Arnold Arboretum Program Catalog - Spring 2026

PROGRAMS & EVENTS PROGRAM CATALOG SPRING 2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS Membership Adult Programs and Tours Horticulture & Botany Nature & Wildlife History & Culture Health & Wellness Events Plan Your Visit Seasonal Highlights Visiting with Kids & Youth Programs

The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is free and open every day.

All programs are free. Programs listed as Members Only are exclusive opportunities for current members of the Arnold Arboretum.

Join or renew your membership to register for member-only programs.

Hunnewell Visitor Center 125 Arborway, Boston, MA 02130 Hours 10:00am–4:00pm daily

BECOME A MEMBER The Arnold Arboretum is funded by members like you.

A public-private partnership between the City of Boston and Harvard University, the Arnold Arboretum maintains its own operating budget powered by past and present philanthropy.

As Boston’s premier museum of trees and one of Frederick Law Olmsted’s finest landscapes, the Arboretum pursues its mission and welcomes nearly 1 million visitors each year funded by endowment income, memberships, and gifts. Become a member and partner in our work to collect, study, conserve, and share plants here and around the globe. View our membership levels and benefits and join today!

FEATURED MEMBER BENEFIT Enjoy one of the most popular benefits of Arboretum membership—exclusive savings through our Nursery Discount Program. Our members receive special discounts at a curated selection of New England nurseries and garden centers, making it easier to source and purchase exceptional plants inspired by your visits to our landscape. It’s a wonderful way to support local growers while enhancing your own garden with exceptional plants. If you aren’t currently an Arboretum member, join or renew today to take full advantage!

Discover the Arboretum’s most beloved destination with an exclusive, members-only tour of the renowned Bonsai Collection. This special program offers rare access inside the bonsai pavilion for an intimate, close-up look at these captivating trees—some cultivated for more than 200 years. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to explore living artistry at its finest.

May 31, 10:00–11:00am LEARN MORE

HORTICULTURE & BOTANY Guided Tours Join us for a 60-minute tour through the Arboretum!

View seasonal plant highlights and learn about Arboretum history from a trained docent.

Arboretum Highlights: March–April 12 Weekends at 1:00pm April 15–June 30: Daily 10:30am & 1:00pm Witch Hazel Tours: February–Early March, various times Lilac Tours: Early–Mid May, various times Check our Tours page for available times and dates.

No pre-registration required.

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 us 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 a primarily indoor class, with a short walk at the end if weather allows.

March 15, 10:00am–11:30am Members Only Miles Sax, Assistant Curator This program begins at the Hunnewell Lecture Hall.

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 us and take a guided 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.

March 22, 12:00–1:30pm Members Only Rodney Eason, Director of Horticulture and Landscape This program begins at Centre Street Gate.

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.

March 28, 10:00–11:30am Members Only Noam Attius, Harvard Graduate School of Design Postdoc This program begins at Bussey Street Gate on Flora Way.

HORTICULTURE BOTANY & & HORTICULTURE BOTANY

Research Spotlight: Building with Fungi

HORTICULTURE & BOTANY

Herbaceous Plant ID As small, herbaceous plants begin to pop out of the soil and carpet the landscape, early spring is a great time to learn what some of these plants are and how to identify them. Join us for a plant ID walk in the landscape and learn how to identify plants like creeping charlie, stinging nettle, and chickweed.

April 4, 2:00–3:30pm Sarah Nechamen, Manager of Adult Programming and Events This program begins at Washington Street Gate.

Explorers Garden Tour 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 us 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.

April 18, 10:30–11:45pm May 16, 1:00–2:15pm Marie Herbert, Arboretum Docent

This program begins at Centre Street Gate.

Nature Amplified If our ears were 100 times more powerful than they are, we would be able to hear the sounds produced by trees themselves: water moving through the trunks and branches, small critters moving around in the wood or the canopy. We would even be able to hear how plants receive and respond to sound waves produced by other beings. Our ears are not this powerful, but artist, researcher, and Harvard Graduate School of Design fellow Jacek Smolicki has created microphones and recording systems that are.

Join Jacek for an indoor introduction to his specialized microphone technology, then move outside for a walk to try out the microphones around the landscape and listen to the amplified sounds they create.

April 19, 10:00am–12:00pm Members Only April 19, 2:00–4:00pm Jacek Smolicki, Artist and Researcher This program begins in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall.

Soundscapes of the Arboretum: A Drop-in Event Stop by the Hunnewell lawn to experience the sounds of the Arboretum in a new way. View the sound of wind or birdsong through special spectrograms; participate in a “sound to sketch activity” to draw what you’re hearing with a friend or family member; work with a birder to learn how to identify birds from their unique calls; and listen to the sounds of a tree or soil amplified through specially designed microphones.

April 25, 9:00–11:00am Jacek Smolicki, Artist and Researcher Amanda McCluskey and Isabella Febbriorello, Sound Travels This program takes place in front of the Hunnewell Building.

Discover the patterns that shape the plant world in this hands-on art program, from spirals that follow the fibonacci sequence to branching that creates infinite fractals. After a brief crash course on the math and science behind these patterns, you will move into creative, art-based activities to explore these patterns further and start creating some of your own.

April 25, 12:00am–2:00pm Rachel Mirus, Teaching Artist

This program begins in front of the Hunnewell Building.

BOTANY & HORTICULTURE

Patterns in Plants: Spirals, Branching, and More

HORTICULTURE & BOTANY Early Spring Blooms At the end of April, flowers are just starting to emerge from the trees and shrubs of the Arboretum: cherry trees, dogwood, redbuds, and magnolias are all blooming this time of year. Join us to see, smell, and learn about these early spring blooms!

April 25, 12:30–2:00pm Paul Eldrenkamp, Arboretum Docent

This program begins in front of the Hunnewell Building.

Around the World in 18 Trees The Arboretum collections hail from over 60 countries, from Turkey and Morocco to Bhutan and Japan. Join Keeper of the Living Collections for a walk across the landscape and discover trees and shrubs from around the world. Along the way, you will learn about our collecting expeditions, what parts of the world we can and cannot collect from, and how the Arboretum uses microclimates and management techniques to grow plants from a wide range of countries.

April 26, 10:00–11:30am Members Only Michael Dosmann, Keeper of the Living Collections This program begins in front of the Hunnewell Building.

Crabapples Up Close The Arnold is considered the “Mother Arboretum” for the modern crabapple, with over 50 species and 91 cultivars represented throughout the landscape.

Join us for a tour of the flowering crabapples on Peters Hill as they reach peak bloom in late April and May, and learn about the history and conservation of this fascinating collection.

April 30, 6:00–7:30pm Miles Sax, Assistant Curator Lindsay Davies, Horticulturist

This program begins at Peters Hill Gate.

Leventritt: From Design to Living Landscape As the Leventritt Shrub and Vine Garden nears its 25th birthday, join the garden’s original architect and our own Keeper of the Living Collections to learn about the garden’s history, its design goals and principles, and how it has evolved in the past two decades. This program will begin with a short talk in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall, then move outdoors for a tour of the garden itself.

May 14, 6:00–7:30pm Michael Dosmann, Keeper of the Living Collections Gary Hilderbrand, Landscape Architect This program begins in front of the Hunnewell Building.

Ask a Horticulturist: Lilacs

Peters Hill Tour

Stop by the lilac collection to chat with the Horticulturist who manages the Arboretum’s beautiful lilac shrubs. An Arboretum Horticulturist will be there from 2:00pm to 4:00pm answering questions about caring for lilacs, the Arboretum’s lilac collection, and what it’s like to be a horticulturist here. No registration is required, just stop by!

Learn about some of the amazing trees on Peters Hill during this ninety-minute tour led by a docent. 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 view of the Boston skyline from the second highest point in the city.

May 16, 2:00–4:00pm Conor Guidarelli, Horticulturist

May 30, 10:00–11:30am Paul Eldrenkamp, Docent

This program begins at Poplar Gate.

BOTANY & HORTICULTURE

This program takes place in the Lilac Collection on Bussey Hill Rd.

HORTICULTURE & BOTANY

Poisonous Plants 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.

May 30, 2:00–3:30pm Sarah Nechamen, Manager of Adult Programming and Events This program begins at Bussey Street Gate on Flora Way.

Bonsai Up Close As the Arboretum’s Bonsai and Penjing Collection heads back out to the pavilion for the warm season, join the Arboretum Bonsai Specialist for a special up-close look at these rare specimens. Learn the history of the Arboretum’s bonsai trees, bonsai care and maintenance, and the cultural significance of the bonsai art form.

May 31, 10:00–11:00am Members Only Jun Imabayashi, Caretaker of the Arboretum’s Bonsai Collection

HISTORY & CULTURE

This program takes place at the Dana Greenhouses.

NATURE & WILDLIFE 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 us for a leisurely 90-minute bird watching walk. We will cover a variety of habitats and focus on the changes that seasonal migration brings to our resident birds, so come back often to keep up with the seasons! No homework is required, but binoculars are helpful for spotting in the trees. We’re looking forward to birding with you!

March 8, 8:00–9:30am April 12, 8:00–9:30am May 9, 8:00–9:30am May 17, 8:00–9:30am TJ and Allison, volunteers

This program begins in front of the Hunnewell Building.

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.

March 28, 8:00–10:00am April 25, 8:00–10:00am May 16, 8:00–10:00am Donna Sullivan, Docent and Birder

This program begins in front of the Hunnewell Building.

