• The Cosmic Tree: A Universal Symbol of Life: Ginkgoes & Conifers

    Docent Katrina Scott will lead this interactive tour with stops for moments to reflect on specific trees and the stories associated with them. Were they revered or feared?  A home for deities or tricksters?  We will begin at the Walter Street Gate to visit the oldest ginkgoes at the Arboretum, then head up the Conifer Path and diverge to walk, rest, and reflect among various conifers, eventually ending by the yews near Bussey Brook and Hemlock Hill Road. 

    Walter Street Gate

      The Trees are Speaking by Lynda Mapes

      The old-growth forests of Oregon and Washington play a vital role in the ecosystems there, supporting a wide diversity of life and sequestering carbon in enormous, long-living trees. The east coast, by contrast, has been logged and clear cut for generations and has precious little old-growth forest left. Join environmental journalist and Bullard Fellow at Harvard Forest, Lynda Mapes, for a talk about her book “The Trees are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests.” In this thought-provoking new book, Mapes interviews scientists, loggers, and Indigenous activists to answer deep questions about the importance of old-growth forests, the conflicting desires around how to manage them, and how we can protect these forests into the future.

      Hunnewell Lecture Hall
        Little Explorers

        Little Explorers

        Join us at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will read a nature inspired story, do a craft, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme. The weekly themes are inspired by what is happening seasonally at the Arboretum.

        Hunnewell Lecture Hall

          Conifer Collection Tour

          The conifer collection at the Arnold Arboretum is a magical place to visit at any time of the year, as it is especially rich in history and diversity. Docent Cristina Squeff will lead participants through this collection explaining key identification features and sharing relevant stories about individual trees. 

          Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)

            Rescheduled Mushroom Hunt

            Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.  

            Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
            • Rescheduled

            Charles Sprague Sargent and the American Forest

            Many are aware of Charles Sprague Sargent’s role as first director of the Arnold Arboretum, establishing it as the world-renowned institution it is today. Far fewer are familiar with the deep influence he had over how Americans have come to think about forests, forestry, and wilderness. Docent Paul Eldrenkamp will lead a tour that explores the history of the idea of the forest in America- and how Sargent helped shape that idea.

            Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
            • Olmsted and the Arnold Arboretum

              Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of landscape architecture, designed some 500 public spaces in North America. The Arnold Arboretum is the only arboretum he designed, a National Historic Landmark, and a model for others around the world. Docent Bill Beizer, will identify the elements of the Arboretum that best reflect Olmsted’s philosophy and approach to landscape design.

              Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
                Little Explorers

                Little Explorers

                Join us at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will read a nature inspired story, do a craft, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme. The weekly themes are inspired by what is happening seasonally at the Arboretum.

                Hunnewell Lecture Hall

                  Autumn in the Arboretum

                  Autumn 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 tour to learn about all the changes that happen in the Arboretum’s collections in the fall.

                  in front of the Hunnewell Building

                    The Cosmic Tree: A Universal Symbol of Life: Ginkgoes & Conifers

                    Docent Katrina Scott will lead this interactive tour with stops for moments to reflect on specific trees and the stories associated with them. Were they revered or feared?  A home for deities or tricksters?  We will begin at the Walter Street Gate to visit the oldest ginkgoes at the Arboretum, then head up the Conifer Path and diverge to walk, rest, and reflect among various conifers, eventually ending by the yews near Bussey Brook and Hemlock Hill Road. 

                    Walter Street Gate

                      Oak Collection Tour

                      Oaks have been more closely associated with the development of human civilizations across the northern hemisphere than any other genus of tree. From the Royal Oak to the Charter Oak to the Emancipation Oak, from wine and whisky barrels to tall ships to the roof of Notre Dame, from King John to Shakespeare to Leonardo da Vinci, oaks have been inextricably entwined with the human experience. Join docent Paul Eldrenkamp as we learn more about the cultural history of oaks and explore what it is that makes them so useful, so distinct — and so essential.

                      Centre Street Gate

                        Canceled Explorers Garden Tour

                        The Explorers Garden rests in a microclimate just below the summit of Bussey Hill. This nearly five-acre site provides ideal growing conditions for many species that have been challenging to grow in less protected areas of the Arboretum. As such, it has proven to be a perfect testing ground for plants collected in the expeditions of E. H. Wilson in the early 1900s to the NACPEC  (North America-China Plant Exploration Consortium) expeditions of our own time. Join docent Marie Herbert for a guided tour to learn more about some of the plants showcased in this special collection and to hear stories of the plant exploration expeditions that brought them to the Arboretum.

                        Centre Street Gate
                        • Canceled

                        Autumn in the Arboretum

                        Autumn 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 tour to learn about all the changes that happen in the Arboretum’s collections in the fall.

                        in front of the Hunnewell Building

                          Conifer Collection Tour

                          The conifer collection at the Arnold Arboretum is a magical place to visit at any time of the year, as it is especially rich in history and diversity. Docent Cristina Squeff will lead participants through this collection explaining key identification features and sharing relevant stories about individual trees. 

