Visiting Guidelines

Longwood Reimagined

Longwood Reimagined: A New Garden Experience is the most ambitious revitalization of our Gardens in a century. It includes a sweeping transformation of 17 acres of the west conservatory area and surrounding landscape, adding new gardens, alleés of trees, plantings, and buildings. Once completed in Fall 2024, our guests will experience more of our mission of bringing joy and inspiration to everyone through the beauty of nature, conservation, and learning. 

Our grand Conservatory display spaces remain open throughout Longwood Reimagined, however the western part of the Conservatory is closed. During your visit, you may see and hear work being done as we reimagine the area. The East Conservatory, Main Conservatory, Exhibition Hall, Acacia Passage, Silver Garden and Orchid House will remain open and will continue to be filled with the finest of horticulture leaving guests with memorable and beautiful experiences including pop up displays from our Bonsai and Orchid collections.  

General Guidelines

Just For Members

Bringing Chairs & Blankets

Wine & Jazz

A Longwood Christmas

 

General Guidelines

To best enjoy your visit to our Gardens, we suggest you:

  • Learn about our response to COVID-19
  • Explore our website prior to your visit to see what's in bloom and browse our online calendar of events.
  • Check our hours of operation and note special announcements, including possible early closures, which vary depending on the season.
  • Buy your ticket in advance and have your ticket ready to show when you arrive. Sell out is possible.
  • Please allow 3.5–4 hours for your visit. Stay as long as you wish; however, re-entry is currently not permitted.
  • Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes, as our Gardens are a walking experience. Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and bug spray as needed. Insects, including ticks, bees, and mosquitoes, are a part of our ecosystem. Stay on pathways and check for ticks after leaving the Gardens.
  • Bring your own wheelchair, mobility scooter, stroller, wagon, or personal mobility device. Wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and strollers are also available for rent in our Visitor Center on a first-come basis and may not be reserved in advance. Guests must be 18 years of age or older to rent a mobility scooter. Electric scooters are not available during inclement weather.
  • Note that parking at remote lots is used during high visitation days throughout the year and complimentary transportation is provided to the Gardens.
  • Shop in the Gardens & Dine in our Café or fine dining restaurant, 1906. Reservations for 1906 are strongly recommended via OpenTable.
  • Connect to our free wifi; look for the FreeGardenWIFI network.
  • Use our mobile map.
  • Follow us on social media, @LongwoodGardens on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
  • Become a Member.

You may do the following during your visit:

  • Take photos and videos for non-commercial purposes (excluding performances)
  • Picnic in our picnic area (open seasonally)
  • Bring small, handheld digital devices with earphones
  • Bring service animals
  • Bring tripods, monopods, and easels. Please review guidelines
  • Bring umbrellas (umbrellas are not permitted at outside performances, fountain shows, concerts, and fireworks events)

Please refrain from the following during your visit:

  • Wearing costumes or costume masks if you are 14 years of age or older 
  • Sunbathing
  • Walking without shoes on
  • Straying from paths
  • Feeding wildlife
  • Running or jogging in our Gardens
  • Cursing or yelling in our Gardens
  • Disobeying posted signage or safety barricades

The following items are prohibited in our Gardens:

  • Smoking, e-cigarettes, vaping, and any illegal substance
  • Weapons of any kind, or items that look like weapons
  • Coolers, food and beverage, except water (food is permitted in our picnic area, open seasonally)
  • Climbing trees; picking plants and flowers; getting in our fountains, lakes, or creeks
  • Holding weddings or religious ceremonies
  • Pets
  • Items that are disruptive to the guest experience or could pose a safety concern, including, but not limited to: drones, remote airplanes, balls, frisbees, kites, or other sports equipment, bicycles, rollerblades, skateboards, kick scooters, hoverboards and other recreational devices, musical instruments and radios with speakers
  • Toys that cause damage to the plant collection and wildlife: Balloons and bubbles
  • Blankets or chairs except when otherwise noted (please reference table below)
  • Boxwood or chrysanthemums

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Just for Members

  • Review our General Guidelines
  • Bring your Membership card and your photo id card with you for admittance and to take advantage of discounts in our Terrace Restaurant Café, 1906, and Garden Shop
  • Make reservations are required certain times during the year. Plan ahead and make them in advance! Use separate transactions if making reservations for multiple dates. Reservations are not required for Gardens Premium and Innovators.
  • Set up your online account
  • Show your card at our partners to get a discount
  • Complimentary Guest Tickets are for one-time general admission and are not valid for specially ticketed events and blackout days (peak days) during A Longwood Christmas. Blackout days are all Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during A Longwood Christmas through January 1, 2024, and every day December 22 through January 1, 2024. Other blackout dates may apply; check your tickets to see additional restrictions.
  • Review our Members' Frequently Asked Questions

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Bringing Chairs & Blankets

For certain special events at our Gardens, additional guidelines apply:

  • Review our General Guidelines
  • Seating, chairs and blankets: From time to time, based on the event or performance, we allow our guests to bring their own blankets or chairs to an event.
  • Please note: There are benches and seating throughout the Gardens for your enjoyment.
 