Mushroom Hunt Hundreds of mushrooms hide beneath the Arboretum’s canopies, silently blossoming into unique forms then withering away again just as quickly. Join a local mushroom enthusiast 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.

March 28, 12:00–2:00pm May 3, 10:30am–12:30pm Maria Pinto, Mushroom Enthusiast

This program begins at Bussey Street Gate on Flora Way.

NATURE & WILDLIFE

Nature Journaling Keeping a nature journal can be a great way to record and enhance your explorations of nature.

In this outdoor walking program, participants will practice mindfully observing the natural world, taking careful notes, and creating beautiful sketches of their surroundings. Your instructor will provide thoughtful prompts and artistic guidance along the way. All skill levels are welcome.

May 2, 10:00–11:30am Members Only Erica Beade, Artist and Educator

This program begins in front of the Hunnewell Building.

Birds Up Close Have you ever wondered how a duck’s feathers repel water, or how the structure of a bird’s bones enables them to fly? Materials Science professor Lorna Gibson has spent years researching the physics and math of how birds work.

Join her for a talk on her new book, Birds Up Close: An Engineer Explores their Hidden Wonders and get a deep dive into the incredible world of birds.

May 17, 2:00–3:00pm Lorna Gibson, Author and Professor

This program takes place in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall.

HISTORY & CULTURE W.S. Merwin: A Talk and Poetry Reading 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, featuring numerous speakers, celebrating Merwin’s legacy.

March 21, 2:00–3:30pm

This program takes place in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall.

‘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 and Karen Haas come together to talk about Billie’s new photography book ‘Asunder,’ made up of photos of the aftermath of the 2020 Glass Fire in Northern California.

Jonathan Thompson will share his research on how the wildfires have changed the very makeup of California forests, from mature trees to landscapes dominated by chaparral.

March 29, 2:00–3:15pm Billie Mandle, Photography professor Karen Haas, Curator of Photography at the MFA Jonathan Thompson, Director of the Harvard Forest This program takes place in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall.

Olmsted and The 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. Your docent will identify the elements of the Arboretum that best reflect Olmsted’s philosophy and approach to landscape design.

April 25, 11:00am–12:00pm Bill Beizer, Docent

This program begins at Bussey Street Gate (on Flora Way).

HISTORY & CULTURE

Trees That Shaped Civilization Join us 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.

May 9, 2:00–3:30pm Paul Eldrenkamp, Docent

This program begins at Flora Way Gate.

The Cosmic Tree: A Universal Symbol of Life: Flowering Trees Over millennia trees have 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. This interactive tour will have stops to reflect on specific trees and the stories associated with them.

May 17, 10:00–11:30am Katrina Scott, Docent

This program begins at Centre Street Gate.

TREES IN BLOOM Music Inspired by Nature

Gather in the Landscape for three concerts to celebrate beautiful collections in peak bloom.

Chloe DeSteno and Ariana Mascari, graduate students at the New England Conservatory, have assembled a collection of musical pieces about the magnolias, cherries, and crabapples, their cultural and historical impact, as well as plants and the Arboretum more broadly--including one original piece composed for each collection showcased. The concerts will feature a small orchestra playing genres from Renaissance to jazz, all rooted in classical music.

Seating will be on the grass. We recommend bringing a blanket or lawn chair to sit on if desired, as chairs will not be provided.

Magnolias in Bloom

Saturday April 11, 3:00–4:00pm (rain date April 12) The Hunnewell Building Lawn

Cherry Blossoms in Bloom

Saturday April 25, 3:00–4:00pm (rain date April 26) Bradley Rosaceous Collection

Crabapples in Bloom

HISTORY & CULTURE

Saturday May 2, 3:00–4:00pm (rain date May 3) Peters Hill Summit

HEALTH & WELLNESS Winter Wellness Walk Join us for the last brisk walk of winter! 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! Please dress appropriately for the weather including sturdy footwear. Each walk will cover a different part of the Arboretum, depending on weather and seasonal features.

Sunday, March 8, 11:00–12:30pm This program begins at Bussey Street Gate on Flora Way.

Terapia de Bosque en Español La terapia de bosque, también conocida como baño de bosque o shinrin-yoku, es una práctica basada en evidencia que te conecta con la naturaleza de manera amable, curiosa y consciente.

En el ritmo acelerado del mundo de hoy, esta experiencia cuidadosamente diseñada te invita a tomar una pausa, despertar tus sentidos y disfrutar de lo que nos ofrece la naturaleza.

May 3, 10:00am–12:00pm Andrea Jaramillo, Forest Therapy Guide This program begins at Bussey Street Gate on Flora Way.

Forest Bathing in the Lilacs Experience our restorative and relaxing Forest Bathing program in the Arboretum’s beautiful lilac collection.

