They are both organizations with the goal of educating and entertaining the public through the use of plants. An Arboretum differs from a public garden in that it features primarily woody plants—trees, shrubs, and some vines —rather than herbaceous plants like perennials and flowers.
The Arboretum includes all publicly accessible property on the West Lafayette academic campus, including Horticulture Park. Our office is in the Horticulture Building on Agriculture Mall Drive on the main campus. For any questions regarding the location of a building, please contact the Purdue Visitors Center or check a university map. The facility is located in the Purdue Memorial Union, specifically in the Great Hall and Room 110 (Main Floor), and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Call 765-494-4636 or email: visitorcenter@purdue.edu.
Since the Purdue Arboretum is part of the university campus, it is open to the public 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our office is available by appointment.
No, the Purdue Arboretum is free to all visitors.
No, the Arboretum does not currently offer guided tours. We have created The Purdue Arboretum Explorer, which is designed to be self-guided, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Purdue University also offers guided tours of the West Lafayette campus.
Mobile Learning is a location-based platform that enables learning to extend beyond the traditional classroom. Through the use of portable computing devices, such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, anyone can connect to location-relevant educational content created by our staff. Visit our Scan, Link, and Learn Page under the Purdue Arboretum Explorer tab to learn more about accessing this material through QR codes.
Visitor parking is available at various campus locations; however, the primary area for visitor parking is the Grant Street Parking Garage, located adjacent to the Purdue Memorial Union at 101 North Grant Street. Click Here for More Information.
The Purdue campus offers a variety of restaurants and dining options. There are several restaurants located near campus, as well as further east on State Road 26.
The Lafayette/West Lafayette community offers you more than 250 dining possibilities, including local flavor, popular chain restaurants, fine dining, and fast food. Visit the Visitors Bureau website for a comprehensive list of area dining options.
Where can I find more information about studying Horticulture at Purdue?
Purdue offers study opportunities in all aspects of horticulture, leading to the baccalaureate degree or graduate degrees, as well as for individuals seeking non-degree learning. The Public Horticulture concentration prepares undergraduate students for roles in botanical gardens, arboretums, and other public horticultural establishments. Professional careers include plant collection management, education, public garden administration, plant propagation, botanical illustration, and horticultural writing. You can find more details about all Purdue Horticulture programs at: https://ag.purdue.edu/hla/.
The Purdue Arboretum is a collaboration between the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Physical Facilities Grounds Department