Use this chart to determine when personal chairs and blankets may be placed at the event location

EventChairsBlankets
Throughout the Gardens DailyNoNo
Open Air Theatre ConcertNot necessary, the venue has chairsNo
*Main Fountain Garden Fountain PerformancesYes, after 12:00 pm*Yes, after 12:00 pm
Members-only HoursYes, after 12:00 pmYes, after 12:00 pm
Wine & Jazz FestivalYes, after 1:00 pmYes, after 1:00 pm

*Please note: For the best, unobstructed viewing experience for evening Illuminated Fountain Performances, we strongly recommend chairs; however, blankets will be permitted in designated locations.

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Wine & Jazz

  • Review our General Guidelines
  • Bring a chair or blanket.
  • Bring a cooler smaller than 18 inches x 10 inches x 10 inches with water or non-alcoholic beverages. Outside food not permitted.
  • Bring your ID.
  • Drink responsibly.
  • Pick up a festival guide when you arrive.
  • Leave tripods, monopods, easels, and radios at home.

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A Longwood Christmas

  • MAKE THE MOST OF THE SEASON. Review our General Guidelines and Gardens etiquette.
  • TICKETS SELL OUT. Check our homepage for real-time ticket and Member reservation availability.
  • COME EARLY! Arrive by 2:00 pm to miss the rush of traffic and still have time to explore all the Brandywine Valley has to offer after your visit.
  • PLAN AHEAD. Print your timed Member reservations and tickets at home or go paperless and open your print-at-home tickets on your smartphone prior to entering the Visitor Center.
  • TRAFFIC. Traffic becomes heavy approaching the Gardens from 2:00-8:00 pm.
  • PARKING is free with accessible spaces available in the front rows of the main lot. Remote parking lots are used during this busy season. Transportation is provided from remote parking areas.
  • COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS are good for one-time general admission and are not valid for specially ticketed concerts/events and blackout days. Blackout days are all Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during A Longwood Christmas through January 1, 2024, and every day December 22, 2023 through January 1, 2024. 
  • BE OUR GUEST. Stay as long as you wish, however, re-entry is currently not permitted.
  • GETTING AROUND THE GARDENS. Scooters and wheelchairs are available on an unreserved, first-come basis in the Visitor Center. Guests must be 18 years of age or older to rent a mobility scooter. Electric scooters are not available during inclement weather. Shuttle service is not provided.
  • LIGHTS. Outdoor holiday lights and fire pits begin to come on at 12:00 pm and are best viewed after dark.
  • FOUNTAINS. Open Air Theatre fountain shows run daily at 10:15 am and every 15 minutes starting at 12:00 pm, weather permitting. Main Fountain Garden fountain performances are not available during A Longwood Christmas, however, the Main Fountain Garden is decorated for the season.
  • BUNDLE UP! A Longwood Christmas is both indoors and outdoors. Please dress accordingly and wear comfortable shoes.
  • SHOP AND DINE. Our Café, 1906Beer Garden (weather permitting), concessions, and The Garden Shop are all available for you. Make a reservation for your visit day in our full-service restaurant, 1906, at opentable.com.
  • NAVIGATE. Find details about the display and where to find the holiday cheer on our mobile map

For Our Members during A Longwood Christmas

  • KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. Learn everything needed to enjoy A Longwood Christmas including how to make reservations, parking, and accessibility.
  • RESERVATIONS. Members may visit anytime, but require free, timed reservations every day open to close. Innovators and Gardens Premium Members and those included in their Membership do not require reservations. Reservations are limited, and sell out is likely. With a timed Member reservation, you may enter the Gardens as early as 30 minutes before (except for 10:00 am reservations) or as late as 30 minutes after your entry time. Late or early arrivals cannot be accommodated. When making reservation for multiple dates, please do so in separate transactions. Stay as long as you wish once you enter the Gardens. 
  • GUESTS not included in a Membership require a timed admission ticket. We cannot accommodate a Member's request for tickets if we are sold out. You may also upgrade your Membership to a level that allows you to bring guests any time you visit the Gardens.
  • PLAN AHEAD. To avoid lines we encourage you to print your Member reservations at home and show them upon entry. Or go paperless and open your print-at-home tickets on your smartphone prior to entering the Visitor Center for scanning.
  • COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS are for one-time general admission and are not valid for specially ticketed events and blackout days during A Longwood Christmas. Blackout days are all Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during A Longwood Christmas through January 1, 2024, and every day December 22 through January 1, 2024. Other blackout dates may apply; check your tickets to see additional restrictions.

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Get Connected!

#LongwoodChristmas
#LongwoodGardens
Want holiday updates, beautiful photos, and ticket sell out alerts? Be sure to follow us @LongwoodGardens on Twitter, Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

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