Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden

A free outdoor art stop in Palm Desert, where sculpture, palms, desert planting and water features share the same walking paths.

• Admission: Free; the museum lists the garden as open daily from sunrise to sunset.
• The setting: Four acres, with 14 outdoor sculptures listed by Palm Springs Art Museum.
• Allow: Around 30–60 minutes for a relaxed look and photographs—our planning suggestion, not a timed tour.
• Original fieldwork: Photographed by Mark Miller on September 22, 2026.

What makes this garden worth a stop?

Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden gives you a different way to experience Palm Desert: slow down, follow a path, and look closely at an object from more than one direction. In Mark’s photographs, a stone bench faces a curving walkway, an urn rises above cascading water, and a branching pavilion casts geometric shadows across the paving.

The landscape is part of the experience. Palms, boulders and desert plants provide changing backgrounds for the artwork. A polished surface can pick up the surrounding greenery; a brightly painted form can stand out against it. The garden works well as a short outing of its own or as an art stop alongside El Paseo.

Artwork to look for in the photographs

Dave McGary — Walks Among the Stars, 2006

The painted bronze figure appears in three photographs: a close view of the face and clothing, a wider view of the figure in the garden, and another angle showing the star-patterned quilt. Look at the sculpted folds, fringe and the contrast between the patterned textile and the natural planting.

The on-site plaque identifies the work as Walks Among the Stars, made in bronze with patina and paint, edition 2/9, and a gift of Lisa and Jack McLaine. Explore the dedicated Walks Among the Stars photo guide for the artwork details and a closer look at the quilt.

Peter Reginato — Midnight and Morning Rain… Waiting for Miro, 1984

The colorful abstract sculpture is the Reginato work identified by the photographed plaque and the museum’s garden map. Its material is painted steel. The plaque also records it as a gift of Steve Chase.

In the photograph, blue upright shapes, curving edges and smaller orange and dark elements overlap. Try looking through the spaces between the forms as well as at the forms themselves: the planting behind the sculpture becomes part of what you see.

Jesús Bautista Moroles — Lapstrake, 1986

The identification plaque for Lapstrake names Jesús Bautista Moroles, granite as the material, and Steve Chase as the donor. To find the sculpture itself during your visit, look for marker 7 on the museum’s garden map.

A reflective geometric sculpture

One portrait photograph shows a reflective sculpture composed of stacked, offset forms above a rectangular pedestal. The title and artist of this work remain unconfirmed.

Plan your visit

Use the directions button above for the Palm Desert garden. It belongs to Palm Springs Art Museum, but it is a different destination from the museum’s main campus in Palm Springs. Check the official garden page before leaving for current visitor information.

Start with the museum’s self-guided sculpture and plant map. It marks artworks, paths and stairs. The downloadable map is dated 2019, so treat it as an orientation aid and check the labels beside the works for identification.

For photography, our suggestion is to choose a cooler part of the day and leave time to walk around each piece. Take a full view, a detail and a readable plaque photograph. Bring water and sun protection; shade in one part of the garden does not mean the entire route is shaded. If step-free access matters for your visit, confirm the best route with the museum.

Frequently asked questions

Keep exploring Palm Desert

Browse the Palm Desert city collection, explore El Paseo, or find another stop in the Coachella Valley Atlas.

Original photography by Mark Miller, September 22, 2026. The gallery includes eight garden and artwork views. Artwork attributions are based on the photographed labels and the museum map where confirmed.