Science in Action Day

Science in Action Day

Collage of 4 images, including a hilly, fog-covered landscape; a horticulturist tending yellow mums on a column; a scientist in a lab coat handling floral specimens; and three people outdoors, one with a pink flower in hand.

Date & Price

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Talk: 11:00 am–12:00 pm
Advance registration required, opening soon

Action Stations: 10:00 am–3:00 pm
Registration not required


Free with Gardens admission

Timed Gardens Admission Tickets required

Timed reservations not required for Members and Innovators

Join us for a day of discovery as we celebrate our passionate community of experts committed to deepening the world’s understanding of plants—from how we explore the world to find and save them, to how we grow them with extraordinary care, to how we safeguard their future in the wild. 

Through engaging presentations, interactions with our scientists, and hands-on activities, you’ll gain insight into how Longwood’s applied science is advancing beauty, biodiversity, and sustainability. Come see the science behind the beauty—and learn how you can join us in ensuring a beautiful tomorrow.

Panel Discussion: Longwood Science, Global Connections, Shared Purpose

11:00 am–12:00 pm
Conservatory Ballroom

To celebrate the launch of Longwood’s new Science Strategy, Longwood Associate Vice President of Science Kate Santos, Ph.D., brings together leading voices from horticulture, conservation, ecology, and agriculture. The panel explores how these interconnected fields advance biodiversity conservation and climate resilience while also fueling the creativity, craft, and extraordinary gardens that inspire people around the world. By bringing diverse global perspectives into dialogue, the discussion underscores how these disciplines must increasingly work in concert—each contributing unique expertise yet united by plants as the common denominator—to shape solutions at the scale our changing world requires. This conversation invites attendees into the heart of the launch itself—opening a window into the future we’re all working toward and illuminating the global significance of these intertwined disciplines in advancing meaningful, science-driven change.

Action Stations

10:00 am–3:00 pm

Experience science in action with five interactive stations throughout our conservatories, designed for all ages.

  • Near our Green Wall, explore the concept of floriculture and learn about the process behind growing our signature baskets, standards, and crops for display.
  • On the Patio of Oranges in our East Conservatory, explore how we regenerate our resources by turning last season’s plant material into healthy, living soil.
  • Enjoy two stations in the Exhibition Hall in our Main Conservatory, where you can delve into how we grow plants to save them, as well as connect with the living library of our plant collections.
  • In our West Conservatory, see the tools and methods we use when caring for 1,700 acres of dynamic ecosystems.

Science Series

Learn about one of our many plant research and conservation projects and meet the talented staff behind the work.