Sesquicentennial Campaign

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150 years of plants and people. 

How you can support the next century.

Sesquicentennial Campaign Banner
Rose Lincoln Photographer

The 150th anniversary of the Arnold Arboretum offers a unique opportunity to reinvigorate our mission and reimagine what it means to be a twenty-first century Arboretum. We have a bold vision centered around two goals: 

The Sesquicentennial Campaign will advance several transformative projects, including the boldest redesign of the landscape since Sargent and Olmsted, critical climate change infrastructure, and multi-year operational sustainability. Our long-term vision will require $35 million in philanthropic investment over the next five years. Gifts of all amounts from our broad community of support are essential to this effort. We hope you consider making a gift that is right for you to ensure our continued success and growth into the next century. 

Please contact Tanya M. Holton at tholton@fas.harvard.edu or 617.384.5043 to customize your participation to align with your philanthropic priorities and values. More detailed case statements for each element of our bold vision are available on request. 

Our vision and goals for the next century are anchored by the following values:

  • We are inspired by Olmsted’s belief that public parks open to every person are essential to the fabric of our nation’s democracy.
  • We value our neighbors and the Boston communities for which we are an essential cultural and public health resource.
  • We believe that it is not enough to have our entrances open from sunrise to sunset with no admission fee, we must create a greater sense of belonging.
  • We pledge to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations while also serving as a natural source of carbon mitigation through our landscape practices.
  • We believe that we can offer alternative transportation pathways through parts of Boston that give more agency and safety to pedestrians and bicyclists.
  • We affirm that partnering with the City of Boston, DCR, and the MBTA can help bring neighbors throughout the region better access to the extraordinary landscape that is the Arnold Arboretum.
  • We pledge to continue to preserve threatened woody plant species from around the world and be a leading force to combat human-induced extinction.
  • We believe it is our imperative to educate and empower the next generation to contribute to climate change solutions, beginning with nature programs that inspire students in Pre-K through 12 and continue through training and mentoring opportunities for undergraduates, graduates, and post-doctoral researchers.
  • We know that inspiring Boston and the world with the beauty, complexity, and importance of plants through our public programs is central to reconnecting humans to nature.