Fall Events at The Morris Arboretum & Gardens
Philadelphia, PA—Join us as we celebrate the season at Morris Arboretum & Gardens! With fun events and interesting classes, we have something for everyone! Tickets can be purchased online or on-site. Buy your general admission tickets online for $2 off! Learn more at morrisarboretum.org. All events are free with general admission unless otherwise noted.
Morris Arboretum & Gardens hours
Monday – Friday: 10 am – 5 pm (Last entry 4 pm)
Saturday – Sunday: 9 am – 5 pm
General admission:
Members: Free
Adults: $22
Seniors: $20
Youth: $12
Child: free
Buy your tickets online to save $2!
Images are available for your use at this link: https://upenn.box.com/s/gw6o6trowvn8593qeakwdjyzq6wt0a7s
SEPTEMBER 2026 EVENTS
Garden Highlights Tour
Weekdays | 10:30 am
Saturdays & Sundays | 1:00 pm
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission, weather permitting
Our knowledgeable guides will design a tour around the interests of the attendees. Every tour is different, so come back as many times as you’d like. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
SENSE-sational Friday: Sensory Celebration
Friday, September 4, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the Morris Cottage
Free with general admission
We will be celebrating sight, smell, and touch with bright colors, great smells, and interesting textures. Join us as we have a Celebratory Senses dance party and take-away crafts you can enjoy at home. Designed for ages 3-12, however, all ages are welcome! Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 128.
Small Trees for Small(er) Spaces
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission
Investigate the smaller specimen trees at Morris that make a big impact. Ranging in height from 15 to 30 feet, these trees have many special features, such as spectacular bark, interesting forms, and great flower and leaf color. Some small trees are cultivated to be “dwarf” versions of larger, taller trees, and others are by their DNA considered small. Find one that will pop in your garden! Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
Storytime
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | 10:30 am
Meet at the Outdoor Classroom (rain location: Welcome Center side tent)
Free with general admission
We’re Going on a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger follows three friends as they travel through the forest, collecting leaves of all different shapes, sizes, and colors! Come along for a leaf hunt of our very own and create a craft to celebrate!Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners (and their siblings!) are welcome. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 193.
Explore Even Deeper
Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2026
Free with general admission
Come out for one last hurrah for our summer exhibitions, Garden Railway: Revolutionary Philly and Plants from the Colonial Era. Join us for self-directed activities as we transition into fall. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 128.
Papermaking with the Plants Around Us
Friday, September 25, 2026 | 12:30 – 3:00 pm
Members: $30 | Non-members: $35
Making paper from foraged materials can yield beautiful, interesting, and surprising results. In this workshop, participants will learn the basics of hand papermaking, creating sheets from locally grown materials. The session includes a walk around the Morris to observe plants used in papermaking and other paper-related crafts such as surface dyeing. Attendees will go home with a small stack of handmade sheets whose unique character reflects the botanical environment. Led by Emily Tipps of the Book Arts Program at the University of Utah. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 156.
Hidden Gems Tour
Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission
A combination of structures, sculptures, walkways, trees and vistas are included in our Hidden Gems. Many are off the beaten path or hidden in plain view. This tour shows something unique about these more familiar gems—a different angle in viewing them or a special story. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
OCTOBER 2026 EVENTS
Morris Pumpkin Cottage
October 1 – 31, 2025
Located throughout the Gardens
Free with general admission
October is ArBOOretum Month at the Morris! Hundreds of pumpkins are on display in the Garden and at the Morris Pumpkin Cottage. A true spectacle of orange. Selfies are a MUST! Get more information at morrisarboretum.org.
Scarecrow Walk & Contest
October 1 – 31, 2025
Located throughout the Gardens
Free with general admission
The scarecrows are here! More than 40 scarecrows will be on display throughout the Morris beginning October 1 through Halloween. The theme is the ’70s! See scarecrows inspired by the 1770s, 1970s, or any decade ending in “70.” Be sure to vote for your favorite, which will determine the top prize winners. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 136.
Fall First Fridays for Kids and Families
October 2, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the Morris Pumpkin Cottage
Free with general admission
Spiders may seem scary, but they’re an important part of our ecosystem! Would you like to be friends with spiders? We’ll be reading I’m Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton and you can make your own spider friend to take home. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 128.
Experience the Unexpected
October 3 – 4, 2026 | 10:00 am
Meet at the Morris Pumpkin Cottage
Free with general admission
Join us this weekend to celebrate October by making magical wands and potions from natural materials to take home with you. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 128.
