What’s New?
Casey Sclar
New Director Casey Sclar
Parking
Visitor parking is available in the Lewis Katz Building lot directly across from the museum construction site on Bigler Road. Arboretum visitors who do not hold a Penn State parking permit that is valid in an Orange lot must pay a fee of $1/hour. Payment may be made via the pay station in the Katz Building lot via credit card, or via the ParkMobile app, which is also available for use in many other parking lots on campus. Visitors may download the ParkMobile app or visit ParkMobile’s Penn State site to learn more. Parking fees apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Additional details are available on our Visitor Information page.
Arboretum Photo Contests
Coming soon – announcement of the spring and summer photo contest winners!
Submit one of your favorite fall photos taken in the Arboretum! Submissions will be accepted via email, Facebook, or Instagram until November 30, 2022. Be sure to read the contest rules:
“Garden Wonderings” Videos
Garden Wonderings is an informal educational video series that we have put together during the COVID-19 pandemic to entertain and inform the public during these unusual times. You can access the playlist of all Arboretum educational videos at https://tinyurl.com/yywegr7f.
Sunflower Jack-o’-Lantern
2022 Pumpkin Festival Dates: October 2, 7, and 8
The Arboretum at Penn State invites everyone to attend our annual Pumpkin Festival and enter the jack-o’-lantern contest. We will be giving away a thousand pumpkins to contest entrants on Sunday, October 2, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. To register for the contest, bring a jack-o’-lantern to the Overlook Pavilion in the gardens from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7.
Jack-o’-lanterns will be lighted and displayed from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7, and Saturday, October 8. From 3:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, you can view fall displays and enjoy activities and crafts, followed by live music and entertainment. Food vendors will be on site both nights. Thanks to the Vargo family for making this community event possible. Festival parking is sponsored by Selma Harris.
Pollinator and Bird Garden: Combining Education and Research
Pathway in Pollinator and Bird Garden
View a short video about this garden.
The Arboretum’s Pollinator and Bird Garden, which opened in July 2021, is unique in its ambitious design and intent: to educate the public about the many insect pollinator species and both resident and migratory birds in our region, and research ways to protect the ecosystems that support these species. The planting design showcases over 390 unique plant species and varieties—most of which are native to Pennsylvania or the greater Appalachian region. Read more about this garden.
Visiting the Arboretum – COVID-19 Safety Requirements
The H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens may be visited from dawn until dusk. Arboretum visitors must follow University COVID-19 safety requirements. By attending or participating in Arboretum programs, events, or activities, visitors agree to adhere to Penn State’s guidance and policies, acknowledge the risk of being exposed to or infected by COVID-19, and assume any and all such risk.
COVID Acknowledgment Policy Statement
“Garden Wonderings” Videos Garden Wonderings is an informal educational video series that we have put together during the COVID-19 pandemic to entertain and inform the public during these unusual times. You can access the playlist of all Arboretum educational videos at https://tinyurl.com/yywegr7f.
Arboretum Newsletters
2022 Summer Arboretum Newsletter
Featured at the top of the page are winners in the jack-‘o-lantern contest in the adult age category (2018).
