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All events at the Arboretum are free. We welcome people of all abilities and are committed to facilitating a safe and engaging experience for all who visit. To view our accessibility practices, please visit our Accessibility page. To request services such as an interpreter, wheelchair, or other assistance prior to attending an event, please contact us as soon as you register.

Upcoming Events

  • Apr 15
    Nov 18
    A docent leads a tour for six participants along a paved road lined with trees

    Public Guided Tours

    Join us for a walk through the Arboretum! Tour seasonal plant highlights and learn about Arboretum history from a trained docent.

  • May 01
    Nov 16
    Completed-bonsai-display

    Bonsai and Penjing Information

    Interpreters will be stationed at the Bonsai and Penjing Pavilion from 11:00am-1:00pm most Sundays and Thursdays throughout the growing season. Stop by to learn about this beautiful collection of historic trees.

  • Oct 03
    A color photo of a person in a greenhouse.

    Seed to Tree: A Tour of the Dana Greenhouses

    Almost all of the plants in the Arboretum begin their lives in the Dana Greenhouses. Join greenhouse staff for a behind-the-scenes look of the greenhouse growing process, from seed to sprout to seedling to tree.

  • Oct 04
    Magnolia 'freeman' 830-75-A flower by Ned Friedman

    Members-Only Tour: Magnolia Fruits with the Director

  • Oct 07
    Fruit of 'Donald Wyman' crabapple

    Tour: Edible Plants of the Arboretum

    The Arboretum's plants are not just beautiful: many of them are edible too. Join Horticulturist Scott Phillips for a walking tour of some of the landscape's tastiest plants, from nettles and sorbus to rose hips and lavender. You may even get a chance to taste the plants yourself!

  • Oct 08
    Second Sundays logo

    Second Sundays

    Enjoy free crafts, family activities, tours, and more on Peters Hill! From noon–3:00pm. Tours at noon and 2:00pm. Tree mob at 1:15pm.

  • Oct 08
    Aerial view of Peters Hill, including the road that loops around it

    Tour: Peters Hill

    Join docent Rick Ward for a tour of Peters Hill, as part of the Arboretum's Second Sundays event. Learn about the history of this lesser-known corner of the landscape and the uniqueness of the plants that grow here, including white pines, dawn redwoods, bamboo, ginkgoes, larches, and a truly magnificent crabapple collection.

  • Oct 08
    Aerial view of Peters Hill, including the road that loops around it

    CANCELLED / CANCELADO Recorridos guiados en español: Peters Hill

    Acompañe a la guia Jocelyn Hernandez en un recorrido guiado por Peters Hill cuando participe en el evento 'Second Sundays' (que se celebra el segundo domingo de agosto, septiembre y octubre) en el Arboretum. Conozca la historia de este rincón menos conocido del Arboretum, y descubra sus plantas únicas. Esta variada zona alberga pinos blancos, secuoyas del amanecer, bambúes, ginkgos, alerces y una magnífica colección de manzanos silvestres.

  • Oct 08
    Aerial view of Peters Hill, including the road that loops around it

    Tour: Peters Hill

    Join docent Rick Ward for a tour of Peters Hill, as part of the Arboretum's Second Sundays event. Learn about the history of this lesser-known corner of the landscape and the uniqueness of the plants that grow here, including white pines, dawn redwoods, bamboo, ginkgoes, larches, and a truly magnificent crabapple collection.

  • Oct 11
    Yellow maple leaves coming out from a central twig

    Theme Tour: Autumn in the Arboretum

    October is one of the most beautiful times of year at the Arboretum, with leaves changing color and all sorts of unique seeds and fruits appearing on the branches. Join docent Vicki Amalfitano for a theme tour to learn about all the changes that happen in the Arboretum's collections in the fall.

  • Oct 13
    Oct 15
    Wood bowl with natural edge

    The Art of the Woodturner VIII

    Returning to the Arnold Arboretum for the eighth year, The Art of the Woodturner VIII will again offer visitors the chance to see an amazing variety of woodworked pieces: large and small, functional and sculptural. Demonstrations on the lathe in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall at 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. Demonstrations throughout both days on the Hunnewell lawn.

  • Oct 15

    Family Hike: Fall Color!

    Families need nature at all times of the year! Construct a rainbow of fall colors from leaves and seeds we find as we walk from the main gate to the ponds along Meadow Road.

