As a vital and vibrant part of the Smithsonian experience, Smithsonian Gardens engages people with plants and gardens, informs on the roles both play in our cultural and natural worlds, and inspires appreciation and stewardship.

Smithsonian Gardens extends the Smithsonian’s museum experience in a public garden setting with over 180 acres of outdoor gardens including 13 public exhibition gardens often called the Smithsonian institution’s “museum without walls.” Staff also produces interior exhibits and horticultural displays around the Smithsonian, develops educational programing, and manages artifact, archival, and living collections. 

Our History

S. Dillon Ripley was appointed the eighth secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 1964. As Secretary, Ripley sought to develop surroundings for the Smithsonian museums that would be as engaging for visitors as the museums’ interiors. He established a Horticulture Services Division within the Office of Plant Services (now Smithsonian Facilities) in 1972 to provide appropriate landscaping outside of Smithsonian museums and decorative greenery inside. In February of 1976, the horticultural program was renamed the Office of Horticulture to recognize its role as a museum program and establish horticulture as part of the institution’s research and education efforts. 

In 2010, the horticultural program was renamed Smithsonian Gardens, in recognition of the role gardens play in the visitor experience. At the time, the gardens of the Smithsonian received 30 million visitors a year, making them some of the most highly visited public gardens in the world. As living classrooms and urban sanctuaries, the gardens provide a memorable and  relaxing destination for visitors, with interpretation that educates the public and supports the museums they surround. All the gardens have sustainable programs to attract native wildlife, from insects and local and migrating birds, to mammals. Smithsonian Gardens was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums in 2013, highlighting its role as an integral part of the Smithsonian’s research, display, and educational programs.

Learn more about Smithsonian Gardens’ history from Smithsonian Institution Archives >