The Arboretum at Penn State

The Arboretum at Penn State is a place of beauty and renewal, a venue for the arts, and a pathway for discovery and enrichment. The Palmer Museum of Art is nested at one of our several guest gateways, while the entire Arboretum includes both the extensive H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens and hundreds of acres of natural lands. Accessible trails wind through the beautiful botanic gardens, which include a children’s garden, a garden devoted to roses and fragrant plants, and an internationally award-winning, state-of-the art garden for pollinators and birds. In the Arboretum’s natural areas, the rustic Gerhold Wildflower Trail winds through an old-growth forest remnant and the walking and biking-friendly Bellefonte Rail Trail follows the route of the railroad that once brought students to campus. The Arboretum hosts educational and cultural events throughout the year, including classes, summer drop-in programs for children and families, concerts, and signature festivals (like the Pumpkin Fest). Programs and events are listed on the calendar on the Arboretum website. The botanic gardens are also a popular venue for weddings, meetings, celebrations, and photography sessions. These events can be coordinated through the Arboretum. The Arboretum is the perfect place to enjoy a tranquil nature experience to reconnect and rejuvenate, expand your knowledge with a class or drop-in program, participate in a festival, or to celebrate a personal or professional milestone.