Know Before You Go
Pet Policy
No pets, aside from registered service animals, are allowed at the Arboretum.
Tree & Arboretum Rules
We ask that you be respectful of the Arboretum, including:
- No climbing on or sitting in trees; no walking or standing in flower beds or other off-limits parts of the Arboretum; no climbing into fountains; and no tampering with any living thing in the Arboretum. These regulations are for the safety of both our guests and our plants.
- Picnicking in the Arboretum is allowed in the designated picnic areas. No cooking is allowed.
- Pets (aside from service animals) are not permitted.
- No bicycles, scooters, rollerblades, skateboards, Frisbees or other game equipment.
- Admittance outside of regular visiting hours is prohibited.
- The use of all tobacco products (including smokeless tobacco) is prohibited anywhere on the property.
Accessibility
Arrival
Accessible parking is available in the parking lot just beyond the Widener Visitor Center. In the event that the lot is full, we offer overflow parking near the entrance kiosk. Vehicles may use the loading zone in front of the Visitor Center to unload passengers when needed. Access to the Visitor Center is barrierfree.
Mobility
The Arboretum property includes some hilly terrain. There is an ADA-approved paved walking path with less than 5% grade and benches strategically situated throughout the Arboretum but walking some areas of the Arboretum could prove challenging. The majority of the Arboretum, including the Out on a Limb exhibit, is accessible from the paved pathways.
Exploring
Guided golf cart tours for people with physical disabilities are offered with limited availability and must be scheduled in advance. Although we will try to honor every request, two week notice is recommended. Please call email Eliza Hawley at efhawley@upenn.edu or call 215.247.5777 x128 to make reservations. We have two wheelchairs to lend out on a first-come, first-served basis, but it is recommended to bring whatever accommodations are needed.
Service Animals
Registered service animals that provide assistance for guests with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are welcome in all public areas of the Arboretum.
Photography in the Arboretum
While we encourage you to take pictures during your visit to the Morris Arboretum, special
arrangements and fees are required for any and all photo shoots. Coming to take photos of our flowers, trees, and bees does not fall into the category, so long as our other photography policies are followed.
We consider photo shoots to be an activity that includes, but is not limited to:
- Group, engagement, prom, birthday, head shot, fashion, maternity, or couples/family portrait photography.
- Photography that involves the use of equipment (including booms, lights, and reflectors).
- Photography that involves a dedicated photographer.
- Photography taking place outside of normal Arboretum hours.
- Sorry, wedding and wedding-like photography are not permitted. Also, no pets. To get a photo shoot pass, please email rentals@morrisarboretum.org or call 215-247-5777 x158. Please review our detailed photography guidelines before your visit.
The Shop at Morris Arboretum
Hours: If the Gardens are open, the Shop is open too!
About the Shop
We strive to offer an array of items that will inform, engage, and inspire when it comes to the natural world around us. Whether it’s getting children outside with a do-it-yourself bug hotel or stocking the shelves with books on edible plants and the trees of Pennsylvania, we exciting things to check out. When you stop by the Shop to treat yourself to a locally crafted item or a book on identifying local birds, your purchase supports that mission our missing of connecting people, place, and plants.