Building Fairy Houses (Ages 5+)
Saturday, October 3, 2026 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Members: $35 | Non-members: $40
Meet at the Welcome Center
Let your imagination run wild as we create whimsical fairy houses together! We will use a combination of found natural materials, clay, and other special bits and bobs in this magical, hands-on experience for all ages. We will start indoors and use tools to construct our bases and create some one-of-a-kind accessories for our fairies. Then join us in the enchanting Whimsical Woods to continue decorating with found natural materials! One registration covers one adult and one child. Additional children require additional registrations. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 426.
The Wetland: A Unique Ecosystem
Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the entrance kiosk, park to the left of the garden entrance
Free with general admission
This specialty tour investigates many native plants and trees around the Morris Pond and near the Wissahickon Creek. It includes a brief history of the Wetland and describes the nature of a wetland ecosystem. Wetlands provide important resources—water, food, shelter—vital for plants, trees and wildlife that create a native abundant habitat. This tour is off-path, and visitors are advised to wear walking or hiking shoes. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
Plant Politics: Images, Knowledge, and Power
A Virtual Lunchtime Conversation
Tuesday, October 13, 2026 | 12 – 1 pm
Members: $10 | Non-members: $15
Every picture of a plant tells a story. From botanical illustrations and herbarium specimens to illustrated manuscripts and contemporary photographs, images shape how plants are named, understood, and valued. They also reveal deeper stories about exploration, colonialism, science, and whose knowledge is preserved. Join Tracy Qiu and Catherine Seavitt for an interactive lunchtime virtual conversation that uses four images to explore how botanical knowledge is created, shared, and challenged. A Zoom link will be emailed to all registrants in advance of the program. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 156.
Tree Canopy Conference
Friday, October 16, 2026 | 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Stokes Hall Auditorium, Haverford College, Haverford, PA
Fee: $155 | Student fee (with ID): $85
Philadelphia’s trees make our communities livable. They filter our air, regulate water flow, reduce carbon emissions, improve our mental health, and more. Unfortunately, our urban tree canopy faces stresses, including pests and disease, storms, residential development, and climate change. Join us for the 13th annual Tree Canopy Conference, where we’ll talk to experts about loss and restoration, including case studies demonstrating ways to put plans in place to ensure the city of the future remains green, livable, and ecologically sustainable. For a full schedule and to register, visit morrisarboretum.org. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for International Society of Arboriculture certified arborists will be available. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 156.
Storytime
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | 10:30 am
Meet at the Outdoor Classroom; (rain location: Welcome Center side tent)
Free with general admission
Join us for a spooky Storytime where we will be reading The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams. Wear a costume and make your own scarecrow craft, just in time for Halloween! Toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners (and their siblings!) are welcome. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 193.
Oaks of the Mid-Atlantic Tour
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission
Discover the Mid-Atlantic oaks in the Morris’s extensive collection. As noted by scientist and author Doug Tallamy, “Oaks support more forms of life than any other tree genus in North America. Every region where oaks are present has a unique profile of oaks that populate that area.” Learn how to differentiate our local oaks and explore the acorn variety of different trees. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
Garden Highlights Tour
Weekdays | 10:30 am
Saturdays & Sundays | 1:00 pm
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission, weather permitting
Our knowledgeable guides will design a tour around the interests of the attendees. Every tour is different, so come back as many times as you’d like. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
Going Batty! (All Ages)
Wednesday, October 28, 2026 | 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Members: $25 | Non-members: $30
Bat Box Add-On: $55
Meet at the Welcome Center
Join us in celebrating Bat Week with a special evening educational program about the important role bats play and what you can do to support bats in your yard and neighborhood. We begin with a short presentation to learn about these incredible creatures and end with an explorational walk to see these flying night mammals in action. Open to all ages. One registration covers one adult and one child. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Would you like to install a bat box at your home? Check the ‘Bat Box Add-On’ when you register and pick up your very own Wildlife Futures Approved Double Chambered Cedar Bat Box the evening of the program! Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 426.
Spooky Season Nature Crafts: All About Carnivorous Plants
Thursday, October 29, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the Morris Pumpkin Cottage
Free with general admission
Is it a plant? Is it an animal? Is it both? Or is it…a monster?! Learn all about carnivorous plants this Halloween season and make your own plant monster to come with you while you trick or treat! Kiddos and adults can come in costume! Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 193.
From Plate to Press: Print a Botanical Specimen Book
Thursday, October 29, 2026 | 2:00 – 4:00 pm
Members: $30 | Non-members: $35
Meet at the Welcome Center
In this unique workshop we will print historic botanical letterpress printing plates using a portable letter press. Each participant will work on their own specimen book, bound by hand using the Japanese stab-binding technique. This program takes at the Morris Arboretum & Gardens. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 156.
