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Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

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 Boston, 02130

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Call: +1 617-384-5454
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About

The Arnold Arboretum is a 281-acre landscape in Jamaica Plain holding more than 15,000 accessioned plants, which the arboretum counts among the world's most comprehensive and best documented collections of temperate woody plants, with a focus on eastern North America and eastern Asia. Founded in March 1872, it is the oldest public arboretum in the country. Harvard runs it, but it is a public park of the City of Boston: Harvard gave the land to the city and leased it back for $1 a year on a 1,000-year lease, and Frederick Law Olmsted laid it out as part of the Emerald Necklace park system.

It is free and open every day from sunrise to sunset, which makes it a good choice for walkers, gardeners, photographers and families who want a green half-day without a ticket. The Orange Line ends at Forest Hills, where a station exit marked "Arnold Arboretum" leads along the Arborway to the Forest Hills gate.

Where to start

The Hunnewell Visitor Center at the Arborway Gate, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, has maps, restrooms and staff to point you in the right direction. The half-mile Introductory Tour takes about 40 minutes and covers the arboretum's history, mission and research; it can be followed on Expeditions, the arboretum's mobile web app.

Collections worth seeking out

The Bonsai and Penjing Collection began in 1937 with Isabel Anderson's gift of Larz Anderson's Japanese dwarfed trees and now has 67 specimens, centered on five compact hinoki cypress between 150 and 275 years old; it is on view from mid-April to mid-November. Just below the summit of Bussey Hill, the Explorers Garden holds two of the largest Franklin trees in the world, a species now extinct in the wild, and the original North American introduction of paperbark maple from China. The collection records also trace a dawn redwood to wild seed sent from China in 1948.

A landscape with house rules

This is a living collection rather than a picnic park: picnics, fires and barbecues are not allowed, plants must not be picked or climbed, and dogs stay on a leash. Bicycles are welcome on the paved paths at walking-friendly speeds, and the summit of Peters Hill gives a view back to the Boston skyline.

Sources: Arnold Arboretum visitor info, about, our history, directions, visitor tips and guidelines, Bonsai and Penjing Collection, Explorers Garden. Checked September 27, 2026.

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Contact Information

Company Name
Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Phone Number
See Phone Number
Call: +1 617-384-5454
Location
125 Arborway
Boston, 02130
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About Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

The Arnold Arboretum is a 281-acre landscape in Jamaica Plain holding more than 15,000 accessioned plants, which the arboretum counts among the world's most comprehensive and best documented collections of temperate woody plants, with a focus on eastern North America and eastern Asia. Founded in March 1872, it is the oldest public arboretum in the country. Harvard runs it, but it is a public park of the City of Boston: Harvard gave the land to the city and leased it back for $1 a year on a 1,000-year lease, and Frederick Law Olmsted laid it out as part of the Emerald Necklace park system.

It is free and open every day from sunrise to sunset, which makes it a good choice for walkers, gardeners, photographers and families who want a green half-day without a ticket. The Orange Line ends at Forest Hills, where a station exit marked "Arnold Arboretum" leads along the Arborway to the Forest Hills gate.

Where to start

The Hunnewell Visitor Center at the Arborway Gate, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, has maps, restrooms and staff to point you in the right direction. The half-mile Introductory Tour takes about 40 minutes and covers the arboretum's history, mission and research; it can be followed on Expeditions, the arboretum's mobile web app.

Collections worth seeking out

The Bonsai and Penjing Collection began in 1937 with Isabel Anderson's gift of Larz Anderson's Japanese dwarfed trees and now has 67 specimens, centered on five compact hinoki cypress between 150 and 275 years old; it is on view from mid-April to mid-November. Just below the summit of Bussey Hill, the Explorers Garden holds two of the largest Franklin trees in the world, a species now extinct in the wild, and the original North American introduction of paperbark maple from China. The collection records also trace a dawn redwood to wild seed sent from China in 1948.

A landscape with house rules

This is a living collection rather than a picnic park: picnics, fires and barbecues are not allowed, plants must not be picked or climbed, and dogs stay on a leash. Bicycles are welcome on the paved paths at walking-friendly speeds, and the summit of Peters Hill gives a view back to the Boston skyline.

Sources: Arnold Arboretum visitor info, about, our history, directions, visitor tips and guidelines, Bonsai and Penjing Collection, Explorers Garden. Checked September 27, 2026.

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Phone: +1 617-384-5454

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is the Arnold Arboretum free?+
Yes. Admission is always free. The landscape is open every day from sunrise to sunset, and the Hunnewell Visitor Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Q. Is the Arnold Arboretum in Boston or Cambridge?+
Boston. It is at 125 Arborway in Jamaica Plain. Harvard University manages it, but it is a public park of the City of Boston.
Q. How do I get there by T?+
Take the Orange Line to Forest Hills, turn left past the turnstiles and leave by the door marked Arnold Arboretum, then walk along the Arborway to the Forest Hills gate. The Arborway gate and Visitor Center are about 10 minutes further along the Arborway. The 39 bus also stops at South Street and Custer Avenue, near the Arborway gate.
Q. Where can I park?+
Free parking is available along the Arborway, Flora Way and Walter Street. Only authorized vehicles may enter the grounds; driving permits are available for visitors with accessibility needs.
Q. Can I bring my dog?+
Yes, on a leash at all times, and owners must pick up and remove their dog's waste.
Q. Can I have a picnic?+
No. Picnicking, fires and barbecues are prohibited, as are climbing trees, hanging hammocks and walking in plant beds.
Q. Can I ride a bike?+
Bicycles and e-bikes are allowed only on paved paths and the Blackwell Footpath, at 10 miles per hour or slower. Bike racks are placed throughout the grounds.
Q. Where are the restrooms?+
In the Hunnewell Building at 125 Arborway, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Wheelchair-accessible portable restrooms stand year-round near the Arborway Gate, on Hemlock Hill Road and at the base of Peters Hill, with more on Bussey Hill Road and, from spring through fall, on Meadow Road.
Q. When can I see the bonsai?+
The Bonsai and Penjing Collection is on view from mid-April to mid-November, daily from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., except holidays. The trees are stored indoors over winter.