NEWSLETTER
Free tickets are available for all through September 7, 2020
New safety protocols, including required face coverings and advance ticketing, have been implemented to protect the health and safety of staff and visitors
Brooklyn, NY — Brooklyn Botanic Garden is pleased to announce plans to reopen the Garden to the public starting Friday, August 7. The Garden has been closed since March 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement comes as New York City enters Phase 4 of the New York Forward plan.
From Friday, July 31 to Thursday, August 6, BBG members are invited back to the Garden for an exclusive Member Appreciation Week. Wednesday evenings will be reserved for members for the rest of the summer. Following Member Appreciation Week, visitors are invited to participate in four special Welcome Weeks featuring free admission for all. Thereafter, the Garden’s regular admission fees will be in place, with a percentage of tickets each day dedicated to free admission.
The Garden will reopen with new guidelines in accordance with the latest health recommendations from the CDC, New York City, and New York State for COVID-19. These include contactless entrance, reduced capacity in order to support physical distancing, and a face-covering requirement for all visitors over the age of 2.
Each visitor, including members and children under 12, will be required to have an advance ticket to enter the Garden. Tickets will be timed and visitors will select a specific entrance gate when reserving their ticket, out of three possible entrances, to avoid the risk of crowding.
Areas of the Garden where social distancing is not possible will be closed to the public. New wayfinding signage will guide guests during their visit. During the initial weeks of the Garden’s reopening, food and beverage service will not be available, and aside from bottled water, no food or beverages will be permitted on the grounds. Guests should bring their own bottled water. Indoor areas will remain closed, including Yellow Magnolia Café and the Garden Shop. All on-site programs remain on hold.
“While the Garden remained closed, our essential staff continued to work on-site, stewarding our historic collections through the spring and early summer,” said interim co-director Leslie Findlen. “BBG was founded 110 years ago with the idea that beautiful, accessible outdoor space was essential to health and well-being for New York City residents. That is as true today as it was then. We are happy to be able to reopen the Garden this summer. The Garden experience will be a bit different, with safety of guests and staff as our top priority. We will do everything we can to provide the best experience possible.”
Visitors will be able to enjoy new areas of the Garden, including the Robert W. Wilson Overlook and Elizabeth Scholtz Woodland Garden, as well as the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, Osborne Garden, Shakespeare Garden, Plant Family Collection, Fragrance Garden, and more.
Diane Steinberg, the Garden’s board chair, said, “We look forward to welcoming our community back and celebrating this gradual reopening with four Welcome Weeks with free admission for all, and hope that the Garden’s beauty may offer a peaceful respite from the turmoil of this unprecedented period.”
The Garden’s opening is subject to change due to State and City mandates. For all updates on the Garden’s response to COVID-19, please visit www.bbg.org/visit.
About Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Founded in 1910, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is an urban botanic garden that connects people to the world of plants, fostering delight and curiosity while inspiring an appreciation and sense of stewardship of the environment. Situated on 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn, the Garden is home to over 12,000 kinds of plants and hosts over 800,000 visitors annually.
Stay connected with @brooklynbotanic on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for daily plants in bloom, gardening how-tos, and more.
For more information: communications@bbg.org