Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew: what to see and when to go

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a major botanical garden and research institution in London. It manages the gardens at Kew and Wakehurst, holding over 27,000 kinds of living plants and vast seed and specimen collections. Kew is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and draws millions of visitors each year.

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Holds over 27,000 kinds of living plants at Kew and Wakehurst
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003
Home to the Millennium Seed Bank with seeds from nearly 40,000 species
Visited by over 2 million people at Kew in 2025
326-acre site with 40 historic buildings

What is Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew?

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a large botanical garden in southwest London, covering 326 acres. Visitors find a vast collection of living plants, historic glasshouses, and 40 significant buildings. The gardens display a wide range of plant species from around the world, with themed areas, walking paths, and educational exhibits. Kew also manages Wakehurst in Sussex, which includes the Millennium Seed Bank, a major global resource for plant conservation.

The history of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Kew’s gardens have a long history as a centre for plant research and conservation. The organisation was established to advance botanical science and education. Over time, it expanded to include Wakehurst Place and has formed partnerships for conservation and research worldwide. Kew’s collections and scientific work have made it a leader in global plant knowledge, and its site was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

What there is to see

Kew Gardens is organised into themed plant areas, glasshouses, and outdoor displays. The living collections are carefully maintained by horticultural staff. At Wakehurst, the Millennium Seed Bank stores seeds from nearly 40,000 species. Visitors can explore gardens year-round, with seasonal displays and special exhibitions. The gardens are open to the public, and research facilities support ongoing scientific work.

When to go

Kew is open throughout the year and welcomes millions of visitors annually. People come to enjoy the gardens, learn about plants, and attend educational events. The site is also a hub for botanical research, with scientists working on plant conservation and data projects. Wakehurst’s Millennium Seed Bank is a key resource for preserving plant diversity.

Parts and collections

Kew manages two main sites: the original gardens at Kew in London and Wakehurst in Sussex. Wakehurst is notable for its seed bank and conservation work. Kew also has links to other sites, such as Bedgebury National Pinetum and the Yorkshire Arboretum, through partnerships focused on plant diversity and research.

Why Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew matters

Kew Gardens is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic and scientific value. It plays a leading role in plant conservation, education, and research, maintaining important databases and publications. Kew’s work supports global efforts to identify, name, and protect plant species, making it a cornerstone of botanical science.

Plan a visit

🇬🇧 London · All yearA day at the Royal Botanic Gardens, KewOne of the world's great botanic gardens, with Victorian glasshouses, a huge tree collection and flowers in every month.

Questions people ask about Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Where is the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew located?

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is in Kew, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest London. It also manages Wakehurst in Sussex.

What makes Kew Gardens important?

Kew is a leading centre for botanical research, plant conservation, and education. It holds extensive living collections, a major seed bank, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What can visitors see at Kew Gardens?

Visitors can explore themed gardens, glasshouses, and historic buildings, and see a wide variety of plants from around the world. There are also exhibitions and educational displays.

What is the Millennium Seed Bank?

The Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst stores seeds from nearly 40,000 plant species, supporting global conservation and research efforts.

How many people visit Kew Gardens each year?

In 2025, Kew Gardens had over 2.2 million visitors, making it one of the most visited botanical gardens globally.

Good reading and sources

Official websiteOfficial site

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew", 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

Hestercombe House: Ashley Dace, CC BY-SA 2.0, source

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Daniel Case, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

RHS Garden Wisley: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, source

RHS Garden Bridgewater: Amanda Slater, CC BY-SA 2.0, source

RHS Garden Rosemoor: Patche99z, CC BY-SA 3.0, source

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew