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Duke Arts Presents

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

420 Anderson Street

Durham, NC 27708


The Sarah P. Duke Gardens were first opened in 1939 on 55 acres, designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman (1869-1950), a pioneer in American landscape design. Considered Shipman’s greatest work and a national architectural treasure, Duke Gardens continues to thrive long after many of Shipman’s 650 other gardens have disappeared. Duke Performances’ Music in the Gardens concerts are held every summer on a stage on the lawn, and often feature local indie rock bands and musicians from a range of American vernacular traditions. Accessed via the Doris Duke Center, the lawn can hold up to 700 people. Visitors are encouraged to bring picnics, picnic blankets, and lawn chairs; food and beverages are also available for sale. Pets are not permitted. This is a fully accessible venue with indoor washrooms.

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