The Morton Arboretum puts nature in a new light this holiday season with its 14th year of Illumination.
“It’s definitely the biggest year we’ve had so far,” said Amy Scott, head of exhibitions at The Morton Arboretum.
New exhibits shine at Illumination
Crowning the new Illumination exhibits is the northern lights display, which Scott said is the arboretum’s largest exhibit yet.
“You’re going to be seeing 400 feet of canopy that has laser projections and lit as if it’s the aurora borealis, and it’s absolutely mesmerizing to be walking alongside of it or underneath it,” Scott said.
Three other exhibits are also new among the 20-plus light displays on a one-mile walking path.
“We have a Light Wave, which is a beautiful 165-foot tunnel. We have these lit spheres that are kind of undulating above you as you’re walking through and reflecting in all of the chrome spheres. And then you have Cosmic Garden, which is a sweeping hillside landscape, and we have large orbs that are seven feet and four feet, surrounded by circles of lighting around each sphere. And then we have Fairy Forest. We have over 300 light bulbs that are kind of flickering in the distance, almost looking like fairies flying through the forest,” Scott said.
Also added is the Pine Whistle Railroad inside the Firefly Pavilion, which guests can visit with an additional ticket.
“That is over 1,000 feet of track. It’s kind of like this whimsical woodland area that you’re walking through, and you have gnome houses and fairy houses and mushrooms of all sizes. There’s tracks that are ground level as well as going overhead on different bridges that are like entry structures,” Scott said.
Though Illumination ends on Jan. 2, this exhibit will run through Feb. 15.
Illumination highlights nature and connection
“We’re always working on Illumination, but this one definitely took a lot longer to work through all of these new features,” Scott said. “We are site-specific, so we’re constantly reacting to what’s going on in our grounds and making sure that we’re bringing to life the different landscapes and vistas that we have here.”
Scott said the exhibit is designed to invite guests to slow down and take in the show.
“All the lights are moving; they’re transitioning in different colors or different patterns. And so, the longer you spend in each area, you’re seeing all those different changes that are coming to life in front of you, and your angles and perspectives are constantly changing as you’re walking through,” Scott said. “It is a beautiful way to explore nature and explore the beauty of trees because that’s what we’re really highlighting, and make some new memories with your friends and family because that’s what this is all about.”
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