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North Carolina Botanical Garden

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100 Old Mason Farm Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27517 United States Get Directions
(919) 962-0522
ncbg.unc.edu

Hours

Tuesday - Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays and University Holidays.

Admission

Free

Parking

Parking is free. Please view the Garden Map for the locations of accessible parking spaces. If you require assistance in moving from a parking space to the building entrance, please call 919-962-0522 and a staff member will be available to assist you. Additional parking can be found on Laurel Hill Road. Please see this map for directions.

Visiting by Bus

The Garden can be reached via a Chapel Hill Transit bus Monday - Friday. Route B stops at the Ronald McDonald House, across Old Mason Farm Road from the Garden. Please be aware that the bus may be a Carolina Livery bus contracted by Chapel Hill Transit.

Visiting by Bicycle or on Foot

Access to the Garden is now easier and safer as a result of recent sidewalk construction and intersection improvements at Fordham Blvd., including pedestrian-activated traffic signals and marked crosswalks at all four sides of the Old Mason Farm Rd/Fordham Blvd intersection, and at two sides (southern and western) of the Manning Dr/Fordham Blvd intersection. Bikes are also able to activate signals on the side streets. As always, please use caution when crossing these very busy intersections. AND if you are coming from the UNC Campus, try walking the beautiful Campus to Garden Trail through the Coker Pinetum.

Accessibility

The Garden and the James & Delight Allen Education Center are both wheelchair accessible. Marked accessible parking spaces can be found in the parking lot—several near the drop-off for the Education Center, and others closer to the Totten Center and original display gardens.  If you have special needs that could be accommodated to enable your visit to the Garden or participate in one of our programs, please let us know in advance by calling 919-962-0522.

Events at this venue
Today

Slow Art Tour: Grounded & Growing: Tales of our lives through wild pigments

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Join Gail Belvett for a Slow Art Tour of the new exhibit by the Durham Palette exhibit in the DeBerry Gallery. Slow Art Tours present a radical departure from the way exhibition visitors have traditionally consumed art. Rather than consuming as much art as possible in a short time, the objective of a Slow Art tour is to slowly savor a single object, looking closely while engaging multiple senses.

Free

Virtual Lunchbox Talk: A Guided Forest Bathing Experience

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Join certified Forest Therapy Guide Shawn Ramsey as she introduces us to the practice of Forest Therapy. Join from your favorite 'sit spot', indoors or outdoors, as she leads us through a virtual forest bathing experience. Forest Therapy (also known as Forest Bathing or Shinrin-yoku) is a science-backed wellness practice that originated in Japan more than 40 years ago. Some of the evidence-based benefits of connecting with nature include reduced stress, improved mood, lower blood pressure, and a boosted immune system.

During this virtual experience, Shawn will encourage us to slow our pace, open our senses to the present moment, and experience a new way of connecting with nature. She will also offer insights into how we can tap into a Forest Therapy mindset and the benefits it has to offer anytime, anywhere. Participants are encouraged to have a tangible natural element (leaf, rock, stick, etc.) as part of this experience.

Saving Our Savannas Kickoff Lecture – Fire and Life: Longleaf Pine Natural Areas and Their Conservation

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Join us for the kickoff of our 6-month long exhibition - Saving Our Savannas: Stories of the Longleaf Pine. We will introduce the exhibition and share about upcoming series of programs. Our kickoff speaker is William (Bill) Owen, a private landowner who has restored his own longleaf pine forest at Raccoon Creek Pinelands. Bill will provide an overview of the pre-settlement condition of the longleaf pine in the United States, its near demise, and the current efforts to restore not only the tree but the ecosystem. He will also share his personal journey of restoration and offer some recommendations for the future of this vital natural resource.

Bluets: Preschoolers Exploring Nature – Winter Series

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Learning comes naturally during this fun-filled series that fosters a sense of wonder for nature and science. Preschoolers will learn about owls, winter weather, and how plants and animals survive the cold through hands-on activities, nature walks, stories, crafts, and group play. Healthy snack provided. Program is led by experienced early childhood environmental educators. Note: Children must be able to use toilet independently.

$144

Hybrid Lunchbox Talk: The Red-Cockaded Woodpecker: A Fire Specialist in Peril

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

This lecture will explore the ecology and conservation of the red-cockaded woodpecker, a federally endangered species that depends on mature, open longleaf pine communities. You will learn about the threats facing this unique bird and how fire management can help maintain and restore their preferred habitat. You will also hear about the success stories and challenges of red-cockaded woodpecker recovery efforts across the southeastern United States and key partnerships essential to these projects.

School’s Out Camp: Winter Wonders

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Designed for young nature enthusiasts, this day camp offers a perfect blend of outdoor exploration, wildlife discovery, and creative indoor activities. Led by experienced environmental educators, participants will take to the trails to explore the natural wonders of winter at the Garden. Search for animal signs, birdwatch, play games, and then warm up with hot cocoa and enjoy winter-themed stories and crafts.

Little Sprouts: Salamander, Wake Up!

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

For ages 3-5 with a participating caregiver. Salamanders are stirring! Discover the mysterious lives of the spotted and marbled salamanders that live at the Garden through animal encounters, stories, craft, and a visit to a real vernal pool to search for salamander eggs.

Build-a-Birdhouse – Family Workshop

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Join the New Hope Audubon Society to learn about eastern bluebirds and build a birdhouse for this cavity-nesting songbird. You'll also learn how to monitor and take care of your nest box. All supplies included.

$15

Vernal Pools – Family Workshop

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

For ages 6 & up with participating adult. Chorus frogs, dragonfly larvae, and spotted salamanders … oh my! Nature is waking up in the garden’s vernal pools. These spring nurseries are swimming with life in early spring. Peek into the ponds with dip nets, meet live critters, and learn all about the wonders of vernal pools.

$12

School’s Out Camp: Awesome Amphibians

North Carolina Botanical Garden 100 Old Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Do you know the difference between a frog and a toad? How is an amphibian different from a reptile? Find out as we explore the Garden for frogs, toads, and salamanders and learn about where they live, their magical life cycles, and incredible survival skills. We will meet some amphibians up close and practice our identification skills by sight and sound. Designed for young nature enthusiasts, this day camp offers a perfect blend of outdoor exploration, wildlife discovery, and creative indoor activities.