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1927 Map of the Arboretum

Plan a Visit

Visitors at our annual Lilac Sunday festival in 2023. Lauren Miller
Person in striped shirt poses in front of a lilac while a child takes a photo.

Visitor Info

Welcome to the Arnold Arboretum. Our 281-acre landscape featuring over 15,000 accessioned plants is open daily and free for all to explore. Whether you are coming for a stroll, on the lookout for wildlife, or interested in learning the stories and science behind our plants, we value accessibility as an institution and offer something for everyone. Explore our program catalog, virtual walks, guided tours, Expeditions mobile app, and digital learning resources. If you're visiting with kids, check out a variety of self-guided family activities. Not sure where to start? Our Visitor Center staff is here to help.

Directions & Parking

You can get to the Arboretum by subway, bus, or car. Get directions to our Hunnewell Visitor Center at Arborway Gate, Peters Hill, Weld Hill Building, or Dana Greenhouses. Free parking is available along the Arborway, Bussey Street, and Walter Street. The Arnold Arboretum also offers resources for improved accessibility.

Contact Us

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

125 Arborway Boston, MA 02130-3500

Phone
617.524.1718
Fax
617.524.1418

Hours & Admissions

The Arboretum landscape is free and open every day.

Landscape
Open daily
Sunrise–Sunset
Visitor Center
10am–4pm daily
Admission
Always free

Visitor Guidelines

Read our visitor tips and guidelines to learn about bringing your dog, hosting events, riding your bike, and more so you can plan your best visit. Explore our interactive map and view a printable PDF map.

Accession Number
The alpha-numeric value assigned to a plant when it is added to the living collection as a way of identifying it.
Accession Date
The year the plant’s accession number was assigned.
Common Name
The non-scientific name for the plant.
Scientific Name
The scientific name describes the species of an organism. The first word is the plant's scientific genus and the second is the specific epithet. This two-word binomial is sometimes followed by other taxonomic descriptors, including subspecies (denoted by "ssp."), variety (denoted by "var."), form (denoted by "f." or "forma"), and cultivar (denoted by single quotation marks).
Plant Family
The family to which the plant belongs.
Propagation Material
The first part (material code) describes the material used to create the plant. The most common codes are "SD" (seed), "EX" (existing plant), "PT" (plant), "CT" (cutting), "SC" (scion), "SG" (seedling), and "GR" (graft). The second part describes the lineage the plant is derived from. The last part describes the year of propagation.
Collection Data
The first part indicates provenance (place or source of origin) using a letter code ("W" = wild, "G" = garden, "Z" = indirect wild, "U" = uncertain). The second part lists the plant source. For wild-collected material, the collector, collection number, and country are given.
Location
The location of the plant on the landscape.
Hover to Learn More
524-48*AA
Cupressaceae
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
SD - LINEAGE 524-48 - 1948
-
1948
W - WILD ORIGIN - CHINA -
CHENG, W.C.
NATL. CTRL. UNIV., NANKING, CHINA
Dawn Redwood

Visiting with Kids

Explore more family activities

storywalks, wonder spot | rotting logs, wonder spot | bird eyes find bird food, wonder spot | squirrels,

  • StoryWalks

    StoryWalks are a wonderful way for families to read and talk about nature in the Arboretum landscape. Walk from page to page, learning about season, plants, and animals from a children's book.

  • Wonder Spot | Rotting Logs

    Have you ever wondered what happens to a tree or branch after it falls over? Visit this Wonder Spot at the Arboretum to check out all of the living things that call fallen trees and branches home.

    Log covered in moss
  • Wonder Spot | Bird Eyes Find Bird Food

    Have you ever wondered why some seeds and fruits are brightly colored? Check out the fruits and berries around the Arboretum this fall with this Wonder Spot.

    A brown and tan bird perches on a twig and eats pink berries
  • Wonder Spot | Squirrels

    Have you ever wondered how squirrels get ready for winter? Check out this Wonder Spot to observe squirrel activity at the Arboretum this fall.

    Blue sign near tree and mulched path

Walks

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Collections

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