Exhibits
Guided Tours
Plan Your Visit
Zoo New England is partnering with the Arboretum to run its annual turtle survey! For the past five summers, ZNE conservation biologists have ventured into the ponds of the Arboretum to survey the turtles, minnows, and other biodiversity present there. Join Zoo New England staff for a Tree Mob to meet and learn about the fascinating species that call the Arboretum ponds home.
Unwind with a nature meditation and sound bath in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden, specially designed for older adults. Facilitator Bob Linscott will guide the group through one hour and a half of mindfulness and meditative soundscapes to help you de-stress and connect with the natural world. This program takes place in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden, but we will gather in front of the Hunnewell Building at 125 Arborway and take a van to the Leventritt.
Unwind with a nature meditation and sound bath in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden, specially designed for older adults. Facilitator Bob Linscott will guide the group through one hour and a half of mindfulness and meditative soundscapes to help you de-stress and connect with the natural world. This program takes place in the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden, but we will gather in front of the Hunnewell Building at 125 Arborway and take a van to the Leventritt.
Stop by the Hunnewell Lawn while supplies last to create beautiful nature-based cyanotype prints. Participants will arrange flowers, leaves, and seeds and expose them in sunlight to create a deep blue print with bright, ghost-white silhouettes.
This is a drop-in program so there is no need to register, just stop by and get creative!
Over 90% of the Arboretum’s wild-collected plants came from either eastern Asia or eastern North America. These include several closely related species that grow in entirely different hemispheres, including species of maples, viburnums, hydrangea, and more. Join Keeper of the Living Collections Michael Dosmann to learn about some of these plants’ evolutionary histories, morphological similarities (and differences), horticultural merits, and how they were introduced into cultivation and to the Arboretum specifically.
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.
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.
Cosmologies are ways of understanding the nature of the universe, of experiencing the world in all its variations including the visible and the invisible. Over millennia trees have served as the mythological archetype of the world’s axis (axis mundi), the pole through the earth’s center which connects the worlds above and below. Within a cosmic-magical model of the world (imago mundi), trees also evolved in various cultures to possess innate spiritual powers or as conduits for communication with the holy or sacred.
During this tour we will discuss angiosperms, the largest and most diverse group in the plant kingdom. All flowering trees are angiosperms, but not all angiosperms reproduce in the same way, so you may not see blooms and flowers but plenty of leaves. 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?
Join pollinator expert Nicole Bell for a walk through the Arboretum’s meadows to find bees and other pollinators in their natural habitat. Nicole will use a sweep net to find and catch bees in the landscape so participants can see them up close, while we talk about the most common bees found in Massachusetts, where they live and what they eat, and the importance of places like the Arboretum for pollinator conservation.
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.
Unwind with a nature meditation and sound bath under the shade of the oak collection. Facilitator Bob Linscott will guide the group through one hour of mindfulness and meditative soundscapes designed to help you de-stress and connect with the natural world.
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.
Tai chi is a Chinese martial art known for its slow, intentional movements which act as a form of moving meditation for practitioners. Join International Tai Chi Gold Medalist and referee Hongsheng Jin for this one-hour tai chi class, appropriate for beginners and experienced students alike. The class will begin with breathwork and stretching, continue with a moving meditation and a walk practice, and conclude with a formal tai chi practice.
Join docent Lisa Gaquin for a brisk early morning walk along the inside perimeter of the Arboretum. This walk will be fast-paced, energetic, and will involve walking over hills and rough terrain. Note that this is not a traditional tour: you may hear some information about individual trees and history, but the main goal is to get outside and get some exercise! Bring good walking shoes, water, and walking poles if desired.
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 Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden contains over a dozen grapevines, many of which have rich histories in plant breeding and winemaking. Join winemaker and author J. Stephen Casscles for a walk through Leventritt and explore these diverse grape species, their long histories in grape breeding, and their contributions to sustainable agriculture. The group will gather in front of the Hunnewell Building and then walk the 10 minutes to the Leventritt Garden.
Embark on a birdwatching tour in the Arboretum’s landscape with docent and birder Donna Sullivan. This two-hour tour is suitable for adult beginners as well as more experienced birders. Bring binoculars if you have them!
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.
As the sun sets, the bats come out! Join Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan and Matt Kamm, Associate Director of Field Conservation at Zoo New England, for a Bat Walk in the Conifer Collection, using specialized microphones to listen for and identify bat species in the landscape.
The stately beeches of the Arboretum used to tower over other trees–and some still do–but pests, diseases, and other pathogens have taken their toll in recent years. Join Arborist Delia Mahoney for a walk in the beech collection and learn about the challenges these trees have faced, what the Arboretum is doing in response, and what the collection looked like in years past.
Tai chi is a Chinese martial art known for its slow, intentional movements which act as a form of moving meditation for practitioners. Join International Tai Chi Gold Medalist and referee Hongsheng Jin for this one-hour tai chi class, appropriate for beginners and experienced students alike. The class will begin with breathwork and stretching, continue with a moving meditation and a walk practice, and conclude with a formal tai chi practice.
Take in the sights and sounds of the arboretum under the light of a full moon. Facilitator Bob Linscott will lead the group through mindfulness in nature practices and a meditative sound bath as we meander along the paved road to our final nighttime viewing location on top of Bussey Hill.
In this experimental photography workshop led by local artist and scientist Jess Holz, participants create ‘paintings’ using microscopic plankton collected from the Arboretum’s ponds. Participants use a microscope in combination with software which creates video akin to timelapse photography- acting at the decisive moment, participants snap photos of the trails created by these microscopic creatures. Participants will learn basic identification of microscopic pond life while getting a fascinating glimpse into their dynamic behavior, such as the helical paths of flagellates and the water currents generated by rotifers as they feed.