May 15, 9:00am–11:00am Members Only Tam Willey, Forest Therapy Guide This program begins at Forest Hills Gate.

EVENTS Tree Mobs Tree Mobs are short, spontaneous learning opportunities inspired by ephemeral plant phenomena in the landscape. Did the magnolias just start blooming? Are the witchhazels dispersing their seeds? Take a deep dive into a plant with Arboretum experts, at a time when they are at their most beautiful and noticeable within the landscape.

We communicate about upcoming tree mobs by posting them as an event on our website’s events page and emailing the Tree Mobs mailing list. Join the list to be notified about upcoming Tree Mobs! Note: Tree Mobs are offered as a hybrid program.

In-person spots being reserved for Members Only and the virtual stream open to all.

Possible Spring Tree Mobs: Forsythia and Cherry Blossoms

Cherry Blossom Celebration Come celebrate Japanese culture amongst the Arboretum’s beautiful cherry blossoms with taiko drumming, traditional Japanese dance, Japanese games and calligraphy, family activities, and the inside scoop on the Arboretum’s own cherry collection. The event begins at 2:00pm and performances begin at 3:00pm. The event takes place on the grass, so please bring your own lawn chairs or blankets.

April 19, 1:00–4:00pm FREE EVENT

This program takes place in the Bradley Rosaceous Collection.

LILAC SUNDAY

Experience the springtime bloom of our renowned collection of over 400 lilacs. Visit for tours with Arboretum experts, hands-on children’s programming, chalk art, and more. Picnicking in the Arboretum landscape is permitted on this day only.

Located primarily on the edge of Bussey Hill Road in the heart of the landscape, the lilac collection at the Arnold Arboretum is among the premier collections of these plants in North America. Of the thousands of flowering plants in the Arboretum (many of which can also be enjoyed at this time), only the lilac is singled out each year for a day-long celebration.

Pack a picnic and make your way to the lilac collection on Bussey Hill Road.

Perimeter parking is severely limited and thousands are expected to attend Lilac Sunday. Visitors are strongly encouraged to use public transportation.

Sunday May 10, 10:00am–3:00pm FREE EVENT Read more about the Arboretum’s lilac collection.

PLAN YOUR VISIT WELCOME TO THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM. Our 281-acre landscape features more than 16,000 accessioned plants. We are 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 offer something for everyone.

F Learn about our plants and collections F Print a map F Get directions F Take a guided tour

Accessibility The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University welcomes people of all abilities and is committed to facilitating a safe and engaging experience for all who visit. To learn more or for accessibilityrelated questions, please visit the accessibility page on our website or contact our Visitor Engagement team.

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Here is just a small sampling of what is happening this season in the Arnold Arboretum.

Wilson pearlbush (Exochorda giraldii var. wilsonii)

Paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysantha)

Right and left: Hemsley snowball (Styrax hemsleyanus)

Beauty bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis)

VISITING WITH KIDS Spring Scavenger Hunt Spring Scavenger Hunt: Stop by the Visitor Center to pick up a copy or print one out at home. See how many of these seasonal treasures you can find this spring at the Arboretum!

Come find us...

Stop by the Youth & Families tables at Cherry Blossom Celebration (April 18) & Lilac Sunday (May 10th) for nature education and a free activity!

Little Explorers Preschool-Age Program Join us at the Arboretum as we read and discover new things about the natural world. During this onehour program for our youngest guests and their grown-ups, we will read a nature inspired story, do a craft, and go for a nature walk to continue exploring the theme. Each week’s theme is inspired by what is happening seasonally at the Arboretum. While this program begins indoors, it will often venture outside into the landscape. (Geared toward ages 3-5)

Little Explorers runs 10:00–11:00am on the following Mondays: March 9 March 23 April 6 April 27 May 4 May 11 Pre-registration is encouraged.

This program begins in the Hunnewell Lecture Hall.

Outdoor Educator Recommended Books

Making Light Bloom: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Lamps by Sandra Nickel and Julie Paschkis Mighty: The Story of an Oak Tree Ecosystem by Henry Cole Mara Plants a Seed by Robert Furrow & Donna Jo Napoli and Melissa Bailey Tomatoes on Trial: The Fruit v. Vegetable Showdown by Lindsay H. Metcalf and Edwin Fotheringham

LOOKING AHEAD Summer 2026

Identifying Common Trees and Shrubs | June 6 Bradley Rosaceous Collection Up Close | June 28 Botanical Cyanotype Drop-in | July 19 Bees and Beyond: Pollinators at the Arboretum | August 1 Sketch Your Way to Tree ID | August 29

View the Full Programs Calendar: arboretum.harvard.edu/events

125 Arborway, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 arboretum.harvard.edu