A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Dow Gardens Welcome Center will take place from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday, June 19, at 1809 Eastman Ave. in Midland.
Courtesy of Dow Gardens
The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation recently announced the opening of the new 22,000-square-foot Welcome Center at Dow Gardens,
a gateway to the 110-acre botanical garden. This new space honors a 125-year legacy of hospitality rooted in the story of Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow, who built their home and raised their family on this property.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Dow Gardens Welcome Center will take place from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday, June 19, at 1809 Eastman Ave. in Midland. Guests can explore the Welcome Center’s public spaces, including the gift shop and cafe, until noon.
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“For more than a century, Dow Gardens has been a place of welcome, reflection, and discovery,” Elizabeth Lumbert, executive director of Dow Gardens said. “Our new Welcome Center allows us to greet guests in a way that is comfortable, intuitive, and grounded in the
values Herbert and Grace Dow established over 125 years ago. From enhanced accessibility to improved amenities, every detail was designed with our guests’ experience in mind.”
A key component of the redesign includes replacing diseased crabapples with new, disease-resistant cultivars better suited for the parking lot’s challenging conditions. Designed to welcome between 200,000 and 250,000 guests annually, the Welcome Center offers an inviting arrival experience, with expanded parking, a convenient drop-off lane, and thoughtfully designed traffic flow.
Beyond the Welcome Center, the landscape unfolds in layers, with a curated collection of annuals and perennials, dwarf conifers, ornamental trees, grasses, and shrubs. The Welcome Center opens into 110 acres that have never stopped evolving. What began as one family’s home and garden continues to change with every season, every planting, and every guest who explores the property.
In the words of Herbert Dow, “The garden does not pretend to be a finished idea.”
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President and Trustee of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, Ruth A. Doan, expressed her enthusiasm about the new Welcome Center at Dow Gardens, saying, “For 125 years, Dow Gardens has been a place of beauty and tranquility, welcoming guests from near and far. Grace and Herbert Dow were devoted to their family and the community. Our new Welcome Center is a testament to The Foundation’s ongoing commitment to providing an exceptional experience for all of our guests, ensuring the legacy of hospitality established in 1899 by Herbert and Grace Dow continues to thrive. Their compassion and visionary philosophy continue to inspire the Trustees of The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation as we work to serve the people of Midland and Michigan.”
Key features of the new Welcome Center include:
• Enhanced restroom facilities, including a family restroom equipped with an adjustable-height universal changing table for adults. With this addition, Dow Gardens joins a growing network of organizations committed to inclusive accessibility.
• A curated gift shop offering botanical-themed gifts, works by local artisans, gardening books, and seasonally available plants grown on-site by the Dow Gardens horticulture team.
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• A cafe with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the gardens, offering a place to gather before or after exploring the grounds.
• Expanded meeting and event spaces ideal for weddings, group gatherings, and educational programming.
• Enhanced traffic flow, parking, and drop-off areas create a smooth arrival experience.
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• Architecture grounded in the surrounding landscape, with limestone, weathered Corten steel, and patinaed copper chosen to age and evolve alongside the gardens.
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