathway accessible from the main entrance at Vernon Boulevard and Broadway at the south end of the Park. Please comply with Big Reuse’s composting requirements. Do not leave your compostable wasite in any area of the Park besides the compost containers. Compostable waste that is left outside the main gate of the Park when we are closed will be thrown in the garbage.
Seating
Public benches are spaced at intervals around the Park’s perimeter.
Pathway
A cobblestone path runs around the perimeter of the Park. The path is wheelchair accessible.
Doggy Bags
The Park provides free doggy bags in a dispenser located inside our main gate at Vernon Boulevard and Broadway.
Performance Space
A raised cobblestone platform is located at the north-eastern edge of the Park. During the height of our annual programmatic season from April-August, we also install a wooden stage in the grove of trees. During our events, these spaces are curated and coordinated by our Director of Public Programs & Engagement, ar@socratessculpturepark.org.
Education Studio
Our education studios, Sticks & Sticks 2.0, were designed by Hou de Sousa – winner of our 2016 Folly/Function architectural competition in partnership with The Architectural League of New York. Sticks & Stick 2.0 provide shelter from the elements for participants in our education workshops. These structures are off-limits to the public when not in use for a program.
Artist Studio
Socrates’ outdoor artist studio is fully equipped with the resources and tools artists need to realize ambitious public art projects for exhibition in the Park’s landscape. This area is off-limits to the public at all times.
ACCESSIBILITY
Socrates Sculpture Park is free and fully accessible to visitors of all abilities, including but not limited to individuals with physical, visual, and auditory disabilities, owners of special care animals, and wheelchair users.
Individuals or groups with special needs are always welcome and are encouraged to contact us with any specific questions regarding your visit or to request special accommodations at 718-956-1819 x105 or info@socratessculpturepark.org
Notes
• There are no steps or stairs within the five-acre landscape, and there is a wheelchair accessible paved pathway around the perimeter.
• There is a designated parking space for people with an accessibility permit at the Main Gate of the Park at Vernon Blvd and Broadway), which accesses the paved pathway.
• Temporary, portable bathrooms are provided seasonally from late April to October, including one ADA/wheelchair accessible portable bathroom.
• For our hearing impaired guests, we offer assisted listening devices for amplified programs at the Park. Please call 718-956-1819 x103 in advance to arrange a device.
• At certain events, the Park utilizes wheelchair accessible mobi-mats on the grassy lawn. Please call 718-956-1819 x 103 to inquire about specific events.
OTHER
Park Rentals
The Park grounds are available for rental in select circumstances. For more information about private rentals, please contact:
Sarah Frazier
Director of Development & Communications
sf@socratesculpturepark.org
(718) 956-1819 ext 102
Lost Items
If you believe you may have lost something at the Park please contact jc@socratessculpturepark.org or call 718-956-1819 x105.
For answers to FAQ’s about the Park click here