Our partners at the UW Botanic Gardens have announced a series of changes to their tour program in the Arboretum. Free public tours of the plant collection tailored for adult audiences have shifted from Sundays to the first Thursday of each month, January through November. The tours will depart from the Graham Visitors Center at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at 1 p.m.
Free family Saturday tours, renamed Family Wild Walks, are scheduled on every second and fourth Saturday, from February through June (not including Memorial Weekend). Designed for children aged 2 to 12 and their caregivers—and loaded with games and hands-on, nature-themed activities—the tours will depart from the Graham Visitors Center at 1:30 p.m. and last until 3 p.m. They are limited to 30 people and offered on a first-come first-served basis. Be sure to show up early to guarantee your spot: Check-in will begin at 1:15 p.m.
Starting in April, UW Botanic Gardens will be operating a new series of paid weekend tram tours in the Arboretum. Tickets will be available for purchase online and at the front desk in the Graham Visitors Center. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, these tours will be offered twice daily, Friday through Sunday. During the shoulder seasons, they’ll be offered twice daily on Saturdays only. Details about the new tram tours will be up on the UW Botanic Gardens website soon. The UW plans to run a pilot of the tours during a week in February, as part of Seattle Museum Month.
The University will continue to offer private group tours of the Arboretum and Center for Urban Horticulture. At the Arboretum, walking tours (for up to 20 people) or tram tours (for up to 12) are available. At the Center, walking tours are the only available option. These tours do charge a fee, and discounts are available for senior living facilities, senior centers, and UW student groups.
Questions? Call 206-685-8033 or email urbhort@uw.edu.