Grounds For Sculpture & Rat's Restaurant
Select services venue
The venue will provide the space, plus a few extras.
Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing
Starting at $20,000 for off-peak dates, and $40,000 for peak dates
Guest capacity
Up to 300 seated guests
About this venue
Grounds for Sculpture was built in 1992 to foster appreciation for modern sculpture, the venue wows guests with 42-acres of landscaped grounds dotted with over 270 pieces. The event spaces are versatile: We have two different venue locations on property – The Gallery Museum Rooms at the Seward Johnson Center of the Arts, a contemporary sculpture gallery offering a modern space with art exhibits from sculptors from around the world AND Rat’s Restaurant, designed to be reminiscent of Claude Monet’s beloved town of Giverny, with rustic French design influences and whimsical decor. The food is divine: Catering is provided by Constellation Culinary Group at the popular Rat’s Restaurant on site, which Hamilton Township natives know for its scrumptious cuisine, Zagat-rated ambiance, and attentive service. It’s conveniently located: Less than an hour from Philadelphia and New York—and just minutes from Princeton and Hamilton train stations!—it’s an easy trip for guests from all over.
Our event spaces
Rat's Restaurant as a Buy-out
A relaxing and exotic escape featuring delightful cuisine, spectacular views and elegant ambiance, Rat’s Restaurant is the perfect event destination.
The Washington Post called GFS “a world where art and nature collude and sometimes collide.” Grounds For Sculpture is exquisite in every season and showcases over 270 amazing contemporary sculptures, meticulously sited on 42 acres of horticultural wonder.
Guest capacity
1-180 Seated
1-220 Standing
Square footage
15,418
Guests often feel this space is
“Luxurious and chic”
Included in this room:
-China, Glassware, Flatware, Tables, Chairs, Linens -Full service staff -Complete food & beverage/bar packages -Entry onto the grounds for all guests the day of your event (if hosting a ceremony and/or securing gallery space)
Room cost
Off-Peak: $20,500/Buy-out Peak: $35,800/Buy-out of Restaurant + 8% event fee, Gratuity & NJ State Tax
Nine Muses Ceremony Garden
Contemporary Stone Granite Sculpture Garden.
Granite Direct Carved Sculpture of Nine Muses surrounded by a lotus pond moat. Perfect for intimate or large ceremonies. Quiet stone garden with full sun enclosed by arborvitae. Holds up to 350 for a seated ceremony.
Guest capacity
1-350 Seated
1-400 Standing
Square footage
2,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Rehearsal dinner, Other, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Surprised and delighted”
Included in this room:
-White resin folding chairs -Setup and breakdown of ceremony chairs -1 year membership for bride and groom (transferrable) -Entry onto the grounds for all attending guests the day of your wedding -GFS event assistants to guide guests to proper location -GFS attended golf cart attendants to transport those with mobility concerns
Room cost
$1,200 - $2,500 - guest count dependent
Amphitheater Ceremony Garden
Secluded private glen which is warm and inviting.
Massive granite blocks frame out the space and create ample seating. The Amphitheater has served as an intimate location for concerts, events, and relaxation. A wooded glen composed of trees including river birch, katusra, weeping beech and southern magnolia, separates the Amphitheater from the rest of the park, adding to its secluded ambiance.
Guest capacity
1-165 Seated
1-300 Standing
Square footage
2,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Welcome party, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Relaxed”
Included in this room:
-White resin folding chairs -Setup and breakdown of ceremony chairs -1 year membership for bride and groom (transferrable) -Entry onto the grounds for all attending guests the day of your wedding -GFS event assistants to guide guests to proper location -GFS attended golf cart attendants to transport those with mobility concerns
Room cost
$1,200 - $2,500 - guest count dependent
The Tent & Water Garden
Peaceful hidden garden with a waterfall that runs through various sculpture. Ambient lighting and misters create a unique and relaxing environment.
The Water Garden has a central basin to a waterfall & feeds two fountain variations in other locations. Making its way through various water courses & under/around several artworks, the water meanders back to its source, in a continuous recycled flow. The Water Garden is home to our extraordinary Camperdown Elm Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’. Recognized as a rarity, every Camperdown Elm is descended (through grafted cuttings) from the original tree, discovered in the early-mid 1800s in Scotland.
