Olbrich Botanical Gardens Review

Tons of parking. The main garden is free with a donation appreciated, with a low fee to the conservatory. It's worth coming in every season to see how it changes, and there are enough paths to comfortably walk for an hour without having to double around to old paths. Tons of little benches to sit at if you just want to sit and relax outdoors.

Bring your walking shoes, or take the tram tour. This is a very large park with miles of nice paved pathways, dozens of gazebos and pergolas not to mention a very broad range of professionally landscaped, manicured plantings of all kinds. Free admission to the gardens ... The visit is easily worth $15 to $20 ... It is spectacular - plan on making a donation!

So relaxing and fun! So much to see! If you have allergies like I do, once you walk in its like a whole new world of breathing. :)

Truely wonderful and breathtaking garden. Make sure to check out the indoor garden, this garden puts the Milwaukee domes to shame!

Awesome place. Check hours before going there. To get inside $6. Outside for free

Fantastic place to take your family or anyone visiting from out of town. Kid friendly. The displays keep you looking for more. Highly recommended.

So nice to be outside in November. Lovely place to walk.

Beautiful gardens, entrance to the outdoor garden is free. Very nice place to spend an hour on Sunday

Always a wonderful place for a stroll through the gardens. Thier plant shows are great as well

The grounds are well kempt and the staff is cheerful and friendly when you bump into them. The atmosphere is irenic but would be more conducive for studying if it wasn't so close to the road. Though the slight noise can make those intimate conversations rather difficult, one still comes away with a memorable experience and strongly desires to visit again.

Went to gleam with my girlfriend. Best date idea if you are looking for one. Even when gleam isn't happening, there is so much to see, and history behind the place. Its relaxing, and had a mini bar ;)

It's worth the time to spend there. Plenty of parking and the representatives there are really friendly. We will be coming back again without a doubt.

Olbrich is a great spot to walk around or take photos with plenty of small nooks. The indoor part is a lifesaver in winter.

Beautiful outdoor and indoor gardens. The annual butterfly exhibit is outstanding. There is also an extensive library to help with all of your botanical needs.

My family likes to go here seasonally to see the flowers and the trees bloom. It's amazing the difference from early spring, late spring, summer, and fall. A great place to just walk around and chill.

Beautiful gardens and flowers. A very relaxing place to visit

My favorite thing I've done in Madison. I'm here for less than a week and I've already been twice (and considering a third trip). There's something for everyone- beautiful plants, excellent design, curated sculptures. The first day my wife and I mostly wandered around to look at everything, except for a few periods to wait out rain, sit in the Serenity garden, and read a book under a grape arbor.

Beautiful inside the tropical area. Lots of great things for kids to learn about in their little library as well.

Beautiful. The outdoor gardens are free to explore. Lots of secret little places to find.

Great place for all ages. Part of the outdoor area right by the doors is under construction (spring/summer 2019). Beautiful place to take a stroll or sit and read a book.

What a gem! It is a great place. So many different plants to see that are organized in a cool way. The tram tour is worth it. After, you can then walk around and have a better idea of what you are looking at.

We went there three times during our ten- day stay in Madison this spring. Spring is a great time to go but I'm sure it's beautiful year round. The staff and many volunteers take excellent care of the place.

I loved bringing my children here whilst they were growing up. It gave each of them an appreciation for music and the beauty in our world. Now it has become a family spot with the grandchildren too. I couldn't be prouder as a parent or grandparent.

Its a nice little botanical garden. Maybe you should go for a walk instead of just getting sloppy at the beer garden for once.

A seriously magical place! I came here today on a whim and I was blown away by how beautiful and serene it is. I spent about 2 hours walking around the gardens but could have easily spent all day. Admission to the gardens is free - the tropical dome costs $2/person and is totally worth it!

Fantastic, serene, educational, and well-kept. This is a Madison gem and a must-see if you have any inkling at all towards enjoying the natural world.

I would love to come back when it's fully operational again. The gardens were beautiful, but it was clearly not the full experience it was designed to be.

Beautiful displays nice people great fun what more could you,,,!!!

