The U.S. Botanic Garden is getting a blast from the past for the holidays!
The Conservatory and Garden is traveling back to prehistoric times for this year’s “Season’s Greenings” holiday exhibit, but still features its classic botanic wreaths, poinsettias and iconic landmarks in D.C. made from plants.
Starting on Thanksgiving Day and through Jan 4, 2026, visitors can get a balance of Christmas past and present by viewing the holiday display at the garden.
When can visitors see the holiday displays?
The Conservatory is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The gated outdoor gardens are open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
The Terrace Gardens and Bartholdi Gardens are open dawn to dusk daily. The Garden will be closed on Christmas, Dec. 25, but it’s open on all other holdiays.
On select Tuesday and Thursday evenings in December and January, the Conservatory and trains will be open until 8 p.m. On these days, visitors can enjoy live seasonal music as they explore.
Special evening hours:
Dec. 9
Dec. 11
Dec. 16
Dec. 18
Dec. 23
Jan. 1
What can visitors expect?
Imagine looking outside your Metrobus window and seeing a dinosaur munching near the U.S. Capitol!
This year’s theme, “Dino-Mite!,” invites dinosaurs, animals and plants of the Cretaceous period to join the garden’s traditional model train show.
In the outdoor gardens, model trains will weave through both life-size and miniature displays of dinosaurs, including a T. rex, Velociraptor and more.
Visitors will also be able to discover plants dating back to prehistoric times such as cycads, ferns and magnolias. If you’re interested in seeing more, visit the Primeval Garden inside the Conservatory.
Thousands of colorful poinsettias will be among the holiday decorations inside the Conservatory. You can’t have a holiday display in D.C. without depictions of famous landmarks and monuments such as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Washington Monument and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Don’t forget to check out the miniture model of the National Gallery of Art East Wing. If you get a close look, you’ll see a tiny version of the gallery’s famous blue rooster made from plant parts. Gallery employees created the display.
Coffee, hot chocolate, snacks and holidays gifts are available for purchase on-site.
Comments are closed.