The Morton Arboretum’s 1,700 acres of beautiful tree-filled landscapes are a place of enjoyment, a vibrant hub for nature education, and a world-renowned center for scientific research that studies trees and how to sustain them.
The Arboretum’s vision is a greener, healthier, more beautiful world where people and trees thrive together. As a nonprofit organization, the Arboretum’s mission is to collect, study, display, and conserve trees and other plants from around the world to inspire learning, foster enjoyment, benefit communities, encourage action, and enhance the environment.
When Morton Salt founder Mr. Joy Morton established the Arboretum in 1922, he envisioned a great outdoor museum of trees. More than 100 years later, Mr. Morton’s vision is shared with millions of people who come to the Arboretum to experience the benefits of spending time among trees, to learn, or enjoy the beauty of plants and nature that inspire the arts.
Visitors can enjoy the Arboretum’s plant collections and gardens amid natural landscapes of woodlands, prairie, lakes, and streams. Additionally, there are 16 miles of hiking trails, including several that are paved and ADA accessible, nine miles of roads for driving or cycling, a Children’s Garden, educational programs and exhibits, the Sterling Morton Library of botanical literature and art, a Visitor Center with a museum store and a restaurant, special events, and seasonal exhibitions.
Children’s Garden celebrates 20 years at the Morton Arboretum
The Arboretum is the perfect place for family members of all ages to connect and experience a fun-filled visit surrounded by nature.
In the Arboretum’s four-acre Children’s Garden, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, children can splash in Wonder Pond, climb a colossal acorn, and slide down giant tree roots all day long in a safe and kid-friendly environment designed with them in mind. The fun things to do are endless at this expansive playground for children of every age.
The Arboretum helps to foster the next generation of tree stewards and a love for the outdoors through its Children’s Garden, youth and family programs, and other learning opportunities. The Children’s Garden is included with general admission to the Arboretum.
Vivid Creatures: colorful sculptures as tall as trees
Adding an extra layer of wonder, the Arboretum’s newest outdoor art exhibition, Vivid Creatures, transforms the landscape into a living gallery where art and nature meet.
This five-piece installation by Portland-based artists Heather BeGaetz and Fez BeGaetz welcomes visitors of all ages to discover colorful, whimsical animal sculptures nestled among the Arboretum’s tree-filled landscapes.
Vivid Creatures, which runs through spring 2027 and is included with general admission to the Arboretum, features five animals essential to the Illinois ecosystem—a white-tailed deer, sandhill crane, fox squirrel, brittle button snail, and blue dasher dragonfly—ranging from 8 to 23 feet tall.
Four of the sculptures, Scamp, the fox squirrel; Cadence, the sandhill crane; Nimbly, the blue dasher dragonfly; and Generosity, the white-tailed deer, are along paved, ADA-accessible paths near the Visitor Center. The fifth sculpture, Spectra, the rainbow-colored brittle button snail, appears perched on a scenic hill near Interstate 88, visible to highway travelers and trail walkers alike.
The artists designed each sculpture to evoke a sense of colorful wonder while deepening visitors’ connections to nature and place.
Families can drop in to the Children’s Garden on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Aug. 31 for a Vivid Creations Art Workshop to create art inspired by the Vivid Creatures sculptures. The Vivid Creations Art Workshop is included with general admission to the Arboretum.
Spotlight Guests: Kim Shearer, Arboretum Director of Collections and Curator, Jeremy Joslin, Arboretum Director of Education and Interpretation, and Amy Scott, Arboretum Head of Exhibitions
Photos and additional video provided by The Morton Arboretum
