Birding Walk
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.
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50 events found.
Events
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!
Owl Observations
Dusk is a perfect time to look and listen for Great Horned Owls, often heard calling throughout the Arboretum’s collections. Join Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan 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.
Birding with Nature Man Mike
Embark on a birdwatching walk in the Arboretum’s landscape with birder and wildlife photographer Michael Bryant, AKA Nature Man Mike. This two-hour walk is suitable for beginners as well as more experienced birders. Binoculars will be available to borrow on a first-come-first-serve basis, but you are encouraged to bring your own!
Growing Plants from Hardwood Cuttings
Hardwood cuttings are one of the many techniques the Arboretum uses to propagate its plants: propagators take cuttings from the mature stems of woody plants, carefully trim and coat the ends in rooting hormone, then plant them in specially designed growing media. Join Arboretum Propagator Sarah Shank for a hands-on workshop to learn this specialized form of propagation: the class will begin with a presentation on the biology of hardwood cuttings, then head outside to collect our own cuttings from nearby woody plants, and finally return inside to prepare and root the cuttings in growing media. Participants will bring home a small tray of cuttings to grow into their own small trees and shrubs.
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/activity, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Owl Observations
Dusk is a perfect time to look and listen for Great Horned Owls, often heard calling throughout the Arboretum’s collections. Join Arboretum Horticulturist Brendan Keegan and Matt Kamm, Associate Director of Field Conservation at 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.
Birding at the Arboretum
Have you ever wanted to learn more about the feathered friends you see and hear on a walk through the Arnold Arboretum? If so, please join birders and volunteers TJ and Allison for a leisurely 90-minute bird watching walk.
Barking Up the Right Tree: A Tour of Bark Diversity at the Arboretum
What is there to see at the Arboretum after all of the leaves have fallen and before spring flowers start to bloom? Bark! Shaggy bark, mottled bark, striped bark: the Arboretum has it all. Join Horticulturist Rachel Lawlor to see some beautiful bark highlights, learn how to identify some trees by their bark, and learn why that bark looks the way it does.
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/activity, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme.
Basic Botany
Join Nicole Forsyth, horticulturist and plant science educator, for a primer on all things botany: different plant parts and what they do, the movement of water and nutrients around the plant, gas exchange, plant reproduction and more. No prior botany knowledge needed! Whether you’re looking for a botany refresher or learning plant form and function for the first time, this class will give you the basics you need to know.
Canceled Birding Walk
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.
James Arnold Society Event
Discover the story of James Arnold, for whom the Arboretum is named, and others whose legacy gifts helped secure its future. In celebration of nearly 154 years of plants and […]
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.
Canceled Birding at the Arboretum
Have you ever wanted to learn more about the feathered friends you see and hear on a walk through the Arnold Arboretum? If so, please join birders and volunteers TJ and Allison for a leisurely 90-minute bird watching walk.
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.
Rescheduled 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/activity, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme.
Keeping Up With the Coyotes
With mating season just getting started, February is one of the best times to see signs of the Arboretum’s resident coyote population. Join Horticulturist and wildlife enthusiast Brendan Keegan to look for coyote tracks and scat, check our trail cameras, and find out why all these coyotes are in Boston in the first place.
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!
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/activity, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme.
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.
The Art of Nature: Winter Scene Collage
Join us for February Break Drop In Family Activities!
Stop by the Hunnewell Building anytime between 10am and 12pm and create a nature-inspired take-home project.
The Art of Nature: Nature Gel Prints
Join us for February Break Drop In Family Activities!
Stop by the Hunnewell Building anytime between 10am and 12pm and create a nature-inspired take-home project.
The Art of Nature: Foam Block Monoprints
Join us for February Break Drop In Family Activities!
Stop by the Hunnewell Building anytime between 10am and 12pm and create a nature-inspired take-home project.
The Art of Nature: Engineer a Nature Mobile
Join us for February Break Drop In Family Activities!
Stop by the Hunnewell Building anytime between 10am and 12pm and create a nature-inspired take-home project.
Rescheduled Identifying Conifers
*Rescheduled from January 24.* How do you tell the difference between a fir and a spruce? What about a pitch pine and an Eastern white pine? Join herbalist Alex Klein for a tree identification class focused entirely on conifers, so that you can start ID’ing these fascinating trees in Massachusetts streets and forests.