                          Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
                            Little Explorers

                            Little Explorers

                            Join us at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will read a nature inspired story, do a craft, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme. The weekly themes are inspired by what is happening seasonally at the Arboretum.

                            Hunnewell Lecture Hall

                              Trees that Shaped Civilization

                              Join docent Paul Eldrenkamp for a visit to five groups of trees that each played a particularly significant role in shaping five very different civilizations: Eastern White Pine, Cedar of Lebanon, Western Red Cedar, Oaks, and the five sacred trees of the Kiso Forest in Japan.

                              Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
                              • Little Explorers

                                Little Explorers

                                Join us at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will read a nature inspired story, do a craft, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme. The weekly themes are inspired by what is happening seasonally at the Arboretum.

                                Hunnewell Lecture Hall

                                  Canceled Chainsaw Safety and Maintenance

                                  *Cancelled* Join Head Arborist John Del Rosso for a class on chainsaw safety and maintenance. Designed for professionals and gardeners with some chainsaw experience, you will learn how to best maintain your chainsaw, make effective felling cuts and tension cuts, use proper PPE, and develop safe work habits.

                                  Hunnewell Lecture Hall
                                  • Canceled

                                  The Cosmic Tree: A Universal Symbol of Life: Ginkgoes & Conifers

                                  Docent Katrina Scott will lead this interactive tour with stops for moments to reflect on specific trees and the stories associated with them. Were they revered or feared?  A home for deities or tricksters?  We will begin at the Walter Street Gate to visit the oldest ginkgoes at the Arboretum, then head up the Conifer Path and diverge to walk, rest, and reflect among various conifers, eventually ending by the yews near Bussey Brook and Hemlock Hill Road. 

                                  Walter Street Gate

                                    Mushroom Hunt

                                    Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join local mushroom enthusiast Maria Pinto to search for these fascinating organisms on the Arboretum grounds, both edible and poisonous alike. Along the way you will learn what mushrooms to look for in different habitats and seasons, how they move through ecosystems, and what the Arboretum’s unique collections affect what mushrooms you might find here.

                                    Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)

                                      Built to Withstand: How Plants Resist Wind and Weight

                                      How do trees, bamboo, marsh grass stems and cattail leaves stand so tall? Join Materials Science Professor Lorna Gibson for a fascinating talk exploring how the internal structure of plants gives them remarkable strength and stability—allowing them to withstand howling winds and even support their own massive weight.

                                      Hunnewell Lecture Hall
                                        Little Explorers

                                        Little Explorers

                                        Join us at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this one-hour program for our youngest guests and their grownups, we will read a nature inspired story, do a craft, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme. The weekly themes are inspired by what is happening seasonally at the Arboretum.

                                        Hunnewell Lecture Hall

                                          Conifer Collection Tour

                                          The conifer collection at the Arnold Arboretum is a magical place to visit at any time of the year, as it is especially rich in history and diversity. Docent Cristina Squeff will lead participants through this collection explaining key identification features and sharing relevant stories about individual trees.

                                          Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)

                                            Reading the Forested Landscape

                                            The forest is a constantly changing landscape where tree species dominate and then fade away, to be replaced by other species in the ongoing process of succession. Join Horticulturist Brendan Keegan to see these dynamics at play on Hemlock Hill: learn about forest species structures, succession dynamics, and how the topography of the earth itself affects the species living there.

                                            Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
                                            • The Founder of Modern Botany in China: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Hu Hsen-Hsu (aka H.H. Hu, Hu Xiansu)

                                              Join us to celebrate the life, groundbreaking scientific work, and legacy of Hu Xiansu (Hu Hsen-Hsu) on the 100th anniversary of his doctoral degree from Harvard. This online event will feature Arnold Arboretum Director William (Ned) Friedman, Chief Scientist at the China National Botanical Garden (North Garden) Jinshuang Ma, Professor of Sociology at Beijing Normal University Hu Xiaojiang (granddaughter of Hu Xiansu), and other speakers discussing Hu’s life and influence.

                                              Virtual

                                                Conservation in a Changing World

                                                Part of the mission of the Arnold Arboretum is stewardship of the earth’s botanical diversity and its essential value to humankind. This one hour tour through the landscape, led by docent Vicki Amalfitano, will highlight important Arboretum historical conservation efforts that have preserved distinct native and exotic species, and current efforts in our living collections to mitigate habitat disruption and climate impact. Learn about plant expeditions to preserve species in the face of climate change and new pathogens, research initiatives, as well as the Arboretum’s green initiatives and local collaborations to improve our urban canopy.

                                                in front of the Hunnewell Building

                                                  Olmsted and the Arnold Arboretum

                                                  Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of landscape architecture, designed some 500 public spaces in North America. The Arnold Arboretum is the only arboretum he designed, a National Historic Landmark, and a model for others around the world. Docent Bill Beizer, will identify the elements of the Arboretum that best reflect Olmsted’s philosophy and approach to landscape design.

