Plan Your Visit
The Garden is free and open to visitors every day.
Bartram’s Garden is many things to many people: a home for horticulture, the oldest surviving botanic garden in North America, an ancient riverfront, Sankofa Community Farm, high school internship programs, and a place of untold histories.
At its core, it is a public park spanning nearly 50 acres in the Kingsessing neighborhood of Southwest Philadelphia, offering peace, rest, and connection.
We invite you to make this place your own and tell the story of what this land and water can mean to us.
Visiting Information
Bartram’s Garden is open free every day.
Site Hours: Open Free Every Day, Sunrise to Sunset
Our grounds are open every day from sunrise to sunset. Visiting the Garden is free for everyone.
Gates allowing vehicle access at our 54th Street and 56th Street entrances are open from morning to evening, though exact hours vary. The gates are closed on city holidays.
Our programs, events, and site amenities vary seasonally. The Historic Bartram House is open only for special events.
Welcome Center: Open Every Day, 9:30 am–4:30 pm
Welcome Center Hours:
- January through March: Open Fridays & Saturdays, 10am–3pm
- April 1 through the first weekend in December: Open Daily, 9:30am–4:30pm (Closed Thanksgiving Day and the day after Thanksgiving.)
Make this your first stop when you visit Bartram’s Garden!
Visit the Welcome Center to:
- Pick up a free self-guided tour map.
- Speak with our friendly staff.
- Buy gifts from local artists or plants from our nursery.
- Borrow a fishing rod and basic tackle.
- Purchase snacks and beverages.
- Check out field guides to trees, flowers, birds, animal tracks, and more.
- Borrow binoculars.
- Pick up flyers and learn more about upcoming programming and events.
- Support the Garden by making a donation.
- Learn more about the history of the site.
Public Restrooms: Open Every Day, 9:30 am–4:30 pm
The Garden has three sets of restrooms:
Lath House — Enter through Barnyard
- Wheelchair-accessible (no automated doors)
- Divided by gender
- Multiple stalls
Historic Bartram House — North side
- Few steps to entrance
- All genders
- Single stall
Eastwick Pavilion — When open for programs and events
- Short flight of stairs to entrance
- Divided by gender
- Multiple stalls
Rules & Safety
For our shared safety and the preservation of the land, this park prohibits:
- Removing, picking, or disturbing any plants, animals, or rocks.
- Littering and dumping, including brush, yard waste, and compost.
- Off-leash pets.
- Lighting fires, including barbecue.
View full City of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Rules and Regulations here.
Travel & Accessibility
Getting Here
Bartram’s Garden is easily accessible by public transit, bike, and car. Click here for directions.
Parking
Free parking is available:
- In the loop via our driveway from 54th Street
- Along 51st Street — Convenient for North Mile and Dock & Community Boathouse
- Along 56th Street — Convenient for Sankofa Community Farm, 56th Street Plaza, and South Mile
On-site parking is limited. Please follow all parking instructions from staff during your visit.
A $5 charge for parking services may take effect during large festival events, including Southwest SpringFest, Juneteenth, HoneyFest, HarvestFest, and Handmade Holidays. Parking fees will be noted in all event promotions. We encourage visitors to walk, bike, or take public transit to the Garden during these special events and throughout the year.
Bike Racks
Bike racks are located:
- Along the driveway from 54th Street
- Near the Welcome Center along the Bartram’s Mile Trail
- Near the Community Garden along the Bartram’s Mile Trail
- At the Community Boathouse
- At the 56th Street Plaza
Physical Accessibility
We strive to make this space accessible for all.
A wheelchair is available for visitor use in the Welcome Center. With advance notice, golf cart rides can sometimes be arranged for easier access to programs and events.
- Bartram’s Mile Trail: Paved trailway, no vehicle access for visitors or event participants. Some segments of the trail are on a moderate incline, including between the Community Boathouse and the Parking Loop and between the Historic Bartram House and the Sankofa Community Farm.
- Dock & Community Boathouse: Ramps with handrails, 3 accessible kayak launches, safety ladders. Boats are available with weight limits up to 500 pounds.
- Botanic Garden: Some gravel and dirt pathways, optional short flights of stairs with handrails. Some pathways are on a moderate incline.
- Meadow: Mowed grass pathways. Some pathways are on moderate or steep inclines.
- Welcome Center, Barn, & Coach House: Wide, flat entrances; no automated doors.
- Historic Bartram House: 1 step down at entrance, various single steps between first-floor rooms, stairs with handrail to upper floors.
- Restrooms: Accessible stalls in Lath House restrooms; no automated doors.
If you need more information about physical accessibility or anticipate needing assistance during your visit, please contact us at info@bartramsgarden.org or 215-729-5281.
Tours & Discounts
Guided Tours
We are not currently offering regular guided tours or private group tours.
Please check our calendar for occasional special tours.
Program Ticket Discounts for Southwest Neighbors & ACCESS Cardholders
Visiting Bartram’s Garden is free for everyone. Most programs, tours, and events are also free. When there is a fee for registration, a limited number of $2 tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis to Southwest Philadelphia neighbors as well as all ACCESS cardholders.
