• Become a member
  • Volunteer
  • Host an Event
  • Give
  • Plan Your Visit
        • Plan Your Visit

          • Trail Map
          • Visitor Policies
          • Accessibility
          • Private Group Tours
          • Calendar of Events
        • Hours & Parking

          Grounds & Trails 7 am – dusk, daily
          Nature Shop 9 am – 4 pm, daily

          Admission is free! Parking is $6.50, free on Thursdays for all guests and year-round for Arboretum Members

          More Info

  • Discover
        • McGovern Education Campus

          • Discovery Room
          • Nature Shop
          • Nature Playscape
        • Trails & More

          • Trails
          • Habitat Hikes
          • Field Stations
          • Gardens & Spaces
  • Programs
        • Children

          • Preschool
          • Home School
          • Girl Scouts & Boy Scouts
          • Nature Camps
          • Other Programs
        • Families

          • Learn More
        • Adults

          • Art & Photography
          • Food & Drink
          • Health & Wellness
          • Nature & Wildlife
          • Plants & Gardening
        • Educators

          • Field Trips
          • Acorn Academy
          • Summer Discovery Program
          • Professional Development
          • Book a Speaker
  • Events
          • Arbor Day Celebration
          • Plant Sales
          • Earth Day Celebration
          • Alfresco Gala
          • ArBOOretum
          • Arbor Cup Golf Tournament
          • Volunteer
          • Adults
          • Children
          • Families
          • Educators
          • View All
  • Conservation
          • Ecological Restoration & Land Stewardship
          • Landscaping with Native Plants
          • Community Science
          • Research
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Arboretum Trail Map
    • Visitor Policies
    • Accessibility
    • Private Group Tours
    • Calendar of Events
  • Discover
    • Discovery Room
    • Nature Shop
    • Nature Playscape
    • Trails
    • Habitat Hikes
    • Field Stations
    • Gardens & Spaces
  • Programs
    • Children’s Programs
    • Family Programs
    • Adult Programs
    • Educator Programs
    • Special Events
  • Events
    • Volunteer
    • Adults
    • Children
    • Families
    • Educators
    • View All
  • Conservation
    • Ecological Restoration & Land Stewardship
    • Landscaping with Native Plants
    • Community Science
    • Research
  • Become a Member
  • Volunteer
  • Host an Event
  • Give

News & Blog

Tree-Bark-iStock

May 11, 2023

Continue Reading

View All

Houston Monarch Story arrives at the Arboretum

Houston Arboretum & Nature Center is excited to announce the opening of the Houston Monarch Story, an interactive art installation celebrating Monarch butterflies and their vital habitat.

Read More

A Beginner’s Guide to Composting

If you’d like to do your part for the planet and begin composting, here are some simple steps to get you started. 

Read More

Board Spotlight: Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse

As her Board service draws to a close, it is with deep gratitude that we acknowledge the unparalleled leadership of Dr. Cullen Geiselman Muse.

Read More

Inside a Prescribed Fire

Prescribed fire is vital for ecosystem health and community safety. Find out what is it like to be on the ground for one.

Read More

The Great Owl Rescue

On a cool February morning, a visitor spotted three white puffballs. They were Great Horned Owl chicks, and they were in trouble!

Read More

Experiencing Fall Migration

Happy Fall Migration! It may have just started to feel like autumn, but for birds, the subtle change in daylight hours at the end of August was enough to trigger their urge to travel.

Read More

The Dog Days of Summer

We’re entering the Dog Days of Summer in a much more literal way this year – with multiple coyote and fox sightings!

Read More

Birding as Citizen Science

The Global Big Day is a challenge to bird watchers everywhere: see as many bird species as possible in 24 hours. Will you join the challenge?

Read More

Earth Month Wrap-up

Thank you all for joining us during Earth Month! Just because April is almost over doesn’t mean that you have to stop helping the Earth. There are tons of great environmentally-friendly things for you to do all year.

