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1927 Map of the Arboretum

Plan a Visit

Docent Chris McArdle leads an Arboretum theme tour. Jeff Blackwell
Docent Chris McArdle leads an Arboretum theme tour

Visitor Info

Welcome to the Arnold Arboretum. Our 281-acre landscape featuring over 15,000 accessioned plants is open daily and free for all to explore. Whether you are coming for a stroll, on the lookout for wildlife, or interested in learning the stories and science behind our plants, we value accessibility as an institution and offer something for everyone. Explore our virtual walks, guided tours, Expeditions mobile app, and digital learning resources. If you're visiting with kids, check out a variety of self-guided family activities. Not sure where to start? Our Visitor Center staff is here to help.

Directions & Parking

You can get to the Arboretum by subway, bus, or car. Get directions to our Hunnewell Visitor Center at Arborway Gate, Peters Hill, Weld Hill Building, or Dana Greenhouses. Free parking is available along the Arborway, Bussey Street, and Walter Street. The Arnold Arboretum also offers resources for improved accessibility.

Contact Us

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

125 Arborway Boston, MA 02130-3500

Phone
617.524.1718
Fax
617.524.1418

Hours & Admissions

The Arboretum landscape is free and open every day.

Landscape Hours
Sunrise–Sunset
Visitor Center Hours
10am–4pm, every day but Wednesdays. Closed Wednesdays.
Admission
Always Free

Visitor Guidelines

Read about the Arboretum’s response to COVID-19. Read our visitor tips and guidelines to learn about bringing your dog, hosting events, riding your bike, and more so you can plan your best visit. Explore our interactive map and view a printable PDF map.

Accession Number
The alpha-numeric value assigned to a plant when it is added to the living collection as a way of identifying it.
Accession Date
The year the plant’s accession number was assigned.
Common Name
The non-scientific name for the plant.
Scientific Name
The scientific name describes the species of an organism. The first word is the plant's scientific genus and the second is the specific epithet. This two-word binomial is sometimes followed by other taxonomic descriptors, including subspecies (denoted by "ssp."), variety (denoted by "var."), form (denoted by "f." or "forma"), and cultivar (denoted by single quotation marks).
Plant Family
The family to which the plant belongs.
Propagation Material
The first part (material code) describes the material used to create the plant. The most common codes are "SD" (seed), "EX" (existing plant), "PT" (plant), "CT" (cutting), "SC" (scion), "SG" (seedling), and "GR" (graft). The second part describes the lineage the plant is derived from. The last part describes the year of propagation.
Collection Data
The first part indicates provenance (place or source of origin) using a letter code ("W" = wild, "G" = garden, "Z" = indirect wild, "U" = uncertain). The second part lists the plant source. For wild-collected material, the collector, collection number, and country are given.
Location
The location of the plant on the landscape.
Hover to Learn More
524-48*AA
Cupressaceae
Metasequoia glyptostroboides
SD - LINEAGE 524-48 - 1948
-
1948
W - WILD ORIGIN - CHINA -
CHENG, W.C.
NATL. CTRL. UNIV., NANKING, CHINA
Dawn Redwood

Visiting with Kids

Explore more family activities

wonder spot | my home is a wet meadow, wonder spot | snags for wildlife, wonder spot | skunk cabbage, storywalks, wonder spots,

  • Wonder Spot | My Home is a Wet Meadow

    Explore this Wonder Spot with your family to learn about the plants and animals that live in a wetland meadow.

  • Wonder Spot | Snags for Wildlife

    Have you ever wondered why there are standing dead trees in our landscape? Learn about the ecological benefits of standing trees that are dead or dying with this Wonder Spot, intended for children and families.

    An intentional snag left standing in the conifer collection
  • Wonder Spot | Skunk Cabbage

    Explore this Wonder Spot with your family to learn about a heat-generating plant that can grow in winter!

    purple skunk cabbage against brown leaves
  • StoryWalks

    StoryWalks are a wonderful way for families to read and talk about nature in the Arboretum landscape. Walk from page to page, learning about season, plants, and animals from a children's book.

  • Wonder Spots

    Wonder Spots give Arboretum families an opportunity to explore the landscape through weekly investigations about the natural world. Learn about plants and animals in locations throughout the Arboretum, getting to know our grounds while discovering and observing living things in new ways.

    A girl examines a rotting log

Walks

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Collections

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