Visiting a botanical garden shouldn’t require emptying your wallet, and thankfully, universities across the country maintain stunning green spaces that welcome everyone at no cost. These campus gardens serve dual purposes as living laboratories for students and peaceful retreats for the public.
Many people don’t realize these academic treasures exist right in their communities, offering the same caliber of plant collections and design you’d find at paid attractions. Here is a list of 15 university botanical gardens that are free to enter.
Cornell Botanic Gardens
Cornell’s sprawling botanical paradise in Ithaca, New York covers over 3,600 acres across multiple sites, making it one of the most extensive university garden systems anywhere. The gardens and natural areas stay open every day from dawn to dusk without charging a penny, though you’ll want to stop by the Nevin Welcome Center during operating hours for maps and information.
Over a dozen specialty gardens surround the welcome center, showcasing everything from conifers to perennials arranged in inspiring ‘garden rooms.’ The F.R. Newman Arboretum adds another 150 acres of tree collections, including a rare planting of American chestnuts that honors a species nearly wiped out by blight in the early 1900s.
Sarah P. Duke Gardens
Duke University’s 55-acre masterpiece in Durham, North Carolina consistently ranks among the top public gardens in the United States, yet admission remains completely free year-round. More than 600,000 visitors annually explore four distinct garden areas including Italianate terraces, an Asiatic arboretum, and specialized collections like the white garden and rose circle…