Beth Exton

Pittsburgh Botanic Garden inspires people to value plants, garden design and the natural world by cultivating plant collections of the Allegheny Plateau and temperate regions, creating display gardens, conducting educational programs and conserving the environment. Pittsburgh Botanic Garden is a qualified caretaker for 460 acres of southwest Pennsylvania’s land and water. In addition to ongoing conservation efforts such as mitigating acid mine drainage and reforestation projects, the Garden provides 65 acres of cultivated gardens and woodlands for the public to connect to plants. Through this innate experience: young minds are engaged, gardeners are inspired, and all visitors find a sense of calm. The dream of a group of horticulturalists, the initial idea for this outdoor public garden for the region began in the late 1980’s. The land was acquired through a 99-year lease from Allegheny County in 1998. The Garden opened to the public in 2015 and continues to enhance and expand its gardens and woodlands. The new Welcome Center and surrounding Auto Garden opened on April 1, 2021, completing $12.5 million of projects to elevate the visitor experience with the addition of garden features, a café, as well as expanded learning and gathering spaces. Since opening its gates to the public in 2015, more than 380,000 individuals have visited the Garden to explore, learn or celebrate a milestone. This visitation has increased year over year, with approximately 82,000 in 2023. In addition to visitation, membership also has grown steadily with 3,700 households currently.