Frederik Meijer Gardens welcomes 15 millionth visitor

GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park is celebrating a new milestone. One Tuesday, staff welcomed its 15 millionth visitor to the gardens.

Until recently, Arkansas resident Saralinna Wilson and her brother, Michael Azis, had never visited Michigan.

“This is the furthest north I’ve ever been. I’m actually layered up because I’ve heard it’s cold here,” Wilson said.

So, when they came to the Frederik Meijer Gardens on Tuesday with their uncle Wayne Yearnk, who lives in Rockford, they weren’t expecting to be special guests.

That changed when they found out they were the 15 millionth visitors to the Frederik Meijer Gardens since it opened nearly 30 years ago.

“We were just talking how ‘Hey, we’ll pay for our own tickets,'” Wilson said. “Then here it comes, ‘You guys won 15 millionth customer.’ That’s crazy.”

“I’ve never won anything in my entire life. It was like, ‘Is this real?'” Yearnk said.

The winners received free tickets and left with a gift basket.

Over the years, Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park President and CEO Charles Burke says they have seen exponential growth.

“Annually, we get around 750,000 to 800,000 per year. Technically, last year, we were listed as the 89th most-visited museum in the world, and that’s tremendous here on the Beltline in Grand Rapids,” Burke said. “I think people are hungry for that experiential moment. I think they are looking for quality.”

For visitors like Yearnk, a few things keep him coming back.

“We have kids and they love coming here,” Yearnk said. “It’s the art, it’s the nature, it’s just gorgeous.”

Frederik Meijer Gardens leadership said offering different types of programs and events for everyone also contributes to bringing in lots of visitors.

“They’re coming from Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis or overseas,” Burke said. “And then we have families that live nearby and they come and play in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden or they come to a concert.”

Looking forward, Burke is excited about reaching the next milestone.

“We’re going for 20 million or bust. We want as many people to experience this institution as humanly possible and to leave a mark on the world and really propel this living legacy,” Burke said.

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