Brookgreen Gardens is the Grand Strand's masterpiece, and it is not in Myrtle Beach — it sits in Murrells Inlet, about 30 minutes south on US-17, which is close enough that no Myrtle trip is complete without it. The institution's own framing: more than 9,000 acres that are simultaneously an accredited museum holding the finest collection of American figurative sculpture in the country, an accredited zoo, and a botanical garden.

BROOKGREEN GARDENS Full Tour & NEW Conservatory in Murrells Inlet near MYRTLE BEACH, SC!

Carmen and Brian

The newest full tour of Brookgreen Gardens, built around the brand-new conservatory that opened this year. Carmen and Brian tour the conservatory first, then the sculpture gardens and the Lowcountry Zoo — the complete current state of the grounds in Murrells Inlet, just south of Myrtle Beach.

Key takeaways
  • Features the new conservatory, opened the year of filming
  • Full circuit: conservatory, sculpture gardens and Lowcountry Zoo
  • Brookgreen is in Murrells Inlet, just south of Myrtle Beach

Brookgreen Gardens: Sculpture, Zoo and Gardens in Murrells Inlet | Myrtle Moments

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

A Myrtle Moments segment with Brookgreen's vice president of marketing, Lauren Joseph, on what the place actually is: a cultural historic landmark of more than 9,000 acres in Murrells Inlet that is simultaneously an accredited museum — holding the finest collection of American figurative sculpture in the country — an accredited zoo, and a botanical garden. 'More than you imagine' is their tagline; the segment makes the case.

Key takeaways
  • 9,000+ acre cultural historic landmark in Murrells Inlet
  • Accredited museum: finest American figurative sculpture collection in the country
  • Also an accredited zoo and botanical garden in one property

Brookgreen Gardens Full Tour Including Zoo & Butterfly House! Murrells Inlet near Myrtle Beach, SC

Carmen and Brian

Carmen and Brian's full Brookgreen tour including the two stops families ask about most: the Lowcountry Zoo and the Butterfly House. The grounds are massive — indoor art exhibits and outdoor sculpture, a children's play area, a cafe and two restaurants — and this film walks the whole spread, storybook farm animals included.

Key takeaways
  • Zoo and Butterfly House get full coverage
  • Children's play area, cafe and two restaurants on the grounds
  • Indoor galleries plus outdoor sculpture throughout

The full tours

Carmen and Brian have filmed it three ways: the newest full tour, built around the brand-new conservatory that opened this year; the edition families ask about (Lowcountry Zoo and Butterfly House included); and the tour in which they call Brookgreen 'Myrtle Beach's best kept secret' — a working vegetable garden, tours and classes, and one garden area closed for the season after storm damage, a reminder the place is a living landscape.

Founded 1931

The history-first profile tells the origin: Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington came down from New York for the winters, founded Brookgreen in 1931 to preserve the land and feature art — beginning with Anna's own sculpture — and built Atalaya across the highway as their winter home. The visitor's best fact is in the film: admission was good for seven days. A national sculpture exhibition segment (43 works juried from 266 entries) proves the program still plays at national level.

Brookgreen Gardens Tour Near Myrtle Beach, SC! Botanical Gardens, Lowcountry Zoo, Art & More!

Carmen and Brian

Carmen and Brian call Brookgreen 'Myrtle Beach's best kept secret' in this tour — botanical and flower gardens, a working vegetable garden, sculpture exhibits, the Lowcountry Zoo, tours and classes. The film also records a storm closure: one garden area shut for the season after early-summer storm damage, with hopes to reopen the next — a reminder the gardens are a living landscape.

Key takeaways
  • Creators' verdict: the area's best kept secret
  • Vegetable garden, flower gardens, tours and classes beyond the sculpture
  • A storm-damaged area was closed for the season when filmed

Nationally recognized sculpture exhibition brings more than 40 works to Brookgreen Gardens

WPDE ABC15

WPDE ABC15's news segment on the National Sculpture Society's exhibition at Brookgreen: 43 works chosen from 266 entries by artists around the country, juried again on site for awards, with 16 pieces going on to the Society's New York gallery. Local proof that Brookgreen's sculpture program plays at a national level.

Key takeaways
  • National Sculpture Society show: 43 works from 266 entries
  • 16 exhibited works advanced to the Society's New York gallery
  • The Society is the oldest professional sculptors' organization in the US

Brookgreen Gardens - MyrtleBeach

MyrtleBeach.com

MyrtleBeach.com's history-first profile, told by marketing director Lauren Joseph: Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington founded Brookgreen in 1931 after coming down from New York for the winters, built Atalaya across the highway as their winter home, and set out to preserve the land and feature art — beginning with Anna's own sculpture. The film closes on the visitor's best fact: admission was good for seven days.

Key takeaways
  • Founded 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington
  • Atalaya, their winter home, stands across US-17
  • Admission good for seven days (as filmed) — plan a return visit

Nights of a Thousand Candles

Three films cover Brookgreen's December signature: the 2020 visit (tickets online in advance, the event runs through December), the Boones' end-to-end 2023 walk among 2,700-plus hand-lit candles and millions of lights, and the CVB's own film — over 5,000 candles, three December weekends, cider on the paths — with the warning that matters: it sells out quickly. Reserve ahead.

Sources: the 9 videos on this page, filmed at Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet.

Watch: Brookgreen Gardens, guided

3 videos · summaries from the actual guides

Nights of a Thousand Candles at Brookgreen Gardens 2020! A must see!

Travel with NJ Steve & Sue!

Travel with NJ Steve & Sue at Nights of a Thousand Candles 2020 — Brookgreen's December signature, when the sculpture gardens glow with hand-lit candles and the reflecting pools double every light. Their practical notes: tickets are bought online in advance, the event runs through December, and the drive is about 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach on US-17.

Key takeaways
  • Nights of a Thousand Candles runs December evenings
  • Tickets are sold online in advance — it is a ticketed event
  • About 30 minutes south of Myrtle Beach via US-17

BROOKGREEN GARDENS – NIGHTS OF A THOUSAND CANDLES TOUR, MURRELLS INLET, 2023- Christmas light show

Beachin with the Boones

Beachin with the Boones' full walk of Nights of a Thousand Candles at the end of December 2023 — the gardens lit by more than 2,700 hand-lit candles and millions of sparkling lights. One of the Southeast's most beloved holiday events, filmed end to end. Loaded as watch content — the film carries no caption track.

Nights of a Thousand Candles - Brookgreen Gardens

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Visit Myrtle Beach's own Nights of a Thousand Candles film: over 5,000 hand-lit candles transforming the sculpture gardens across three December weekends, with cider on the paths and handbells in the air. The warning that matters is in the film: the event sells out quickly, so Christmas-at-the-beach visitors should reserve ahead.

Key takeaways
  • 5,000+ hand-lit candles across three December weekends (as filmed)
  • Cider and handbell performances along the garden paths
  • Sells out — the film advises reserving tickets early

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