There’s not a lot of green space in downtown Longview and not a lot of places that the community can gather. That was one of the things the museum wanted to do was make this a more usable space and put some time, energy and effort towards that.

The LMFA J.T. Smith Sculpture Garden in Pelaia Plaza

The Longview Museum of Fine Arts is proud to host an outdoor gallery experience in Pelaia Plaza that is open to all residents and visitors to downtown Longview. What was once a crumbling stage area, can now accommodate weddings, concerts, special events, and so much more!

The garden honors Judge John Tyson “J.T.” Smith who served the city of Longview as City Tax Assessor and Justice of the Peace before serving as the Gregg County Judge from 1888 through 1898. It features pieces such as Slip-Slide, a welded steel sculpture created by David Deming in 1977 and works from Damian Priour, Art Wells and many others. Water conservation renovations were made possible by the Texas Water Smart Foundation.

Special thanks to Ralph Pelaia, Citizen’s National Bank, Ann & Russell Lowman Families, Charlotte & John Wrather, Texas Water Smart, Keep Longview Beautiful, Longview Main Street Program/100 Acres Of Heritage, and a number of anonymous donors for making this dream a reality.

To rent the sculpture garden for your next special event, call 903-753-8103.