10 Tips Every Visitor Should Know Before They Go

Visitors exploring the new Patrick Dougherty scultpure 'A Waltz in the Woods'.

Guest blogger, Kristen Bower recently set out on a solo visit of the Arboretum. After a leisurely outing, Kristen shared some great insight and tips for making the most of a day in the garden:

If you’d like to learn more about the Arboretum from an expert, you can take one of the weekend tours or you can explore on your own. You can walk briskly to get the heart rate going; you can spend extra time looking at, photographing, or sketching plants, trees, or insects; or you can sit on a bench and meditate or read.

Before you set out on your own, here are a few tips:

• Wear good walking shoes. Your feet will thank you for it.
• Wear a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
• Bring your membership card (or sign up! You get into the Arboretum free all year long, and receive discounts in the Shop, café, on classes, and local retailers – trust me, I use mine often!).
• Bring your camera, sketchbook, journal, a book to read, and/or binoculars, depending on your preference. You might even want to bring a magnifying glass to get a closer look at flowers, bark, mosses, insects, etc.
• Bring some water or a bottle to fill up at the water fountains. You also might want to bring a small snack, such as a granola bar.
• Pack bug spray, just in case, you are out in nature after all!
• Download one or more of the various self-guided tour maps from the Morris Arboretum website.
• Bring a backpack, if needed. I tend to have enough things with me that a backpack is helpful.
• Pick up a map of the Arboretum at the Visitor Center before you get started.
• Have fun and explore!”

5 Reasons to Visit Before the Sun Sets on Summer

Photo: Rob Cardillo

 
Summer is winding down but there is still a lot to do in the garden at Morris Arboretum. Here are 5 reasons to visit before the sun sets on summer.

1. The cooling power of trees and bubbling fountains provide a perfect respite of tranquility from the hustle and bustle of the city. It can be as much as 10-15 degrees cooler under the shade of a big tree, and Morris Arboretum has a lot of state champion trees! Learn More
    
2. Patrick Dougherty’s stick sculpture, A Waltz in the Woods lures art lovers and children alike with its seven 25-foot tall twisting towers that you can roam through, or race in and out of. Learn More
    
3. Out on a Limb takes you high up in the treetops on a canopy walk that requires no climbing. Or you can scamper onto the Squirrel Scramble, a hammock-like rope netting and pretend you’re a squirrel peering down from 50 feet up. Learn More
    
4. The Garden Railway presents Art & Architecture with Philadelphia sculptures like Rocky and The Thinker, along with architecture from afar like the Eiffel Tower. And that is just the back drop for model trains zipping in and out of tunnels, through bridges, and under trestles on a quarter mile track. Labor Day weekend is Circus Week at the Garden Railway. Come see the Big Top and the circus trains take over the tracks. Learn More
    
5. Sculpture Scavenger Hunt Open your eyes to art in the garden with the new Sculpture Scavenger Hunt.  Pick up a clue sheet at the Visitor’s Center now through October, and solve 10 riddles to find 10 sculptures, each with a secret code attached.  Guests who decipher the cryptic message will receive a complimentary pack of Play Doh® to create their own work of art. Get the Guide

Art Outdoors: 5 Creative Adventures

Photo: Rob Cardillo

This summer at Morris Arboretum we've adopted the theme of Art & Architecture in the Garden with a wide range of experiences with a creative flair. From an iconic-architecture-filled garden railway display, to a towering stickwork sculpture from world-renown artist Patrick Dougherty. But we're not the only ones taking the creativity to the great outdoors. Here's our round-up of our favorite places to experience art and nature in greater Philadelphia:

1. Patrick Dougherty's A Waltz in the Woods at Morris Arboretum
   On-going; free with garden admission.
   Come explore the seven “towers” of this unique creation, each roughly 30 feet high, through which visitors may roam. Open windows create an airy feel, and opposing doors allow for travel between the towers. Learn More
2. Sculpture Zoo at Rittenhouse Square
   Saturday, August 8, 10:00am - 1:00pm; free.
   Sculpture comes to life in Rittenhouse Square! This free family-friendly event will host live animals, sculpture-making workshops and demonstrations, and sculpture tours. Learn More
   
3. Philadelphia Museum's Inside Out Exhibition
   On-going through mid-November 2015; free.
   The PMA is taking its collection outdoors this summer, placing 60 replicas of Museum masterpieces around greater Philadelphia. Check out the list of participating locations and see how many you can spot. Bonus: Participating zip codes receive free admission to the PMA October 16-18. Details Here
4. Open Source from the Mural Arts Program
   In progress, opening October 2.
   Thanks to the City of Philadelphia's Mural Arts Program, the city has been dubbed The World's Largest Art Gallery. While walking the streets this summer, keep your eyes open for a range of new works, part of the Open Source exhibition. Formally opening October 2 at the Bok Building. Learn More
   
5. Museum Without Walls’ Outdoor Sculpture Bike Map
   On-going; free.
   Exercise, art, and fresh air? The folks at the Museum Without Walls have combined all three through their fantastic Outdoor Sculpture Bike Map. Cycle to all 18 works of art (10 miles) or take a leisurely 4 mile route to see 6 sculptures. Get the Map