What a wonderfully beautiful place to spend a morning. Whether you are looking for a romantic date, a scientific exploration, or just a place for meditation, it can be an ideal place.

Great experience!!! There was a group of us, and we picnic outside, loved it!!

I've been here to take photos and explore. This place does a great job of that. Recommended.

Olbrich has a very nice collection of plants and trees from different parts of the world. Part of building one's culture and knowledge of the world is realizing that there are many different ecosystems and weather patterns in this planet that have made plants evolve in different ways. I'd recommend anyone near Madison to visit the gardens.

Some is under construction, but still gorgeous with plenty of color early in the season. Beautifully landscaped!

Their outdoor gardens are among the prettiest of any public gardens I've been to. Thank goodness they didn't close them under Covid. I especially like the Thai pavilion and the water features with the stones. They are so very peaceful. I look forward to going back into the conservatory space when things open back up.

Beautiful gardens; a staple of experiencing the East side of Madison. At the moment, there is a butterfly exhibit happening in the large topiary greenhouse. Bring your camera and $10 per adult.

Beautiful grounds, and the butterfly exhibit was amazing. I will definitely be going back.

Mary is one amazing volunteer. Thanks for the special tour of the tropical conservatory!

Great place to go for a walk. Nice areas to relax for a bit. Undergoing some construction currently not anything too bad

I went here for the better U Fair as a Healer and I loved the energy in the room. It is a little smaller than I am used to but it got the job done and I look forward to going to it again next year.

Nice atmosphere, and amazing wildlife. Great place take pictures, whether it's for professional use or personal.

I enjoy visiting this garden in all seasons. The outside gardens are especially nice in spring when many plants are blossoming. In the dark and cold of winter, the vibrant greenhouse is a nice respite.

Gorgeous variety of plants. A great setting to read a book and relax. The gardens are free and open to the public 7 days a week. A Madison gem

Beautiful place to take your family! Recommend going on late spring and summer while the flowers and such are in bloom!

A beautiful outdoor space with many paths to explore.

Great little botanical center. Nice place to visit on a cold day.

The conservatory is a nice place to visit on a cold winter day, they always have plenty of community events going on, and in the summer they have an extensive outdoor garden, with a beautiful Thai temple. They do light shows, concerts, and butterflies. Don't miss these events. Certain Fridays they also have cocktails in the conservatory.

I wish I had had more time to spend here. I was visiting relatives and only had the afternoon. They have fantastic paths and garden areas and an indoor tropical area full of birds. What a photo op. UPDATE: Just attended a beautiful wedding and reception here! Fantastic facilities in a perfect setting.

Beautiful gardens, a place to visit again and again.

Beautiful grounds, and a nice indoor tropical terrarium which is open year-round, and is very affordable ($2/adult).

Really fun! Took my son to see all the pretty flowers.

Always beautiful, and worth visiting often as it's constantly changing.

We came on a Wednesday morning while it was free to go into the rainforest area. It's beautiful, peaceful, and well kept. The outdoor gardens are sprawling and varied, with an awesome Thai section. Highly recommended.

Beautiful outdoor gardens, and the warmth and humidity of the conservatory is wonderful in the winter.

Went to the blooming butterflies. Very busy but still worth it. Kids enjoyed it

The Botanical Gardens were just amazing. Intimate, yet diverse and creative. A gem of Madison, especially considering it is FREE! Just a joy to wander around in. I could have stayed for hours.

So many paths, lovely little sitting spots, and Pokestops! New favorite place, for certain!

Beautiful! It can take hours to walk through the entire garden if you take the time to enjoy what it has to offer. Will go again in the fall

This place is awesome! Love butterfly exhibit they have in the summer!

Wow. So pretty, so peaceful. Study here, read here, have a date here, take photos here. It's all good!

Beautiful gardens and the butterflies were a great experience for my sons.

Went during the winter. Think the outside would be lovely covered in snow! The inside tropical garden area is beautiful and honestly, you can't beat the price! The lady at the desk was helpful and so nice! Hoping to come back during the spring and summer!

Lovely spot to walk around in any season! The grounds are free, and the greenhouse is two dollars.