a circular jetty made of sand extending into the water

Excursions to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill in 2025-26

We are delighted to announce that Land Art Contemporary and DIEP will organize a series of bus excursions to visit Robert Smithson's Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (1971) in 2025 and 2026. 

Earlier this year the Province of Drenthe in the Netherlands designated the artwork Broken Circle/Spiral Hill as a provincial monument, marking the development of a sustainable future for this world-renowned artwork in Emmen, the Netherlands. The work is located on private land and can now be visited solely during these upcoming eight Open Weekends. Visitors can experience the artwork on two weekends per season and the full schedule is below.

Tickets for these excursions are available here.

To minimize the environmental impact, excursions will be conducted by bus. The departure point is Emmen Zuid Station, which is easily accessible by public transport and car. From the parking area, a bus will take visitors to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill. Along the way, a brief introduction to the artwork will be provided. Additionally, an audio tour (accessible via smartphone) and Nancy Holt's film Breaking Ground: Broken Circle/Spiral Hill (approx. 21 min) will be available for viewing. The visit on site lasts approximately 1.5 hours.

Dates

2025 Excursion Weekends:

Spring:
Weekend 1: Saturday, April 19 & Sunday, April 20
Weekend 2: Saturday, May 10 & Sunday, May 11

Summer:
Weekend 3: Saturday, June 21 & Sunday, June 22
Weekend 4: Saturday, July 26 & Sunday, July 27

Autumn:
Weekend 5: Open Monuments Day Saturday, September 13 & Sunday, September 14 (in development)
Weekend 6: Saturday, October 18 & Sunday, October 19

2026 Excursion Weekends:

Winter:
Weekend 7: Saturday, January 17 & Sunday, January 18
Weekend 8: Saturday, February 21 & Sunday, February 22

Visiting info

In terms of clothing and footwear, keep in mind that a visit to Broken Circle/Spiral Hill takes place mainly in the open air. All visitors must take care on the site. There are steep inclines, and the ground can be muddy. Unfortunately, the artwork is difficult to navigate for those with mobility issues. Please contact info@brokencircle.nl to discuss the details of your visit.

Since February 2024, Broken Circle has been submerged due to high groundwater levels. As a result, visitors cannot enter Broken Circle. However, it remains visible from Spiral Hill. Land Art Contemporary is monitoring the situation and working with experienced professionals and experts on a long-term maintenance plan.

Further information on visiting Robert Smithson's Broken Circle/Spiral Hill  during the 2025-26 Open Weekends is available on the Land Art Contemporary website.

Robert Smithson, Broken Circle (1971)
Emmen, The Netherlands
Water, sand, and boulder
Diameter: 140 ft. (42.6 m); canal: 12 ft. (3.6 m) wide, 10-15 ft. (3-4.5 m) deep
© Holt/Smithson Foundation / Licensed by Artists Rights Society, New York

Archived News

Spiral Jetty projected at Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin

Smithson's Spiral Jetty film on view at Neue Nationalgalerie

We are happy to share that Robert Smithson's film Spiral Jetty (1970) is currently on view at Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, Germany. This marks the first time that the recently completed high-resolution scan of Spiral Jetty has been shown in Europe. The film was digitized from the original 16mm film in 2024 by the Museum of Modern Art, New York, following the gift of this material by Holt/Smithson Foundation. 

A network of hot water pipes in an exhibition space

Nancy Holt: Power Systems opens at the Wex

We are delighted to announce that Nancy Holt: Power Systems is now on view at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus Ohio. The solo exhibition features the most extensive inquiry to date into Nancy Holt's studies of systems, focusing on her interactive site-responsive sculptural installations that expose the basic technological systems found in the built environment.