Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg, Munich: what to see and when to go

This botanical garden in Munich, Germany, covers 21 hectares and displays nearly 20,000 plant species. Visitors can explore outdoor gardens, an extensive greenhouse complex, and themed collections such as roses, alpine plants, and an arboretum. The garden also serves as a center for plant education and conservation.

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Nearly 20,000 plant species and subspecies are grown here
The garden covers 21 hectares in Munich
Eleven greenhouses display tropical, desert, and alpine plants
There is a special outdoor alpine garden and a large rose collection
The garden opened to the public in 1914

What is Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg?

The Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg is a large public garden in Munich, featuring outdoor beds, themed plantings, and a wide variety of trees and shrubs. Its grounds include an alpine garden, a rose section, and a systematic area where plants are grouped by their botanical families. The garden’s greenhouses house tropical, desert, and subtropical plants, with dedicated spaces for cacti, succulents, ferns, bromeliads, aroids, cycads, and orchids. Visitors can also see special displays such as Mexican plants and seasonal exhibitions.

The history of Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg

Munich’s first botanical garden was founded in 1809 near Karlsplatz, but the current Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg replaced it in 1912–1913. The new garden was designed by Peter Holfelder, with input from Walter Kupper and Leonhard Dillis, and officially opened in May 1914. Its purpose is to offer a peaceful setting for visitors and to promote knowledge about plants and the natural world.

What there is to see

The garden’s layout includes outdoor areas organized by plant type and region, as well as a complex of eleven greenhouses covering 4,500 square meters. These greenhouses allow the cultivation of plants from tropical, subtropical, and arid environments, including a large orchid collection and displays of cacti, succulents, and ferns. The garden also manages an alpine outpost, the Alpengarten auf dem Schachen, located at a high elevation.

Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg, Bayern, Deutschland. Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

When to go

People visit the garden throughout the year to enjoy its plant displays, walk among themed collections, and attend educational events. The greenhouses provide a chance to see exotic plants regardless of the season. The garden is also involved in plant conservation and public education, offering resources for learning about botany and horticulture.

Parts and collections

The garden’s collections are diverse, with notable sections for alpine plants, roses, and an arboretum. The orchid collection is especially broad, representing many genera and hybrids. The garden’s external alpine station at Schachen allows for the display of mountain species in their preferred climate.

Why Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg matters

As a major botanical institution in Germany, the garden plays a role in plant conservation and education. It is a destination for both locals and tourists interested in botany, horticulture, and natural beauty. The garden’s design and collections reflect over a century of dedication to public enjoyment and scientific study.

Questions people ask about Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg

Where is the Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg located?

The garden is in Munich, Germany, at Menzinger Straße 65. It is situated near Nymphenburg Palace and is easily accessible from the city.

What can visitors see at the garden?

Visitors can explore outdoor plantings, themed gardens such as roses and alpine plants, and a large greenhouse complex with tropical, desert, and subtropical species.

How old is the garden?

The Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg was established in 1912–1913 and officially opened in May 1914, replacing Munich’s earlier botanical garden.

Does the garden have any special plant collections?

Yes, it features notable collections of alpine plants, roses, trees, and a large variety of orchids, as well as cacti, succulents, and ferns.

What is the purpose of the garden?

The garden aims to provide a peaceful setting for visitors, promote plant education, and support conservation efforts.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes. Opening times, prices and bloom dates change: check with the place before you travel. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

Sim's Park, Coonoor: Thangaraj Kumaravel, CC BY 2.0, source

Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute: No machine-readable author provided. Shyamal assumed (based on copyrig, CC BY 2.5, source

Baldha Garden: Muntasir du, Public domain, source

Hakone Botanical Garden of Wetlands: 663highland, CC BY 2.5, source

Rhododendron-Park Bremen: -- Xocolatl 00:35, 13 January 2008 (UTC), Public domain, source

Schau- und Sichtungsgarten Hermannshof: -- Immanuel Giel 12:00, 21 May 2008 (UTC), Public domain, source

Wilhelma: Ludwig von Zanth, 1796-1857, Public domain, source

Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln: Ladislaus Hoffner, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Botanical Garden Munich-Nymphenburg