Reopening Status
All areas of the U.S. Botanic Garden gardens have reopened.
Welcome to the U.S. Botanic Garden!
The U.S. Botanic Garden is a living plant museum. We invite you to return again and again to watch the Garden grow and change through the seasons and explore our ever-changing exhibits. Learn about the many areas of the Garden you can visit, and we hope you'll join us for an educational program!
Admission
Admission to the U.S. Botanic Garden is free.
Hours and Location
The Conservatory is open 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. daily. Timed tickets are not required.
Bartholdi Fountain and Gardens are open from dawn to dusk daily. It is located across Independence Avenue from the Conservatory, with access from any of the three bordering streets - Independence Avenue, Washington Avenue, or First Street SW.
The gated outdoor gardens ("National Garden") are open 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. These gardens have extended spring-summer hours April 1 - September 15, staying open until 7:00 p.m.
Visit our Hours and Location page for additional information on hours and directions.
Safety Guidelines
Masks are recommended for indoor spaces, and groups are encouraged to maintain social distance from other visitor groups. Please stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive for COVID-19, or have been asked to isolate because of COVID-19 exposure. Find more information in multiple languages on the CDC website.
Photography and Sketching
Visitors are permitted to take photographs of the public areas at the U.S. Botanic Garden for personal use only, and must be taken with hand-held cameras. Commercial use of such photographs is strictly prohibited.
- Hand-held film cameras, video cameras, or lap easels for sketching may be used at any time, as long as they do not affect the public’s enjoyment of, or access to, our exhibits.
- We do not allow visitors to do photoshoots or videoshoots at the Garden.
- Please read the full Photography and Art Policy for more details.
Accessibility
The U.S. Botanic Garden strives to make its facilities and programming accessible to all visitors to ensure a successful museum visit. Our Accessibility page provides more information.
Etiquette for Visiting the Garden
The U.S. Botanic Garden is a living plant museum for everyone to enjoy. Please respect the living collection and be mindful of other visitors. As you walk through the gardens, here are some "do's and don'ts" to keep in mind.
Dining
There are no dining facilities at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Visitors can use tables and chairs outdoors. We ask visitors to gather and pack out their trash, as there are limited trash bins outdoors.
Gift Shop
There is a gift shop in the West Gallery run by Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden and local DC small business Rewild with plants and plant-themed offerings.
Private Functions
The U.S. Botanic Garden facilities are not available for rental for weddings or other private functions. Policies governing Congressionally sponsored events are established by the Joint Committee on the Library. For more detailed information, please contact Bri Dowsey.
School Group Resources
For information about school group educational resources, please visit our Field Trip page to plan your field trip.
United States Botanic Garden Campus Map