Guest capacity
1-180 Seated
1-200 Standing
Square footage
7,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, After party, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Relaxed”
Included in this room:
Full wedding package including china, glassware, flatware, tables, chairs, cotton linens, staff, food, alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages.
Room cost
$7,500
East & West Galleries
Contemporary art gallery featuring rotating art from sculptors around the world.
EAST GALLERY: Dimensions: 64'x80' | 5,200 Sq. Ft. Capacity: Seated: 350 Guests with Dance Area Cocktail: 500 guests with limited seating and small band or DJ Lecture: 600 Guests Theatre Style WEST GALLERY: Dimensions: 3,300 Sq. Ft. CAPACITY: Seated: 80 Guests with Dance Area 120 Guests with No Dance Area, small band or DJ Reception style: 150 guests with limited seating, DJ
Guest capacity
1-350 Seated
1-600 Standing
Square footage
8,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, After party, Farewell brunch, Other, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Surprised and delighted”
Included in this room:
-Entry onto the grounds for all guests attending the event -In-house stock of 36", 60" & 72" round tables + 6'x30" & 8'x30" long tables -In-house stock of gray metal banquet chairs with gray cushion -In-house lighting and sound system over the dance area in East Gallery only
Room cost
$6,500 off-peak/Friday or Sunday - $7,500 peak/Saturday
Rat's Restaurant as a Buy-out
A relaxing and exotic escape featuring delightful cuisine, spectacular views and elegant ambiance, Rat’s Restaurant is the perfect event destination.
The Washington Post called GFS “a world where art and nature collude and sometimes collide.” Grounds For Sculpture is exquisite in every season and showcases over 270 amazing contemporary sculptures, meticulously sited on 42 acres of horticultural wonder.
Guest capacity
1-180 Seated
1-220 Standing
Square footage
15,418
Guests often feel this space is
“Luxurious and chic”
Included in this room:
-China, Glassware, Flatware, Tables, Chairs, Linens -Full service staff -Complete food & beverage/bar packages -Entry onto the grounds for all guests the day of your event (if hosting a ceremony and/or securing gallery space)
Room cost
Off-Peak: $20,500/Buy-out Peak: $35,800/Buy-out of Restaurant + 8% event fee, Gratuity & NJ State Tax
Nine Muses Ceremony Garden
Contemporary Stone Granite Sculpture Garden.
Granite Direct Carved Sculpture of Nine Muses surrounded by a lotus pond moat. Perfect for intimate or large ceremonies. Quiet stone garden with full sun enclosed by arborvitae. Holds up to 350 for a seated ceremony.
Guest capacity
1-350 Seated
1-400 Standing
Square footage
2,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Rehearsal dinner, Other, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Surprised and delighted”
Included in this room:
-White resin folding chairs -Setup and breakdown of ceremony chairs -1 year membership for bride and groom (transferrable) -Entry onto the grounds for all attending guests the day of your wedding -GFS event assistants to guide guests to proper location -GFS attended golf cart attendants to transport those with mobility concerns
Room cost
$1,200 - $2,500 - guest count dependent
Amphitheater Ceremony Garden
Secluded private glen which is warm and inviting.
Massive granite blocks frame out the space and create ample seating. The Amphitheater has served as an intimate location for concerts, events, and relaxation. A wooded glen composed of trees including river birch, katusra, weeping beech and southern magnolia, separates the Amphitheater from the rest of the park, adding to its secluded ambiance.
Guest capacity
1-165 Seated
1-300 Standing
Square footage
2,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Welcome party, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Relaxed”
Included in this room:
-White resin folding chairs -Setup and breakdown of ceremony chairs -1 year membership for bride and groom (transferrable) -Entry onto the grounds for all attending guests the day of your wedding -GFS event assistants to guide guests to proper location -GFS attended golf cart attendants to transport those with mobility concerns
Room cost
$1,200 - $2,500 - guest count dependent
The Tent & Water Garden
Peaceful hidden garden with a waterfall that runs through various sculpture. Ambient lighting and misters create a unique and relaxing environment.
