Hours of Operation & Admission

Outdoor Gardens, Lobby + Gift Shop

Open

April through September 10 am – 6 pm

October through March 10 am – 4 pm

Closed

June 14, 2024 at 2 pm

June 15, 2024 at 2 pm

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Eve at 2 pm

Christmas Day

New Year's Day

Free Admission to Outdoor Gardens

Donations gratefully accepted!

Schumacher Library

Permanently Closed

Bolz Conservatory

Open

The Bolz Conservatory is currently closed for planned maintenance and is expected to reopen on June 15, 2024.

Closed

Closed on days when the Outdoor Gardens, Lobby + Gift Shop are closed, plus

March 4-6, 2024 for exhibit dismantle

March 11-June 14, 2024 for maintenance

July 15 & 16, 2024 for exhibit prep

Open to Members only July 17, 2024

  • General Public $6.00
  • Children Age 6-12 $3.00
  • Children age 5 & under Free
  • Botanical Society Members Free
  • Wed. & Sat. from 10 am-noon Free

Find your way to Olbrich Gardens

By Bus

Weekdays & Weekends:
Served by route C

Madison Metro Bus Schedule

By Bike

Olbrich Botanical Gardens is located on the Capital City Bike trail about 3 miles from downtown Madison.

Capital City Trail Map

Plan Your Visit

GETTING AROUND

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.

WHAT TO BRING

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. 

WHAT TO LEAVE BEHIND

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.

MEETINGS & GATHERINGS

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 & ART

Photography
Photos of plants and snapshots of your visit are always welcome!

Tripods and monopods are allowed in the outdoor gardens, but not allowed during evening GLEAM hours. To keep pathways accessible and safe, tripods are not allowed in the Bolz Conservatory, but monopods are acceptable.

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.

ATTIRE

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.

GARDEN ETIQUETTE

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

Parking is free for all visitors

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!

Alternate Parking

Public Lots & Street Parking Options

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

Inclusion & Accessibility

Inclusion Statement

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.

Navigating the Garden

Interactive Map

or

Download a PDF

Schumacher Library

Permanently Closed

After a thorough analysis and program review in 2023 & 2024, Olbrich decided to retire the Schumacher Library. The physical space it occupied will be restructured as a Guest Resource Center and will include some of the services and resources offered by the library.

Olbrich provides a variety of group tour opportunities

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.