The Garden Railway exhibit is an outdoor miniature display. It’s a quarter mile track with loops and tunnels surrounded by plants and twinkling lights.
Included with garden admission. Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays: 10:00am - 4:00pm through October 11.
Open Weekends through October 9.
Saturdays and Sundays 10:00am - 4:00pm
The Garden Railway display is a miniature world with a quarter mile track running through it. It features loops and tunnels, bridges and trestles and all of the small-scale buildings are created entirely of natural materials.
The Garden Railway is now open! This year’s theme is "Great American Lighthouse" features replicas of iconic landmarks from east to west, and as far north as the Great Lakes. Visitors will enjoy the beauty of these unique structures, such as Cape Hatteras Light in North Carolina, both the New Cape Henry Light and Old Cape Henry Light in Virginia and Philadelphia’s own Turtle Rock Light located on Boathouse Row.
The Garden Railway is open daily through Labor Day, Monday, September 2, and then on weekends only through Monday, October 14.
Check for weather closings.Visitors of all ages will be wowed by a quarter mile of track featuring seven loops and tunnels with fifteen different rail lines and two cable cars, nine bridges (including a trestle bridge you can walk under!), and bustling model trains, all set in the lovely garden of the Morris Arboretum. The display and buildings are all made of natural materials – bark, leaves, twigs, hollow logs, mosses, acorns, dried flowers, seeds and stones – to form a perfectly proportioned miniature landscape complete with miniature rivers. Each building, while an exact replica of the original, is unique in its design. Philadelphia-area landmarks such as a masterpiece replica of Independence Hall are made using pine cone seeds for shingles, acorns as finials and twigs as downspouts.
The Garden Railway is supported, in part, through the generosity of Gwen and Ed Asplundh and by a gift given in memory of Joe Shuttleworth. “Gwen and I are very pleased to support the wonderful Garden Railway. Ever since I was a kid, I have loved trains large and small. For years, I had a large train layout in my basement. There is something very special about an outdoor railway, especially the very unusual and beautifully done railway at the Arboretum. I enjoy watching the trains myself, but most of all, I enjoy watching the looks of delight on the faces of the other ‘kids’ young and old.” –Ed Asplundh
Thursday, September 17 - Wednesday, September 30
Fernery Plaza
Advance Tickets Required for Member Dividend Plant Pick Up
Members, we are excited to share Arboretum plants with you! That's right - a free plant for being a member. New (like so many things) this year, there are two locations and two timeframes for picking-up your member dividend plant:
The plant selection will be varied throughout the distribution dates. Dividends are from the Arboretum's collection of propagated plants from our greenhouse. This is your opportunity to bring a piece of the Arboretum to your home garden or neighborhood!
Individual, Dual, Family, Beech, and Chestnut members may select one plant per membership. Holly, Oak, Laurel, and Collectors Circle member may select two plants per membership. Reserve tickets now.
The Morris Arboretum is excited to be open! We have instituted new policies as required by the government of Pennsylvania in order to keep the public safe while visiting. Please review the policies below before your visit.
The Arboretum is open as usual. Click here for hours.
Please note: The Rose Garden is closed for maintenance every Thursday morning until noon.
Weather conditions may limit garden access to certain features even if the garden is open – please check the web site or call (215) 247-5777 for updates before visiting. Our visitors’ safety in the garden is our top priority. Therefore when inclement weather is predicted, we will make decisions about closing the garden accordingly.
Thursday, September 17 - Wednesday, September 30
Fernery Plaza
Advance Tickets Required for Member Dividend Plant Pick Up
Members, we are excited to share Arboretum plants with you! That's right - a free plant for being a member. New (like so many things) this year, there are two locations and two timeframes for picking-up your member dividend plant:
The plant selection will be varied throughout the distribution dates. Dividends are from the Arboretum's collection of propagated plants from our greenhouse. This is your opportunity to bring a piece of the Arboretum to your home garden or neighborhood!
Individual, Dual, Family, Beech, and Chestnut members may select one plant per membership. Holly, Oak, Laurel, and Collectors Circle member may select two plants per membership. Reserve tickets now.
The Morris Arboretum is excited to be open! We have instituted new policies as required by the government of Pennsylvania in order to keep the public safe while visiting. Please review the policies below before your visit.
The Arboretum is open as usual. Click here for hours.
Please note: The Rose Garden is closed for maintenance every Thursday morning until noon.
Weather conditions may limit garden access to certain features even if the garden is open – please check the web site or call (215) 247-5777 for updates before visiting. Our visitors’ safety in the garden is our top priority. Therefore when inclement weather is predicted, we will make decisions about closing the garden accordingly.