Read More

Earth Week

Get ready to go outside (even if it’s just in your backyard) and celebrate nature with us this week! In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we’re getting ready for two fabulous events – a virtual Earth Day celebration and the City Nature Challenge!

Read More

What Nature Means to You

Nature isn’t just a place to find animals and plants. Nature is relaxing, refreshing, comforting, and inspiring. Do you capture nature’s beauty with a camera or sketchbook? Do you jot down poems or creative writing in a nature journal? Use your art to show us how us how important nature is to you!

Read More

The Art of Recycling

Reducing, reusing, and recycling are some of the most important things we can do to help the earth, but they can also be really fun!

Read More

Get Social With Us!

#HoustonArboretum

Introducing Free Summer Thursdays at the Arboretum Introducing Free Summer Thursdays at the Arboretum! 🌞 Cool down and connect with nature at our Free Summer Thursdays series starting next month! Bring the kids and enjoy family-friendly fun on the trails and Nature Playscape—plus a free sweet treat to keep things cool. And don’t miss the food trucks serving up tasty options!

Select Thursdays | June 12, July 17, August 14
5:00 – 7:00 PM

🎉 Nature activities, games, and more each month!
📍 Perfect for families with little ones
🍦 Treats while supplies last 
🚗 FREE PARKING on Thursdays

RSVP via our link in bio to help us plan enough goodies and activities for everyone!
Sometimes butterflies and humans have the same ide Sometimes butterflies and humans have the same idea about plants! Did you know that all of Houston's native Beebalm (Monarda) flowers not only attract beautiful butterflies, but also make a delicious tea? Each species has a slightly different minty flavor, from the floral Lindheimer's Beebalm (M. lindheimeri) to the citrusy Lemon Beebalm (M. citriodora). At our upcoming Butterfly Tea Party on Saturday, June 7, you can try tea made with Houston native plants and learn all about the delicious benefits of growing natives for humans and butterflies! We'll have tea party classics like finger sandwiches - floral or butterfly-themed attire is encouraged!

Learn more and register via our link in bio 🦋
🚨 Upcoming Nature Center Closures 🚨 The Nat 🚨 Upcoming Nature Center Closures 🚨

The Nature Center will be closing at 3 pm this Friday, May 23 so we can celebrate the amazing staff who care for the Arboretum and share the joy of nature with class participants and visitors! The Nature Center will also be closed this coming Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day.

The trails, Nature Playscape, and outdoor restrooms will remain open for your enjoyment!
We’re so thrilled to see these fluffy baby Black We’re so thrilled to see these fluffy baby Black Vultures! These “ug-dorable” critters will grow up to be a vital part of our ecosystem, cleaning up messes and reducing the spread of disease. Black Vultures have strong family bonds: adults continue to feed their babies 8 months after they leave the nest, and they stay in close contact for a year or more. Vultures recognize their kin and often roost together and preen one another. #BeakOfTheWeek #WildlifeWednesday
Today is the day! The goats from @rent_a_ruminant_ Today is the day! The goats from @rent_a_ruminant_texas have done a fantastic job removing baaaaad invasives and aggressive native plant species from the Arboretum's woodland understory and they are ready to move on to their next project. We hope you got a chance to see the goats during their almost two-week stay this year - it has been so fun to see these living mowers in all of your great photos and videos!

Connect with us

Stay up to date with the latest from the Houston Arboretum

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • About Us
  • Our Staff
  • Employment Opportunities
  • Visitor & Photography Policies
  • Contact Us
  • Health & Safety
  • Blog

4501 Woodway Drive
Houston, TX 77024
Directions

713.681.8433

© 2025 Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. All rights reserved
  • Privacy Policy
The Nature Center Building will be closing at 3 pm on Friday, May 23 and will be closed Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day. The trails, Nature Playscape, and outdoor restrooms will remain open.
+