NOVEMBER 2026 EVENTS
Morris Arboretum & Gardens winter hours, November through March:
Monday – Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm (Last entry 3 pm)
Garden will be closed Thanksgiving Day.
Winter Wellness Walks
Saturdays & Sundays through March | 10:30 – 11:30 pm
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission, weather permitting
Led by an experienced volunteer guide, these brisk walks will stick to the paved paths and get your heart rate up. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
Botanical Pressure Prints with Ferns
Friday, November 6, 2026 | 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Members: $30 | Non-members: $35
Meet at Common Press, Fisher Fine Arts Library, University of Pennsylvania campus, Philadelphia, PA
This special program explores pressure printing, a method of making printing plates using low-relief botanical materials. After making printing plates, we will print with them on the Common Press Vandercook printing presses. We will use fern fronds collected from the Dorrance H. Hamilton Fernery at Morris Arboretum & Gardens—the only remaining freestanding Victorian fernery in North America. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 156.
Wild Philly
Saturday, November 7, 2026 | 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Members: $30 | Non-members: $35
Meet at the Welcome Center
America’s sixth-largest city is home to an amazing abundance of wildlife. Meet some of the region’s featured creatures and the places where you can see the full diversity of wildlife. In addition, you’ll learn the surprising ecological practices of the Lenape, the key role Philadelphia played in our nation’s understanding of natural history, and the largest threats to nature locally—plus great ways you can help heal nature. Presented by writer-naturalist Mike Weilbacher, this illustrated lecture is the perfect companion to Mike’s book by the same name, which he will be selling and signing after the lecture. Get more information at 215.247.5777 ext. 156.
Trees Around the World Tour
Saturday, November 14, 2026 | 11:00 am
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission
Discover a diversity of trees from around the world and the United States. This tour showcases trees from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas that will take you on a worldwide journey in our own arboretum. John and Lydia Morris traveled worldwide to bring an international flavor to the gardens. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
Conifers Tour
Saturday, November 21, 2026 | 11:00am
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission
Conifers are king! Did you know that every cone is not a pine cone? Explore the wide variety of conifers, both evergreen and deciduous, on display at the Morris. These notable specimens provide multi-seasonal interest with an array of forms, foliage, bark, and of course, cones! Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
Holiday Garden Railway
Saturday, November 21 through Wednesday, December 30 | 10 am – 4 pm
Free with general admission
Make a stop at the Holiday Garden Railway display a family tradition! The buildings and trains are all meticulously decorated for the holidays with lights that twinkle along the tracks and around the surrounding landscape. As one of the largest outdoor model train displays in the United States with more than 15 different rail lines running along a third of a mile of track, the Holiday Garden Railway will delight and amaze visitors of all ages. (The Morris is closed December 24, 25, 31 and January 1.) Get more information at morrisarboretum.org.
HGR: Nighttime Express
Select dates | 4:30 – 8:00 pm
Thursdays: Dec 10, 17
Fridays: Dec 11, 18
Saturdays: Nov 28, Dec 5, 12, 19
Sundays: Nov 29, Dec 6, 13, 20
Advance tickets required: Tickets go on sale November 9, 2026
As one of the largest outdoor model train displays in the United States with more than 15 different rail lines running along a third of a mile of track, the HGR: Nighttime Express will delight and amaze visitors of all ages. Get more information at morrisarboretum.org.
Garden Highlights Tour
Weekdays | 10:30 am
Saturdays & Sundays | 1:00 pm
Meet at the Welcome Center
Free with general admission, weather permitting
Our knowledgeable guides will design a tour around the interests of the attendees. Every tour is different, so come back as many times as you’d like. Get more information at morrisarb.org/tours or call 215.247.5777 ext. 157.
For more information, contact Mellany Armstrong at mellanya@upenn.edu or call 610.329.4022 (cell).
The Morris Arboretum & Gardens is one of more than 30 Philadelphia gardens in America’s Garden Capital. This 92-acre horticultural display garden features a spectacular collection of mature trees in a beautiful and colorful landscape. The Morris Arboretum & Gardens offers educational programs for many audiences ranging from youth to professional and is a leader in botanical and horticultural research.
100 E Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19118 / 215.247.5777 / info@morrisarboretum.org
Mellany Armstrong
Communications Coordinator
Morris Arboretum & Gardens of the University of Pennsylvania
100 E. Northwestern Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
215.247.5777 ext. 135 (office)
610.329.4022 (cell)
