The U.S. Botanic Garden is a living plant museum. Our collections of plants, their leaves, flowers, fruits, and labels should not be removed or disturbed. We invite you to return again and again, to watch us grow and see our ever-changing exhibits.
Admission to the U.S. Botanic Garden is free.
Our Visitor Services desk in the Conservatory lobby is staffed each day to assist you:
Take advantage of our Plant Explorer's Field Journal for an educational and fun experience.
Ask for a Junior Botanist kid's backpack of exploration, for ages nine and above.
Obtain a wheelchair for use around the Conservatory. We also have outdoor wheelchairs for in gravel areas in the National Garden and Bartholdi Park.
Find out details on upcoming tours and special programs and events at the U.S. Botanic Garden.
The Conservatory is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, including all weekends and holidays. There are extended hours for some programs, please check the Programs and Events page for details. The Conservatory is located at 100 Maryland Ave SW, Washington, DC 20001.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays in December 2019, the Conservatory will stay open until 8:00 pm for extended evening hours and our holiday concert series.
The National Garden is open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, including all weekends and holidays. It is adjacent to the Conservatory, with entrances from Independence Avenue, from Maryland Avenue (at 3rd Street) and from the Conservatory Terrace. This gated outdoor garden has extended evening hours staying open until 7 p.m. from April 1 to September 15 each year.
Bartholdi Park is open from dawn to dusk, daily, including all weekends and holidays. 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.
Visit our Hours and Location page for additional information on hours and directions.
The U.S. Botanic offers a wide range of exhibits throughout the year. Find out what's on right now and what's coming soon.
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.
For permission to use tripods, easels or art material containing solvents during the week, please reserve a permit in advance by contacting Laura Anthony. Reserved permits are obtained onsite at the Visitor Information Services desk in the Conservatory.
We do not allow visitors to do photoshoots or videoshoots at the Garden.
Please read the full Photography and Art Policy for more details.
The U.S. Botanic Garden strives to makes its facilities and programming accessible to all visitors to ensure a successful museum visit. Our Accessibility page provides more information.
The elevator to the Canopy Walk in the Tropics house is currently closed for renovation.
There are no dining facilities at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Many months of the year, we install tables and chairs on the Conservatory Terrace, in the National Garden and in Bartholdi Park, and we invite you to bring lunch and enjoy being outdoors. The closest dining options are located at the National Museum of the American Indian, the Rayburn or Longworth House Office Buildings or the Capitol Visitor Center. In addition, restaurants can be found on Third Street SW, near the Federal Center SW metro station.
There is no gift shop at the U.S. Botanic Garden. Nearby gift shops are located at the Capitol Visitor Center, the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court. Please read more about them at Visiting Capitol Hill and to learn more about other places of interest across Capitol Hill.
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 Laura Anthony.
School groups interested in visiting the U.S. Botanic Garden, please visit our Field Trip page to plan your field trip.
U.S. Botanic Garden Visitor Guide
Read about the U.S. Botanic Garden before you arrive! Our visitor guide is available in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Spanish.