  • Oct 15
    Half of the image shows an herbarium specimen of a dawn redwood and the other half shows a live dawn redwood

    Old and New: Herbarium Vouchers and the Plants They Came From

    The Arboretum's Herbarium contains over 100 thousand dried and preserved plants, and almost half were taken from the Arboretum's own collections. These Herbarium specimens offer a blast from the past for these historic trees, and this unique program offers a chance to see both ends of the timeline: we will begin inside the Herbarium with a look at historical specimens from decades ago, and then head outside to see the trees they grew into.

  • Oct 21
    Small group of people sitting on a grassy field

    Meandering Meditation: An Introduction to Mindfulness in Nature

    Nature has the power to evoke calm and beauty when we can step out of our hectic lives. This immersive experience in the Arnold Arboretum will invite participants to meander through the arboretum, stopping for several guided mindfulness practices to deepen their connection with the natural world.

  • Oct 22
    Yellow maple leaves coming out from a central twig

    Theme Tour: Autumn in the Arboretum

    October is one of the most beautiful times of year at the Arboretum, with leaves changing color and all sorts of unique seeds and fruits appearing on the branches. Join docent Vicki Amalfitano for a theme tour to learn about all the changes that happen in the Arboretum's collections in the fall.

  • Oct 26

    Workshop: Eco-Printing

    Eco-printing is an art-form which uses water, metal, and heat to transfer the natural color and shape of a plant onto paper, creating beautiful botanical prints. The group will learn about different methods of eco-printing, then head outside to collect plants from the Arboretum grounds and turn them into their own eco-printing creations.

  • Oct 27
    A great horned owl with brown and white feathers and yellow eyes

    Owl Walk

    Dusk in October is a perfect time to look and listen for Great Horned Owls, often heard calling throughout the Arboretum’s collections. Join Matthew Kamm from Zoo New England to hear about the owls' breeding and nesting behavior, learn how to go owling ethically, and possibly hear and see a few owls as well.

  • Oct 28
    Small group of people sitting on a grassy field

    Meandering Meditation: An Introduction to Mindfulness in Nature

    Nature has the power to evoke calm and beauty when we can step out of our hectic lives. This immersive experience in the Arnold Arboretum will invite participants to meander through the arboretum, stopping for several guided mindfulness practices to deepen their connection with the natural world.

  • Oct 29
    A docent leads a tour for six participants along a paved road lined with trees

    Arboretum Tour for Blind Participants

    Join us for a tour of the Arboretum, designed for a blind or visually impaired audience. Tour seasonal plant highlights and learn about Arboretum history from a trained docent, as you experience the Arboretum through smell, touch, sound, and detailed verbal descriptions.

  • Nov 05
    Tree roots artistically outlined with yellow and orange leaves

    Family Program: Make Your Own Nature Art

    Use the freshly fallen leaves at the Arboretum to make beautiful art, just like the famed nature artist Andy Goldsworthy. This is a chance to play in the leaves and make something beautiful– even if it only lasts until the next gust of wind!

  • Nov 16
    A cornucopia with fall vegetables spilling out

    On-Site Lecture: The Botany of Thanksgiving

    Talking more than turkey: This lecture will celebrate the plants that bring Thanksgiving to life. From stuffing, to cranberry sauce, to potatoes, cloves, carrots, celery, lettuce and sage. Come and explore the biology of this annual feast.

  • Nov 16
    A cornucopia with fall vegetables spilling out

    Virtual Livestream Lecture: The Botany of Thanksgiving

    Talking more than turkey: This lecture will celebrate the plants that bring Thanksgiving to life. From stuffing, to cranberry sauce, to potatoes, cloves, carrots, celery, lettuce and sage. Come and explore the biology of this annual feast.

  • Nov 18
    A docent leads a tour for six participants along a paved road lined with trees

    Arboretum Tour for Blind Participants

    Join us for a tour of the Arboretum, designed for a blind or visually impaired audience. Tour seasonal plant highlights and learn about Arboretum history from a trained docent, as you experience the Arboretum through smell, touch, sound, and detailed verbal descriptions.

  • Nov 19

    Family Hike: Fairy Houses

    Families need nature at all times of the year! We’ll learn collect sticks, cones, leaves, seeds, and all kinds of natural materials from the forest floor, and then we’ll make our Fairy Houses among the maples!

  • Dec 17

    Family Hike: Winter Solstice

    Families need nature at all times of the year! We’ll go on a StoryWalk to learn how a little bird can bring back the Sun! Then we will go inside and make a paper model of an Eastern chickadee.