Annual Holiday Celebrations Return to U.S. Botanic Garden Thanksgiving Day through New Year’s

Washington, D.C. - Come immerse yourself in holiday cheer as the popular annual holiday display "Season's Greenings" returns to the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) from Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, 2024, through Jan. 5, 2025, closed on Dec. 25. Each day - and on several evenings in December - multiple model trains will run in the gated outdoor gardens and the Conservatory will feature botanical wreaths and holiday decor, thousands of poinsettias, and iconic D.C. landmarks made from plant parts.

On the lawn in the gated outdoor gardens, G-gauge model trains will run around, below, and above displays of pollinators made from plant parts. These scenes will range from oversized models of a bat pollinating a banana flower, a lemur pollinating a traveler's tree flower, an orchid bee pollinating a vanilla orchid flower, and more! About 75% of all flowering plant species need animal pollinators for reproduction. We celebrate pollinators in this display, as they are important for ecosystem health and a sustainable food supply.

Inside the Conservatory, holiday decorations will include nearly 3,000 vibrant poinsettias and the Garden's collection of D.C. monuments and landmarks, such as the U.S. Capitol building, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and many more, all made from plant parts. Recent favorites will return, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Gallery of Art East Wing.

Throughout the outdoor gardens, discover trees and shrubs lit with string lights, festive evergreens and decorations, and six large plant-based sculptures of pollinators on display in the Pollinator Garden.

The Garden will offer extended evening hours on select Tuesday and Thursday evenings: December 10, 12, 17, 19, and 26. The Conservatory and train display will be open until 8:00 p.m. these evenings, with live seasonal music to enjoy while exploring the holiday displays and plants in the Conservatory.

A gift store run by the Friends of the U.S. Botanic Garden and local D.C. small business Rewild will offer botanically themed gifts for purchase in the Conservatory's West Gallery. Vintage Views will offer coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks for sale near the trains on select days.

The Conservatory is open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, the gated outdoor gardens are open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, and the Terrace Gardens and Bartholdi Gardens are open dawn to dusk daily. The Garden will be closed Dec. 25. Tickets are not required to view the trains or any part of the USBG. The trains will run between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily, extended to 8 p.m. during evening hours days, and may not operate during inclement weather.

Plan your visit at www.USBG.gov/SeasonsGreenings.

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Media contact: Devin Dotson, [email protected], 202-306-6743
Online folder of photos

About the United States Botanic Garden
The United States Botanic Garden (USBG) is the oldest continuously operating public garden in the United States, established by Congress in 1820. The U.S. Botanic Garden inspires people to appreciate, study, and conserve plants to enrich society locally and globally. With over a million visitors annually, the USBG strives to demonstrate and promote sustainable practices. It is a living plant museum accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and Botanic Gardens Conservation International. www.USBG.gov