Address
100 Maryland Avenue, Washington, DC 20024
Phone Number
(202) 225 - 8333
Date Visited
12/07/2014
Website
United States Botanic Garden
Description
The United States Botanic Garden is located at 100 Maryland Avenue SW, in Washington, DC.Limited, designated handicapped parking is available on Maryland Avenue, SW.
There is a double door, street level entrance to the Conservatory.
Paved and gravel paths run throughout the gardens. Inquire at the visitor information desk for specific accessible routes.
A balloon-tire wheelchair is available for outdoor use in gravel areas of the garden. Call ahead for further information.
Handicapped-accessible restrooms are located in the rear of the Conservatory.
Baby-changing stations are located in restrooms in the south lobby of the Conservatory.
There are several benches in the conservatory.
There are no food services and no gift shop.
- Paths and walkways: paved
Doors: double doors
Width of aisles: spacious
Places to sit: several benches in conservatory
Location of restrooms: rear and south lobby of conservatory
Type of restroom: multi-stall, handicapped-accessible
Ease of entry and exit: easy
Baby changing station: yes
Available food services: none
Friendliness of staff: friendly
Notes: * Parking is difficult to find on the street. There are some garages in the neighborhood.
A cold but pleasant December day found us at the United States Botanic Garden to view the annual holiday train show. “The US Botanic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in North America…it is a living museum that was established in 1820…it has approximately 65,000 plants for exhibit, study, conservation and exchange with other institutions.” (brochure)
A separate street level Model Train Entrance took us directly into the exhibition. The Garden Court was festive and beautiful with “remarkable representations of National Mall monuments and buildings created from more than 70 different plant materials. Each building is a unique masterpiece.” (brochure) At the start of the exhibit we found an employee showing and explaining the process of how the buildings are constructed. It was amazing to see the finished products, which were “fashioned from dried plant materials.” The representation of the U.S. Capitol took more than 600 hours to complete. (brochure) It reminded me of the gingerbread white house that is painstakingly crafted each holiday season! We worked our way through a nautical wonderland, guided by the light of 33 historic lighthouses. We found sea creatures, mermaids, and even a pirate ship, all created with plant parts. (brochure) Meandering throughout the display were the model trains, which delighted the many kids of all ages that were there.
Getting around was easy, with ample room for wheelchairs and the many baby carriages that were there. Handicapped-accessible restrooms are located at the rear of the Conservatory. Baby-changing stations are located in the restrooms in the south lobby of the Conservatory.
Since it was quite cold, we did not walk around the outside gardens. Based on the lovely experience we had, we hope to return when the weather is warm and things are in bloom.
We were told that one can obtain information about specific accessible garden routes at the visitor information desk. We were also told that there is a balloon-tire wheelchair available for outdoor use in the gravel areas. We would suggest calling ahead to get the specifics if this is something you are interested in.
Limited, designated handicapped parking may be found on Maryland Avenue SW.
There are no dining facilities or gift shop at this venue.
As always, we at Destination Accessible advise you to check a venue’s website, www.usbg.gov, when planning a visit, to “know before you go.”
Contact us