The Heckscher Museum of Art, in partnership with the Central Park Conservancy—the nonprofit organization that manages Central Park—brings Emma Stebbins’ iconic Bethesda Fountain to life in Heckscher Park, Huntington, through an Augmented Reality (AR) experience. Visitors will be able to use their smartphones to experience the full monument in this new setting. The immersive experience will allow visitors to look thoughtfully at Stebbins’s magnificent work as they take a 360-degree virtual walk around the entire monument. This one-of-a kind event coincides with the seminal exhibition, Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History.
“Over 42 million people visit Central Park’s fountain each year, but prior to this exhibition, few have known the name of its creator, Emma Stebbins. The Heckscher Museum’s current exhibition aims to change that by shedding new light on the artist’s much-forgotten work and story,” said Heather Arnet, Executive Director and CEO. “As the Bethesda Fountain is one of Stebbins most familiar works, it was imperative for the Museum to find a way to incorporate this iconic work into the exhibition.”
The exhibition devotes a gallery to exploring the central role the Bethesda Fountain has played serving as a convening space, cultural hub, cinematic icon, beacon for tourists, and inspiration to other artists, like Tony Kushner, who placed the Bethesda Fountain at the center of his Pulitzer Prize winning play Angels in America, and who wrote a foreword for the exhibition catalogue. After visiting the exhibition, visitors will be able to experience the spectacular monument just a few feet outside the Museum doors.
“For more than 150 years, Bethesda Fountain has been a centerpiece of Central Park and one of its most treasured landmarks,” said Central Park Conservancy President & CEO Betsy Smith. “The Conservancy is proud to help preserve this iconic work for future generations, and we are grateful to the Heckscher Museum for partnering with us to elevate the legacy of Emma Stebbins. This experience offers visitors a meaningful new way to appreciate her remarkable artistry and the Fountain’s enduring place in the Park’s history.”
Through the Bethesda Fountain AR experience, the Heckscher is demonstrating thought leadership in finding new ways Museums can utilize digital media to engage visitors, add interactivity to exhibitions, and bring neoclassical works to life in new ways.
In 1863, Emma Stebbins became the first woman commissioned to create a public monument in New York City. A decade later, the Bethesda Fountain , sometimes known as Angel of the Waters, was unveiled in the plaza at the heart of the newly constructed Central Park. Through this AR partnership project, The Heckscher Museum of Art and Central Park Conservancy, along with supporting partners Art Bridges, Khora, and Direct Dimensions, are expanding the possibilities for public art.
For the best AR viewing, visitors can use the QR codes easily accessible on signage in park areas in front of the Museum in Heckscher Park.
Photos are encouraged! Visitors can share your photos and tag @HeckscherMuseum
The AR experience and exhibition Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History on view through Sunday, March 15, 2026 at The Heckscher Museum of Art in Heckscher Park, Huntington. The museum is free for all, through a generous grant from Bank of America, and is open to the public Thursday through Sunday, 12 – 5 pm. Learn more at Heckscher.org.
Following its showing at the Heckscher Museum, the exhibition will be going on tour, through a partnership with Art Bridges. For more information, visit Emma Stebbins: Carving Out History
Digital data courtesy of Central Park Conservancy.
The Bethesda Fountain AR experience is made possible with support from
Art Bridges, Direct Dimensions, Inc. and Khora VR.
The Heckscher Museum of Art is grateful to The Town of Huntington and the Town of Huntington Board of Trustees and Suffolk County Department of Economic Development & Planning for their generous support of the arts.
About The Heckscher Museum of Art
The Heckscher Museum of Art is in its second century as a source of art and inspiration on Long Island. Through its exhibitions, programs, and events, the Museum creates opportunities for everyone to experience art that broadens understanding of the past, fosters community connections to the present, and creates diverse possibilities for the future. Founded by philanthropists Anna and August Heckscher in 1920, the Museum’s collection comprises more than 2,500 works from the 16th to the 21st century, including European and American painting, sculpture, works on paper, and photography. Located in scenic Heckscher Park in Huntington, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit Heckscher.org.
About the Central Park Conservancy
The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization that manages Central Park and is responsible for raising the Park’s annual operating budget. The Conservancy’s staff of more than 400 is responsible for all aspects of the Park’s stewardship, from day-to-day maintenance and operations to continued restoration and rebuilding projects. Additionally, the Conservancy operates the Park’s visitor centers, provides public programs, and serves as a resource for other NYC parks and for public-private partnerships around the world. For more information, please visit centralparknyc.org.
