Behind the Scenes at the Wisconsin State Herbarium and Greenhouse

Photo by Bryce Richter

Photo Credit: Ken Cameron

This event is sold out. If you would like to add your name to a waiting list, call (608) 890-2555 or send an email to npscoordinator@foamadison.org.

Transportation options include driving to the Grainger parking lot on North Brooks Street, between University and West Johnson Street.

Another option is a public bus, Madison Metro.  The closest bus stop is University and N.Mills (no. 0432) which is in front of Birge Hall garden. Another bus stop is on West Johnson Street and North Orchard Street (no. 10061).

 Transportation Services for the UW Madison campus is available at  www.transportation.wisc.edu/parking, or call 608-263-6667 for information.

Join the Friends of the Arboretum on a guided behind the scenes tour of one of the world’s largest collections of preserved plants, algae, lichens, and fungi. Botanists within the Wisconsin State Herbarium on the UW-Madison campus have documented Earth’s flora for more than 175 years. We will learn about the herbarium’s 1.3 million botanical specimens and enjoy hands-on activities with museum experts. We will also greet spring with a special guided tour of the living collections within the Botany Greenhouses in historic Birge Hall. These are some of the finest collections at any university and are used for teaching university classes.

The tour begins at 9 a.m. at the UW Botany Department State Herbarium, Birge Hall, 430 Lincoln Dr, Madison, WI 53706. Participants will need to arrange their own transportation to Birge Hall. Cost is $40 per person

Trip is limited to 30 participants. Online registration is the most efficient.  If you would prefer to register by mail please click here for a PDF registration form.  Mail-in registrations must be received by March 11, 2026.

FOA trips are an important part of fundraising efforts by FOA to support the Arboretum.  We strive to make these trips interesting and accessible to all attendees.  To ensure that we have adequate time to find replacement attendees and ensure that FOA costs are covered, FOA trips have the following cancellation policy (unless otherwise noted):

• Transferring your registration to a new attendee is always allowed. Contact Allison Eyring-Green at npscoordinator@foamadison.org or call the FOA office at 608-890-2555 to request a ticket transfer.
• Cancelling without requesting a refund is an option.  Your registration fee will be used to offset trip costs and to support the Arboretum.
• Cancel 30 or more days before departure for a full refund of your registration fee.
• Cancel 29 days or fewer before departure and the registration fee is non-refundable.