The Water Garden has a central basin to a waterfall & feeds two fountain variations in other locations. Making its way through various water courses & under/around several artworks, the water meanders back to its source, in a continuous recycled flow. The Water Garden is home to our extraordinary Camperdown Elm Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’. Recognized as a rarity, every Camperdown Elm is descended (through grafted cuttings) from the original tree, discovered in the early-mid 1800s in Scotland.
Guest capacity
1-180 Seated
1-200 Standing
Square footage
7,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Elopement, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, After party, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Relaxed”
Included in this room:
Full wedding package including china, glassware, flatware, tables, chairs, cotton linens, staff, food, alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages.
Room cost
$7,500
East & West Galleries
Contemporary art gallery featuring rotating art from sculptors around the world.
EAST GALLERY: Dimensions: 64'x80' | 5,200 Sq. Ft. Capacity: Seated: 350 Guests with Dance Area Cocktail: 500 guests with limited seating and small band or DJ Lecture: 600 Guests Theatre Style WEST GALLERY: Dimensions: 3,300 Sq. Ft. CAPACITY: Seated: 80 Guests with Dance Area 120 Guests with No Dance Area, small band or DJ Reception style: 150 guests with limited seating, DJ
Guest capacity
1-350 Seated
1-600 Standing
Square footage
8,000
Ideal for
Wedding ceremony, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Engagement party, Welcome party, After party, Farewell brunch, Other, Cocktail hour
Guests often feel this space is
“Surprised and delighted”
Included in this room:
-Entry onto the grounds for all guests attending the event -In-house stock of 36", 60" & 72" round tables + 6'x30" & 8'x30" long tables -In-house stock of gray metal banquet chairs with gray cushion -In-house lighting and sound system over the dance area in East Gallery only
Room cost
$6,500 off-peak/Friday or Sunday - $7,500 peak/Saturday
Available services that can be provided by Grounds For Sculpture & Rat's Restaurant
Services & amenities
- Bar services
- Catering services
- Clean up
- Dance floor
- Dressing room / Bridal Suite
- Event rentals
- Event staff
- Service staff
- Set up
- Wedding cake services
- Wheelchair accessible
- Wifi
Reviews
Write a review5.0 out of 5
2 reviews
Incredible service and beautiful reception space!
Constellation culinary, especially Lindsey, was so helpful and I had a great experience working with them to plan our evening. We had our reception in the Pavilion at Rat’s and it was such a beautiful space. Lindsey was so flexible and always helpful with offering solutions to problems as they arose. She was very patient and answered all of the little questions I had that came up over the months before our wedding reception. She also offered that if our plan to get married in a park before the reception at Rat’s fell through, we could do our ceremony in the Pavilion. Everyone said that this was the best food they’ve ever had at a wedding and complimented how beautiful the space was and the service of all of the staff during the event. The staff made the event run so smoothly and went above and beyond to serve us on our special day. Also, we realized at the last minute (the week before our wedding) that the grounds were closed on the day of our ceremony, so we thought we would not be able to go on the grounds with our photographer to take photos while our guests enjoyed cocktail hour. Grounds for Sculpture swooped in and agreed to let us enter the grounds for our photos so that we could enjoy the beautiful gardens for our small couples session wedding photos. We were so grateful and happy that they were able to accommodate us and save our sanity as we thought we’d need to look for a new photo location.
The most perfect wedding venue!
Wow, where do I even start with this review. I am so thankful I was able to have my wedding at Rats Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture. When you enter Rats you walk into a fairytale-like location. The venue is absolutely beautiful and unlike any wedding venue I have ever seen. The service at Rats is 10/10, every single person working our wedding was wonderful and our guests couldn’t stop telling us how kind all of the workers were. The food and drinks were delicious. Most importantly, the event coordinator, Kathy, will put your wedding planning stress at complete ease. She is so sweet, puts her heart into her work, is easy to contact, and because of this she made our wedding day perfect. Planning a wedding with Rats is guaranteeing a beautiful event for yourself and I couldn’t recommend them more.
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