Morris Arboretum & Gardens
Move between winding garden paths, mature trees, and elevated canopy views.
Artwork inspired by Mary Cassatt
Morris Arboretum is the University of Pennsylvania's public garden in Chestnut Hill, where old trees and designed landscapes sit above the Wissahickon watershed. Its collection is not one flowerbed: visitors move through formal, naturalistic, and woodland spaces with sharply different textures. The Tree Adventure invites a view from above rather than another ground-level label.
For a first visit, follow a garden map from the visitor center, then allow the route to bend toward whichever collections are in season. Spring blooms and autumn foliage pull crowds, but mature conifers and garden structure reward other months. The grounds are hilly in places; wheelchair users should check suggested routes before arrival.
- Institution
- University of Pennsylvania
- Setting
- Chestnut Hill
- Seasonal hours
- Winter closes earlier
Quick guide
- Start at the map
- Choose a route through seasonal collections rather than hunting one bloom.
- Look above
- The canopy feature shifts your view from garden floor to treetops.
Know before you go
- Book ahead
- Online tickets generally cost less than gate admission.
- Check the season
- Flowers and hours both change across the year.
- Use the map
- Looping paths can hide how far you have wandered.
- Plan grades
- Ask staff for an accessible route if hills matter.
Good to know
The garden is hilly in places; ask for the accessible route before visiting if gradients or uneven paths are a concern.
Notice these
- Canopy to garden floor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Chestnut Hill