Arts & Culture
Monumental stained-glass Sphere of Light coming to Thanksgiving Point
STAFF WRITER | Lehi Free Press
A monumental stained-glass landmark celebrating humanity’s shared history is planned for Ashton Gardens at Thanksgiving Point.
The Roots of Humanity Foundation and Thanksgiving Point announced Aug. 11 that the King and Diane Husein Sphere of Light will be built at the Lehi gardens. The announcement did not include an opening date.
Created by Holdman Studios in Lehi, the multi-story structure will feature more than 10,000 square feet of illustrative glass composed of hundreds of handcrafted stained-glass panels. Each panel will depict ideas, virtues, cultures and defining moments that have shaped the human experience.
The Sphere of Light is intended to serve as more than an exhibition space. Plans call for meditation and reflection rooms, an interactive children’s center, auditoriums and performance halls, multipurpose learning rooms and event spaces. Gardens surrounding the structure will connect the artwork with nature and natural light.
Balconies and viewing galleries will allow visitors to see the stained-glass panels from multiple perspectives. The facility is also expected to host cultural events, educational programs and community gatherings.
“Ashton Gardens is a natural home for the Sphere of Light — a place that will draw people from Utah and around the world,” said Max Brown, president of the Roots of Humanity Foundation. “And its greatest legacy will be what it inspires people to do when they leave.”
Project leaders announced the location during an event at Ashton Gardens attended by Alan and Karen Ashton, Tom and Gayle Holdman, King and Diane Husein and Max Brown.
The Roots of Humanity Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on using art, education and community engagement to highlight connections among people and cultures. The foundation is leading the creation of the Sphere of Light.
Thanksgiving Point is a community-led nonprofit organization that provides hands-on educational experiences and more than 170 daily science, technology, engineering and math discovery programs for children. Its attractions include Ashton Gardens, the Museum of Natural Curiosity, the Museum of Ancient Life, the Butterfly Biosphere and the Mountain America Museum of Natural History.
