Events
Featured Event
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.
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
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Mar 10Sep 10
Art Show | Intersections: Pairings of Botanical Art and Herbarium Vouchers from the Collections of the Arnold Arboretum
The living collections of the Arnold Arboretum are complemented by supplementary collections that reside in the Hunnewell Building. Among these, the Horticultural Library collections include an exquisite collection of botanical prints, and the Herbarium of Cultivated Plants consists of approximately 132,000 "vouchers"—plant specimens that have been dried, pressed, and mounted on paper. This exhibition, featuring botanical art by Mark Catesby, and other botanical artists, paired with herbarium vouchers of both native and non-native plants, results in an insider's look at how these various collections intersect. View this show in the Hunnewell Visitor Center during open hours.
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Mar 17Jun 23
Art Show | Still Lives: Plants of the Arnold Arboretum, Close Up and Far Away
Photographer Vaughn Sills brings her exquisite still lives of Arboretum plants—whether in flower or fruit, burnished fall foliage or shimmery bud—to our exhibition. The images are from the inside—photography in her studio and the outside—nature and wide expanses of earth. Combined, these seemingly disparate elements convey the importance of two ways of looking, close up and far away. Loebner Magnolia photograph by Vaughn Sills.
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Apr 15Jul 31
Public Guided Tours
Join us for a walk through the Arboretum! Tour seasonal plant highlights and learn about Arboretum history from a trained docent.
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May 01Nov 16
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.
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Jun 10
Mr. Twister and the Tale of Tornado Alley
Through the power of his magic telescope, Mr. Twister can see just about everything—except the family reunion of the North and South winds that is about to create a cyclone in Tornado Alley! Come to the Arboretum's Bradley Rose Garden for an operatic adventure—of global proportions—about science and climate. Join us at noon for the show or come before the show to make puppets your child can use during the performance.
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Jun 15
On-site | Mobile Landscape Reading – American Wildflowers: A Literary Field Guide
Join editor Susan Barba for a mobile landscape reading of her new literary anthology, filled with classic and contemporary poems and essays inspired by wildflowers. What is a mobile landscape reading, you ask? Instead of sitting in a lecture hall, you will meander through the wildflowers of the Arboretum and hear beautiful poems and prose while surrounded by the wildflowers that inspired them.
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Jun 15
Virtual Livestream | Mobile Landscape Reading – American Wildflowers: A Literary Field Guide
Join editor Susan Barba via Zoom for a mobile landscape reading of her new literary anthology, filled with classic and contemporary poems and essays inspired by wildflowers. What is a mobile landscape reading, you ask? Instead of tuning in to a lecture hall event, you'll be virtually joining on-site participants as they meander through the wildflowers of the Arboretum, listening to beautiful poems and prose while surrounded by the wildflowers that inspired them.
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Jun 16
On-site Lecture | Biophilia and Topology: A Re-imagining of Landscape Architecture
At its best, landscape architecture merges ecology and design to create landscapes that work with the site, not against it. Dr. Anette Freytag, a professor of the history and theory of landscape architecture, argues that two concepts—biophilia and topology—can help society to better deal with our current environmental crisis and improve wellbeing for all.
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Jun 16
Virtual Livestream Lecture | Biophilia and Topology: A Re-imagining of Landscape Architecture
At its best, landscape architecture merges ecology and design to create landscapes that work with the site, not against it. Dr. Anette Freytag, a professor of the history and theory of landscape architecture, argues that two concepts—biophilia and topology—can help society to better deal with our current environmental crisis and improve wellbeing for all.
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Jun 17
Tour: Late Spring Blooms
Join Docent Brad McGrath to see what is blooming in the Arboretum in late spring, from chestnut and linden to stewartia and smoke bush.
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Jun 18
Family Hike: Insect Safari
Families need nature at all times of the year! We’ll use nets and bug boxes to find insects in the meadow and the woods. Go on a StoryWalk® and look at insects with magnifiers!
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Jun 24
Birding at the Arboretum
Embark on a birdwatching walk in the Arboretum's landscape with docent and birder Donna Sullivan. This two-hour walk is suitable for adult beginners as well as more experienced birders.
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Jul 05
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.
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Jul 12
Tour: Bradley Rosaceous Collection
Join Horticulturist Scott Phillips for a tour of the Bradley Rosaceous Collection to learn about the importance of the rose family to New England ecosystems, the susceptibility of this family to pests and disease, and the ecological impact of growing so many cultivated varieties.