New York Botanical Garden

What is New York Botanical Garden?

This 250-acre site in the Bronx includes 50 distinct gardens and plant collections. Visitors find a Victorian-era glasshouse, a preserved tract of ancient forest, wetlands, a waterfall, and specialized areas like rose, conifer, alpine, herb, and native plant gardens.

The history of New York Botanical Garden

Ideas for a major botanical garden in New York City began circulating in the 1870s. After land was secured in Bronx Park, the garden was formally established by state law in 1891. Its founding was driven by botanists inspired by London’s Royal Botanic Gardens and supported by civic leaders and financiers.

What there is to see

The grounds include both natural landscapes and designed gardens. Early features like the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory and Mertz Library opened around 1900. Later additions include the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, an alpine rock garden from the 1930s, and modern spaces like the Native Plant Garden and Edible Academy.

When to go

Open year-round, the garden welcomes over a million visitors annually. It serves as a public park, a center for plant science research, and an educational hub offering programs for children, teachers, and adults on horticulture, ecology, and nutrition.

Why New York Botanical Garden matters

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1967, the garden preserves a rare 50-acre remnant of original New York forest. It also houses one of the world’s largest botanical libraries and runs extensive conservation and plant research initiatives.

Plan a visit

🇺🇸 New York City · Feb to OctThe New York Botanical Garden in the BronxA 250-acre garden with a Victorian-style glasshouse, a late winter orchid show, an azalea hillside and a large rose garden.

Questions people ask about New York Botanical Garden

Good reading and sources

• Official websiteOfficial site
• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• Who We AreNew York Botanical Garden, Article
• Go Inside New York’s Nearly Secret Botanical LibrarySmithsonian Magazine, Article

• New York Botanical Garden on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
• Wikidata recordOpen data