Nurtured over seasons, gardens speak to us of human experiences, old and new. Within a busy urban setting, the Smithsonian Institution's gardens offer sensory delights, environmental habitats, dynamic backdrops for art interpretation and cultural traditions and settings for contemplation and reflection.

The Smithsonian's gardens are living "outdoor museums." All have been designed to complement the museums they border and to enhance the overall museum experience of learning, appreciation, and enjoyment.

Before entering any of the Smithsonian's museums, discover the history, art and science that await you outside the Institution's buildings in its many gardens.

 

Adding Green to The Winter Grays
When the topic arises of gardens in the winter, most people conjure up thoughts of leafless trees under gray skies; all the charm and color found during the warmer seasons are missing. At the Smithsonian Gardens, however, the holiday season gives the Horticulture staff the chance to show off another of their passions—floral arrangements and holiday décor.

So this winter don’t hurry head down in the cold; take a peek from under your wool hat and enjoy the many outdoor decorations and lights, everything from lit trees and gaily festooned fountains to kissing balls filled with mistletoe. Follow the fresh greens, colorful ribbons and bright lights to your next museum destination, filled with the Horticulture staff’s interior presentations of poinsettias, beautiful trees and other holiday decorations.

The problem is that once you get going it’s often hard to slow down. Fortunately, the Smithsonian Gardens are here to help. The gardens are great places to take a break from sightseeing and museum hopping. Not only that, they are a terrific place to learn something new. Lush, colorful plantings can be found around every Smithsonian museum that you won’t want to miss.