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.
Canceled 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/activity, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme.
Rescheduled Shrubs for the Winter Season
*Rescheduled from January 31 due to heavy snow.* The Arboretum landscape doesn’t go to sleep in the winter: in fact winter is the best time to see the bright stems of red twig twig dogwood, the glossy leaves of fragrant daphne, and the feathery needles of plum yew. Join Director of Horticulture and Landscape Rodney Eason for a walk to explore the shrubs with winter interest in the landscape. Learn about a variety of shrubs in the Arboretum’s collections, how to maintain these shrubs in your own yard, and what to expect from them in various seasons throughout the year.
Birding Walk
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.
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.
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.
Rescheduled W.S. Merwin: A Talk and Poetry Reading
*Rescheduled from March 21* W.S. Merwin was famed for his poetry, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry twice and named the United States Poet Laureate in 2010. But he was also a nature enthusiast with a deep concern for conservation. Merwin bought a plot of former agricultural land in Maui in 1977 and spent 40 years revitalizing the land, planting nearly 3,000 species of palm trees, and the estate is now recognized as one of the most important collections of palms in the world. Join us for a talk and poetry reading celebrating Merwin’s legacy.
Birding at the Arboretum
Have you ever wanted to learn more about the feathered friends you see and hear on a walk through the Arnold Arboretum? If so, please join birders and volunteers TJ and Allison for a leisurely 90-minute bird watching walk.
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!
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/activity, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme.
Witch Hazel Walk
Did you know flowers can be found at the Arboretum even in the depths of winter? Witch-hazels bloom in vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows across the landscape, giving a beautiful pop of color amidst the winter greys and whites. Join us on a tour of this collection and be ready to step off the path to admire the native witch-hazels, as well as those from China and Japan.
Witch Hazel Walk
Did you know flowers can be found at the Arboretum even in the depths of winter? Witch-hazels bloom in vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows across the landscape, giving a beautiful pop of color amidst the winter greys and whites. Join us on a tour of this collection and be ready to step off the path to admire the native witch-hazels, as well as those from China and Japan.
Plant Selection for the Modern Landscape
As temperatures begin to climb back up for the spring season, many of us are thinking about our yards and gardens. Do we want to plant something new? What kind of tree or shrub might work well in our space? Join Assistant Curator Miles Sax for a class on plant selection and learn how to choose the right trees and shrubs for specific spaces, microclimates, aesthetic desires, and management goals. This will be an indoor class in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall.
The Architecture of Trees
In winter, when all the leaves have fallen, the stark and beautiful forms of the bare trees suddenly come into focus. It becomes clear that not all tree forms are alike: some trees are cone-shaped, some round, some have steep branch angles, others have branches that stick straight out from the trunk. Join Director of Horticulture and Landscape Rodney Eason for a walk to explore tree architecture at the Arboretum and learn how to use tree form to help identify trees in the winter, and how the different forms help or harm the trees throughout their lives.
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/activity, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme.
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Witch Hazel Walk
Did you know flowers can be found at the Arboretum even in the depths of winter? Witch-hazels bloom in vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows across the landscape, giving a beautiful pop of color amidst the winter greys and whites. Join us on a tour of this collection and be ready to step off the path to admire the native witch-hazels, as well as those from China and Japan.
Birding Walk
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.
Research Spotlight: Building with Fungi
Fungi are known for their decomposing properties, but did you know that also make great building components? Dehydrated fungal mycelium is waterproof, fire retardant, insulating, and sound absorbing, and GSD post-doc Noam Attius is on the hunt for new species of fungi in the Arboretum to create the next generation of eco-materials. Join Noam for a walk in the landscape highlighting her work and learn about the Arboretum fungi she is exploring.
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.
‘Asunder’ and the California Wildfires
The devastating wildfires in California over the past several years have left the landscape starkly and in many cases permanently changed. Billie Mandle, Photography professor at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and Karen Haas, Curator of Photography at the MFA, come together to talk about Billie’s new photography book ‘Asunder,’ made up of stark and haunting photos of the aftermath of the 2020 Glass Fire in Northern California. They will be joined by Director of the Harvard Forest Jonathan Thompson who will share his research on how the wildfires have changed the very makeup of California forests, from mature trees to landscapes dominated by chaparral.