                                                  Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)

                                                    The Cosmic Tree: A Universal Symbol of Life: Ginkgoes and Conifers

                                                    Docent Katrina Scott will lead this interactive tour with stops for moments to reflect on specific trees and the stories associated with them. Were they revered or feared? A home for deities or tricksters? We will begin at the Walter Street Gate to visit the oldest ginkgoes at the Arboretum, then head up the Conifer Path and diverge to walk, rest, and reflect among various conifers, eventually ending by the yews near Bussey Brook and Hemlock Hill Road.

                                                    Walter Street Gate
                                                    • Peters Hill in Winter

                                                      Get a new perspective on some of the amazing trees on Peters Hill during this one-hour seasonal tour. In winter, leaves and blossoms fall away, exposing hidden features like bark, thorns, and roots. During this one-hour tour led by docent Paul Eldrenkamp, you’ll get a chance to explore a few of the interesting collections in the landscape, learn about the history of this part of the Arboretum, and get a winter time view of the Boston skyline from the second highest point in the city.

                                                      Peters Hill Gate

                                                        Canceled Winter Wellness Walk

                                                        Take a brisk walk this winter and stay healthy and connected to the Arboretum at a time when the landscape is pared down to its beautiful bones. This 90-minute walk is similar to a guided tour, but with a slightly faster pace and fewer stops, to keep your feet warm and your blood pumping!

                                                        Flora Way Gate (Formerly Bussey St Gate)
                                                        • Canceled

                                                        Peters Hill in Winter

                                                        Get a new perspective on some of the amazing trees on Peters Hill during this one-hour seasonal tour. In winter, leaves and blossoms fall away, exposing hidden features like bark, thorns, and roots. During this one-hour tour led by docent Paul Eldrenkamp, you’ll get a chance to explore a few of the interesting collections in the landscape, learn about the history of this part of the Arboretum, and get a winter time view of the Boston skyline from the second highest point in the city.

                                                        Peters Hill Gate
                                                        • Fearless, Sleepless, Deathless by Maria Pinto

                                                          Join us for a talk by popular Mushroom Hunt instructor Maria Pinto on her new book, Fearless, Sleepless, Deathless: What Fungi Taught Me about Nourishment, Poison, Ecology, Hidden Histories, Zombies, and Black Survival. Maria weaves together memoir, mycology, and cultural history to illuminate the deep and surprising ways fungi connect with human life. With vivid storytelling and a fiercely original voice, she explores fungi not just as biological wonders but as tools of survival, subversion, and spiritual sustenance—especially for those living at the margins.

                                                          Hunnewell Lecture Hall

                                                            Canceled Winter Wellness Walk

                                                            Take a brisk walk this winter and stay healthy and connected to the Arboretum at a time when the landscape is pared down to its beautiful bones. This 90-minute walk is similar to a guided tour, but with a slightly faster pace and fewer stops, to keep your feet warm and your blood pumping!

                                                            in front of the Hunnewell Building
                                                            • Canceled

                                                            The Cosmic Tree: A Universal Symbol of Life: Ginkgoes and Conifers

                                                            Docent Katrina Scott will lead this interactive tour with stops for moments to reflect on specific trees and the stories associated with them. Were they revered or feared? A home for deities or tricksters? We will begin at the Walter Street Gate to visit the oldest ginkgoes at the Arboretum, then head up the Conifer Path and diverge to walk, rest, and reflect among various conifers, eventually ending by the yews near Bussey Brook and Hemlock Hill Road.

                                                            Walter Street Gate

                                                              Winter Tree ID

                                                              Winter can feel like one of the hardest times to identify trees, with most of their characteristic leaves and flowers gone for the season. But with help from experienced horticulturist and plant science teacher Nicole Forsyth, you can start identifying common winter trees from the woods and streets of Massachusetts based only on their bark, buds, twigs, and persistent fruit. This class will begin indoors with a presentation in the lecture hall, and then move outside for some identification practice in the landscape.

                                                              Hunnewell Lecture Hall

                                                                Let’s Botanize by Ben Goulet-Scott and Jacob Suissa

                                                                Paying close attention to the plants around us can ease stress and create moments of joy and wonder, whether we’re walking through the woods, down the street, or just getting up close with our own houseplants. Let’s Botanize: 101 Ways to Connect with Plants is full of prompts and beautiful macrophotography that encourage readers to get outside and observe plants in close detail. Join authors Ben Goulet-Scott and Jacob Suissa, both former Arboretum researchers, for a book launch consisting of a talk, book signings, and an optional walk in the landscape to try some of these prompts out for ourselves.

                                                                Hunnewell Lecture Hall

                                                                  Peters Hill in Winter

                                                                  Get a new perspective on some of the amazing trees on Peters Hill during this one-hour seasonal tour. In winter, leaves and blossoms fall away, exposing hidden features like bark, thorns, and roots. During this one-hour tour led by docent Paul Eldrenkamp, you’ll get a chance to explore a few of the interesting collections in the landscape, learn about the history of this part of the Arboretum, and get a winter time view of the Boston skyline from the second highest point in the city.

                                                                  Peters Hill Gate