Season’s Greenings, the United States Botanic Gardens’ seasonal opportunity, is a top-rated holiday destination!

• More Holiday-Inspired Fun

In addition to all you can see garden-wide, their outdoor holiday display will feature a big model train display with trains running daily from 10 am to 5 pm, November 28, 2024-January 5, 2025.

This popular annual holiday display features model trains in the gated outdoor gardens, festive lights throughout the Garden, and poinsettias, holiday decor, and DC landmarks made from plants inside the Conservatory. On the lawn in the gated outdoor gardens, G-gauge model trains circulate from 10 am-5 pm daily through displays of pollinators made from plant parts. These scenes range from oversized models of native U.S. flowers like milkweed and bats pollinating a banana to an orchid bee pollinating a vanilla orchid flower, a chocolate midge pollinating a cacao flower, a lemur pollinating a traveler’s tree flower, and more!

On December 8, 2024, the gated outdoor gardens will open at 10 am to accommodate the Garden’s sensory-friendly programming.

Plus, on select Tuesdays and Thursdays (December 10, 12, 17, 19, & 26, 2024) the Conservatory and outdoor train display will have extended hours, staying open until 8 pm. There will be live holiday music and food and drink vendors during these evenings.

There is no admission fee and no tickets are required to visit any area of the U.S. Botanic Garden, including the holiday train display.

Located on the National Mall, minutes from the US Capitol, the United States Botanic Garden is a family-friendly museum steeped in history! As one of the oldest Botanic Gardens in the US (established by Congress in 1820), this landmark emphasizes the crucial role plants play in the ecosystem. Visitors can explore living exhibits, including 12,000 accessions, which equates to about 65,000 plants! While there, be sure to ask about the Wilkes plants, too (read below)!

In 1838, Lieutenant Charles Wilkes set out on the United States Exploring Expedition commissioned by Congress to circumnavigate the globe and explore the Pacific Ocean. Between 1838 and 1842, the expedition traveled 87,000 miles and collected a large assortment of horticultural and botanical specimens. These formed the nucleus of the present-day garden. Even now, there are four plants in the garden that are believed to be directly related to the original Wilkes expedition!