Outdoor Gardens,
Lobby + Gift Shop
April - September
10 am – 6 pm daily
October - March
10 am – 4 pm daily
Bolz Conservatory
10 am – 4 pm daily
Schumacher Library
10 am – 4 pm, Mon - Fri
10 am - 1 pm, Sat
April through September 10 am – 6 pm
October through March 10 am – 4 pm
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve at 2 pm
Christmas Day
New Year's Day
June 17, 2023 at 2 pm
June 18, 2023 at 2 pm
Donations gratefully accepted!
10 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday | 10 am - 1 pm, Saturday
10 am 4 pm daily
Closed on days when the Outdoor Gardens, Lobby + Gift Shop are closed, plus
March 1-3, 6-17, 2023 for maintenance
July 10 & 11, 2023 for exhibit prep
Open to Members only July 12, 2023
Weekdays:
Served by routes 3, 37, 38
Weekends:
Served by routes 7, 16
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is located on the Capital City Bike trail about 3 miles from downtown Madison.
Paths
All paths in the Bolz Conservatory are brick. Most paths in the Outdoor Gardens are comprised of brick or cement, while some are gravel, bark, or flagstone. View the interactive map to identify different path types in the outdoor gardens.
Wheelchairs & Scooters
House wheelchairs and electric scooters are available in Olbrich's lobby.
Tram Service
Olbrich's eco-friendly electric tram provides free guided tours around the 16-acre outdoor gardens for visitors, primarily those needing assistance, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tram runs between the hours of 10 am - 4:30 pm
Last tram tour of the day leaves at 4:30 pm
Tram Availability
May - Memorial Day: Weekends Only
Memorial Day - Labor Day: 7 Days/Week
Strollers
Strollers are allowed in Olbrich's Outdoor Gardens. At times, when the Bolz Conservatory is very crowded, visitors may be asked to leave their strollers outside the Conservatory.
Strollers are not allowed in Olbrich's Blooming Butterflies or Olbrich's Holiday Express.
Refillable Water Bottle
Water fountains and bottle fillers are located in Olbrich's lobby and the Frautschi Family Learning Center. In the Outdoor Gardens, a water fountain is available seasonally near the Herb Garden.
Camera or Smartphone
Photos of plants and snapshots of your visit are always welcome! Please consider sharing photos from your visit with us by email or sharing them to Olbrich’s social media pages.
Accessories
A hat and sunglasses are nice to have on bright sunny days. The paths are easy to walk, but comfortable shoes make for happy feet!
Enhance Your Visit
Consider bringing a book, journal, or sketchpad and finding the perfect spot to linger a while.
Pets or Emotional Support Animals
Please leave pets or emotional support animals at home. Service animals trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability are welcome. (Therapy, emotional support, comfort, companion animals and the like do not qualify as service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act.)
Firearms or Weapons
Firearms or weapons are not permitted on this property. Violators are considered trespassers and subject to forfeiture or arrest.
Food/Picnics
Picnicking and carry-in food are not permitted, except during the summer concert series and other specific Olbrich events. Two picnic areas adjacent to the Visitor Center main entrance and the east parking lot are available for visitor use. An additional picnic area is available across the street in Olbrich Park alongside Lake Monona.
Recreational Sports Items
Please keep soccer, football, volleyball, Frisbee, skateboarding, biking, rollerblading, jogging, and similar activities outside the Gardens. Olbrich Park has open space adjacent to the Gardens for active sports and games.
Nicotine Products
Cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigs or vapes are prohibited, except in the parking lot.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens offers a beautiful and unique setting for your meeting or event. Please see the Private Event & Wedding Rentals page to plan your gathering, meeting, wedding, memorial, class, etc., as such events are subject to fees and availability of spaces.
All group visits, whether guided or self-guided, (adult, youth, school-based, colleges, and universities) must register for their visit in advance. Please see the Group Visits page to learn more. Non-school classes led by an instructor not contracted with Olbrich Botanical Gardens are not permitted. This applies to both for-profit and not-for-profit classes.
Photography
Photos of plants and snapshots of your visit are always welcome!
Use of the Gardens for commercial photography, posed/portrait photography, stock photography, and other photography that uses the Gardens as a studio or
backdrop is prohibited without a permit.
If you are coming to the gardens for the purpose of taking posed photos of people, you need a photo permit. This permit is necessary for those who wish to use the Gardens setting as the background for posed photography, including wedding, family, engagement, graduation, maternity, prom, senior photos or the like. A photo permit is needed regardless of whether the photographer is an amateur, hobbyist, or professional. Please refer to Olbrich's Photo Policy for more information.
Art
Artists should use light, portable equipment placed only on pathways and mowed lawn areas without blocking access for other visitors.
Art or photography groups of any size planning to draw, paint, or photograph as a group in the Outdoor Gardens and/or Bolz Conservatory must schedule their group in advance. Please call 608-246-4550 or email olbrichinformation@cityofmadison.com to make arrangements.
Please be considerate and keep your shirts and shoes on.
Clothing changes (including those for permitted photography) are not allowed indoors, in the restrooms, or outdoors. To inquire about renting space for clothing changes, please call 608-246-4733.
Stay on the pathways and mowed lawn areas. Do not walk in the flower beds or mulched areas.
Leave flowers, plant material, plant labels and other garden property as you found them. Do not collect, remove, or eat plant material.
To protect Olbrich’s plant collection, please don’t bring plants into the Gardens.
For your safety, please refrain from playing in, standing on, and throwing rocks into the water features.
Refrain from feeding or handling any animals for their health and safety.
Please do not release animals in the Conservatory. For their safety and the safety of the Bolz Conservatory animals, contact your local humane society.
Visitors enjoy the sounds of nature; do not play musical instruments or listen to music without headphones.
Per City of Madison ordinance, solicitation is not allowed.
Only bring what you need for your garden visit. Olbrich does not offer a place to store personal items. Lost and found items may be turned in to the Lobby Greeter Desk.
For their safety, please supervise children at all times.
Food or beverage purchased on site can be enjoyed in Olbrich’s lobby. Only water may be consumed in the Bolz Conservatory and Schumacher Library
The public parking lot surrounding Olbrich Botanical Gardens offers 210 spaces including (12) fully accessible parking spaces near the main building entrance.
With other community events happening in the surrounding area simultaneously with the Gardens' programming, parking lots may fill up at times. Having an alternate plan before arriving is the best strategy!
Skip the Parking Scramble!
Carpool - Pile your friends and family in one car when visiting the Gardens.
Rideshare - Take a cab, Uber, or Lyft.
Alternate Parking
350 parking spaces (street and parking lots) within 0.3 miles of the Gardens
115 spaces within a 0.5 miles of the Gardens
Olbrich Botanical Gardens aspires to be a destination where all visitors, volunteers, and staff are valued and feel they belong. With conscious intent and continuous learning, Olbrich Botanical Gardens' staff, volunteers, and board will address barriers to inclusion through education, operational changes, and partnerships with the community.
Olbrich's Schumacher Library houses approximately 3,500 volumes with an emphasis on home gardening in the Midwest, landscape design, rainforests, tropical plants, herbs, trees and shrubs, individual plant species, and more. All visitors are welcome to explore the many resources available.
Olbrich Botanical Gardens offers visitors of all ages inspiration and beauty no matter the season. We invite you to come explore as a group by scheduling a guided adult group tour of the outdoor gardens, or planning a self-guided group visit of the outdoor gardens and/or indoor Bolz Conservatory.