Smithsonian Gardens: Bringing the museum experience outside
With the emergence of the first blooms of spring, another side of the Smithsonian Institution comes to life: the Smithsonian Gardens. Touted as the Institution’s outdoor museums, these exquisite gardens border many of the museums along the National Mall and are designed to complement the themes presented inside each museum.
“We try to continue the Smithsonian experience outside,” says Barbara Faust, director of the Horticulture Services Division, which maintains and curates this elaborate series of plant exhibits. Faust and her team collaborate with the museums to produce gardens and landscapes that bring the museum themes outdoors.
Outside of the National Museum of Natural History, the Butterfly Habitat Garden features habitats that attract butterflies, including wetlands, meadows and woodlands. Interpretive signage provides information about butterfly life cycles and behaviors. Meanwhile, the grounds outside of the National Museum of the American Indian recreate the natural landscapes that existed before Europeans set foot on this continent.
“We basically function as a public garden,” Faust says, adding that 30 million Smithsonian visitors pass through the gardens each year. From April through October, visitors can take advantage of daily tours led by each of the gardens’ lead horticulturalists. Tours can also be made by appointment.
On May 8, Smithsonian visitors are invited to take part in Garden Fest in the Enid A. Haupt Garden. Faust says that the Smithsonian launched the family-friendly event in 2006 “to celebrate the gardens of the Smithsonian Institution and bring attention to this wonderful resource.”
For more information and to learn how you can incorporate these outdoor museums into your Washington, D.C. trip, visit Smithsonian Gardens.