Join Linda Wells, “The Wellness Warrior,” for a monthly yoga series in the rose garden throughout the summer. This is an inclusive, adaptable practice outdoors for everyone regardless of age, size, shape, and abilities.
Join docent Lisa Gaquin for a brisk early morning walk along the inside perimeter of the Arboretum. This walk will be fast-paced, energetic, and will involve walking over hills and rough terrain. Note that this is not a traditional tour: you may hear some information about individual trees and history, but the main goal is to get outside and get some exercise! Bring good walking shoes, water, and walking poles if desired.
Can native caterpillars help control our non-native, invasive plants? That’s what researcher Michael LaScaleia is trying to figure out through his research at the Arboretum. Join us for a Research Spotlight program to learn about Michael’s research and search for some of these caterpillars in the landscape. This walk will include some boggy areas, so waterproof shoes are recommended!
Cosmologies are ways of understanding the nature of the universe, of experiencing the world in all its variations including the visible and the invisible. Over millennia trees have served as the mythological archetype of the world’s axis (axis mundi), the pole through the earth’s center which connects the worlds above and below. Within a cosmic-magical model of the world (imago mundi), trees also evolved in various cultures to possess innate spiritual powers or as conduits for communication with the holy or sacred.
During this tour we will discuss angiosperms, the largest and most diverse group in the plant kingdom. All flowering trees are angiosperms, but not all angiosperms reproduce in the same way, so you may not see blooms and flowers but plenty of leaves. 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?
Hidden among the beautiful flowers and innocent-looking shrubs of the Arboretum are some of the world’s most sinister poisons. White snakeroot, yew and even the beloved rhododendron are all filled to the brim with toxins that have both enticed and tormented people for generations. Join Manager of Adult Programming and Events Sarah Nechamen for a walk to learn about these poisonous plants, the chemicals they contain, and the strange histories they carry with them.
Many of the plants grown at the Arboretum have been used as natural dyes for centuries: goldenrod for yellow, stinging nettle for green, madder or bloodroot for pink. Join fiber artist Maggie Ruth Haaland for a workshop to learn about and practice some of these natural dyeing methods. After a short introduction, the class will embark on a walk to see and learn about the plants and the dyes they create; then participants will return to the Hunnewell Lecture Hall to try their own hands at dyeing, using dye baths prepared by the instructor. Participants do not need to bring their own fabric or other materials, and will go home with dyed fabric of their own. Participants may also get a chance to try their hand at eco-printing.
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.
As the sun sets, the bats come out! Join Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan and Matt Kamm, Associate Director of Field Conservation at Zoo New England, for a Bat Walk in the Conifer Collection, using specialized microphones to listen for and identify bat species in the landscape.
Join us for an interactive look at all the tiny critters that crawl, fly, or slither through the Arboretum landscape. We will have sweep nets and bug boxes to catch bugs in Kent Field, digital microscopes to get a closer look, some fun bug crafts, and an entomologist to help us identify everything we find. This is an all-ages, interactive program: come prepared to move around and get up close with some bugs and insects!
In 2016, the Donald Pfister lab at Harvard University discovered a new species of mycorrhizal truffle at the Arboretum, related to the famed culinary truffle but genetically distinct. Nine years later the lab is still making new discoveries in the field of mycorrhizae: the fungi that form symbiotic associations with plant roots and provide the plants with extra water and nutrients from the soil in exchange for a steady supply of sugars.
Join Professor Don Pfister for a research spotlight on mycorrhizae and the Arboretum truffle, and learn about the biology of mycorrizae, how the Arboretum truffle and other mycorrhizae disperse their spores, and how to go about finding mycorrhizae in the landscape. The group will also take some soil cores and look for evidence of mycorrhizae in the soil. Maybe we’ll find a truffle!
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. Accessibility: This walk will include paved roads and woodchip […]
Join Linda Wells, “The Wellness Warrior,” for a monthly yoga series in the rose garden throughout the summer. This is an inclusive, adaptable practice outdoors for everyone regardless of age, size, shape, and abilities.
Join docent Lisa Gaquin for a brisk early morning walk along the inside perimeter of the Arboretum. This walk will be fast-paced, energetic, and will involve walking over hills and rough terrain. Note that this is not a traditional tour: you may hear some information about individual trees and history, but the main goal is to get outside and get some exercise! Bring good walking shoes, water, and walking poles if desired.
As a lead-up to our Haunted Botany performance piece about the colonial histories of Eastern White Pine, join Materials Science Professor Lorna Gibson for a Tree Mob on tree species that were used to build colonial ships. From dense oak hulls designed to withstand cannonballs, to tall, straight masts made out of towering pine trees, each tree species was selected for its own unique strengths– both in the forest and at sea.
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.
The towering Eastern White Pine once dominated New England forests and served as an important symbol for Indigenous peoples, but the British Royal Navy’s thirst for tall, straight, trees to use as ship masts eventually led to the destruction of the vast majority of old growth pines in Massachusetts. Join Gwyneth Shanks and AB Brown for a performance piece highlighting Pinus strobus’s dramatic colonial history in which American settlers fought back against King George’s large-scale destruction of their forests, leading to direct resistance, riots, and eventually to the Boston Tea Party itself.
Embark on a birdwatching tour in the Arboretum’s landscape with docent and birder Donna Sullivan. This two-hour tour is suitable for adult beginners as well as more experienced birders. Bring binoculars if you have them!
Take in the sights and sounds of the arboretum under the light of a full moon. Facilitator Bob Linscott will lead the group through mindfulness in nature practices and a meditative sound bath as we meander along the paved road to our final nighttime viewing location on top of Bussey Hill.