Olbrich Home Blooming Butterflies

Olbrich's Holiday Express:  Model Train and Flower ShowOlbrich's Holiday Express

December 5 - 31

10 am to 4 pm daily

Closed at 2 p.m. on December 24
Closed on December 25 and January 1

Large-scale model trains wind through festive gingerbread houses and hundreds of colorful poinsettias!

Admission

  • $3 for adults
  • $2 for children ages 3 to 12
  • Children 2 and under are free
  • Free for Olbrich Botanical Society members
  • Admission is free for everyone on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon
  • Admission to the tropical Bolz Conservatory is included

What is Olbrich's Holiday Express?

Members of the Wisconsin Garden Railway Society come from all over the state to show off their large-scale model trains during Olbrich's Holiday Express. You'll see different trains, depending on the day. This year, trains wind through an enchanted land of fanciful gingerbread houses created by Madison area bakers. Admire gingerbread buildings complete with candy cane porch pillars, shaved almond roofs, and walkways made of cookies. Visit Olbrich's Holiday Express Behind-the-Scenes to the changes as Olbrich's Atrium is transformed from an empty room to a magical winter wonderland.

Gingerbread HouseGingerbread houses are created by many talented Madison area bakers:

Blue Plate Catering

Sharon Payne

David Bowden and Market Street Diner

Metcalfe’s Sentry

Clasen’s European Bakery

Lane’s Bakery

Megan Belle

Nutshell Catering

Energy-Efficient Holiday Lights

Evergreen trees in the show are decorated with energy-efficient LED lights, which use 90 percent less energy than typical incandescent holiday lights.

Strollers

Strollers are not allowed in Olbrich's Holiday Express. Please enjoy the show with children on foot. Stroller parking is available in Olbrich's Lobby, and strollers are permitted in the Bolz Conservatory and outdoor gardens. We apologize for any inconvenience.

 

Also at Olbrich

Visit the tropical Bolz Conservatory, a glass pyramid filled with exotic plants, bright flowers, a rushing waterfall, fragrant orchids and free-flying birds. Learn about carnivorous plants during the Beasts in the Conservatory:  Carnivorous Plants Exhibit.

Olbrich's Growing Gifts shop is loaded with garden-related gifts for friends and family.

Stroll the outdoor gardens. Colorful bark, berries, and the Thai Pavilion stand out against the snow.

Enjoy festive holiday music on Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. during December. Olbrich's Holiday Concert Series features holiday music for the entire family!

 

UPCOMING Events

Winter Concerts

Children of the Rainforest:  Ton Ko-Thi African Dance and Drumming

Children of the Rainforest:  Viv Ncaus Hmong Dance Troupe

Indulgence! Wine & Chocolate Tasting

Spring Flower Show:  Secret Spring Gardens

Chocolate:  The Bitter and the Sweet

Olbrich Botanical Gardens is owned and operated by the City of Madison Parks Division in partnership with the non-profit Olbrich Botanical Society.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens | 3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI 53704. | Phone: (608)246-4550 | Fax: (608)246-4719