“the U.S. National Arboretum grounds will be open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 5 pm”

Photo by Erinn Shirley

Ed. Note: The Arboretum was closed to the public March 24th.

From the U.S. National Arboretum:

“The U.S National Arboretum will reopen to the general public on a limited basis starting on Monday, June 8th, 2020 in support of the District’s reopening plans. Thehealth and safety of our visitors and staff are of the utmost importance.

In-line with the latest CDC, and District of Columbia guidance, in order to keep staff and visitors safe, we will be implementing new operating procedures and schedules.

Until further notice, the U.S. National Arboretum grounds will be open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1 to 5 pm and limiting total on site visitors. Vehicular access will be allowed only through the New York Ave Entrance and there will be a limit of 200 cars allowed on the grounds at one time. Visitors planning to arrive on bike or foot are encouraged to enter via the R Street NE Entrance. The R Street NE Entrance will remain close to non-official business vehicles. Directions for parking will be provided upon entering the National Arboretum and for safety reasons, the majority of the roads on the grounds will be closed to vehicular traffic. Please come prepared to walk once you have parked your car and note that there will be limited amenities and services available including no drinking water or vending services. Visitors should come prepared with bottled water, comfortable walking shoes, and a hat or umbrella. Additional information will be provided when arriving such as available bathrooms and recommended safety procedures. We ask that you wear a mask at all times when visiting.

In order to protect the public and our research mission, several key features at the National Arboretum will remain closed until further notice. These include the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, the Administration Building/Visitor Center, the Arbor House and restrooms, the Asian Collections, Fern Valley and the National Herb Garden. In reviewing these areas, we feel that social distancing is not possible in these pavilions, gardens and collections due in part to the intimate nature of the pathways and planting beds within them.

To ease this period of phasing, we strongly encourage you to plan ahead by checking our website and those of our stakeholders before you arrive. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation in keeping yourself, other visitors, our staff and our collections safe. We thank you for your ongoing and passionate support of the U.S. National Arboretum and our mission and we look forward to your return.

Questions? Please call (202) 245-4523″